The last few years have shown us the benefit of owning land and maximizing the space in which you live. What does it matter if you live on a half-acre if you don’t get proper use out of it? Have you been dreaming of an expansive garden to grow your own vegetables? Do you want to install a garden pathway to a fire pit and outdoor seating? Would you like to install a pool or covered patio? What about a sports court right there in your very own backyard?
Regardless of your outdoor property vision, you need to take the first steps to get your land ready for practical use. It is wise to hire an experienced home excavator to clear and level the ground for your big backyard project. Let’s look into things to know before starting a home excavation project.
What to Know Before Expanding Your Yard
Many people think that clearing and leveling land is a no-brainer. After all, how much effort does it take to remove a few trees and move some dirt around, right? But you may not be aware of the things that you need to watch out for when you choose to complete the project yourself, rather than hiring a home excavator.
Use knowledge to your advantage and make a wise decision when you start your home excavation project. The last thing you want to do is hit a pipe or encounter a drainage problem and have to hire a home excavator to fix and finish the project that you thought was a DIY.
What a Home Excavation Entails
When you hire a professional home excavator, you will find that they know precisely what to do for a successful home excavation project. There are regulations within municipalities are usually needed to dictate how property needs to be graded. In order to execute your yard expansion project properly, there are some details your excavation contractor will keep in mind.
Drainage
When you examine the home site, you may not be aware that potential drainage issues could cause damage to your home. Alternately, you may be seeking home excavation services to fix a drainage issue on your property.
As you are leveling out your land, think about where the water will pool on your property if it is all leveled out. An experienced home excavator will know how to redirect the water to the ideal place on your property, which will make the project well worth it.
Excavation of Rocks and Trees
One step of the excavation process is to clear the rocks, plants, and debris from the area. Removing a tree can be an extensive process, which includes grinding the stump to be able to grow grass or landscaping on top of the site again. Also, large rocks can require the use of equipment that is more specialized than a John Deere tractor.
What kinds of equipment do you have to excavate land on your property? If you are considering doing the work with a shovel and a wheelbarrow, it may be time to call on a home excavation team with their own heavy equipment.
Smooth and Level the Surface
If digging a hole is part of your excavation plans, whether to plant a tree or install a pool or ground-level trampoline, it takes expertise to know where to dig. Will you have to drill through solid rock to get the depth you desire? Are there water lines or obstructions that will keep you from digging safely?
What does it take to level the land? As with all excavation projects, level land is essential to move on to the next steps. For example, you may want to pour an outdoor patio, build a garden, or create a sports court. No matter what the next project is, a leveled out ground is necessary and should be done by a professional home excavator.
Add Topsoil
In order for any grass or plants to survive on your land, you must add topsoil to the first layer. This rich soil has the right balance of nutrients for growing grass. However, without the help of an excavation team, you may not know how deep of a layer to spread the topsoil. Call on an experienced home excavator to make the right decisions regarding topsoil.
What to Watch Out For
You are ready to start on your home excavation, but what do you need to be aware of first? You may not know that your home excavation project could permanently damage your home. Take a look at some hazards you could face when taking on home excavation without a professional.
Damage to Your Foundation
Imagine that you were to level out your land all by yourself. You cleared all the debris, trees, and rocks and made sure the ground was perfectly flat. If the water is now pooling and draining toward your house, it could cause flooding and even damage your foundation.
With continual water draining toward the foundation, this could also cause a breakdown of the foundation itself. Water is heavy, and if it presses against the foundation each time it rains, the foundation will start to show cracks and clear signs of water damage.
Hitting Utility Lines
You must be aware of what is under the ground before digging about your building site. For example, as you dig to remove large rocks or tree roots, it is possible that you could hit a utility line and cause serious damage. You should also be aware of water pipes and gas lines that run underground.
Water Table
Another thing to be aware of when digging is the water table. How deep can you dig before hitting the water table that runs under the layer of ground on your property? A professional home excavator will know these details about your property.
Tips for Home Excavation
When taking on a home excavation project, adhere to a few tips for a successful outcome.
Recycle Dirt
As you level out the land in your project, be sure to recycle the dirt. The last step will require adding topsoil, but the dirt that exists in your backyard is an excellent backfill for the areas that need to be raised to higher ground.
Required Equipment
Get a glimpse of what kind of equipment is needed and why hiring an excavation team is the best way to go. For example, a compact excavator or mini excavator will help remove the large rocks in tight spaces. A backhoe loader will haul out the materials and get them loaded into a truck for disposal. An expert excavation team will know which equipment to use for your home excavation project.
Hire Professional Contractors
Our team at Mikula Contracting is the home excavator you’ve been looking for. We have the skills and knowledge to make your yard ready for any project you have on the docket. You won’t have to worry about project disasters when you hire our professional team for your home excavation needs. Contact us today to set up your initial meeting.
