Grading Services
Building a house or development on top of a hill or in a valley is not an easy task. The biggest reason for this lies in the slope of the land.
The gradient of the building site affects a vast range of factors. These include the potential for flooding, how prevalent the ground is to erosion, and, most importantly, the practicality of laying horizontal foundations onsite.
At CF Excavation, we know how important proper grading is. It is what provides a level foundation for development. So, you can rely on us for all your site grading needs.
What Is Site Grading
To get the site to the desired gradient, excavations and earthworks remove (“cut”) soil from bulging areas and fill cavities with the relocated (and sometimes imported) soil. This is known as “cut-and-fill”.
Only once this is done can the grading begin. This process involves preparing the shape and surface of the soil to provide a stable, level base. Then the constriction can go ahead safely and effectively.
Our Grading Services
Driveways
Grading makes sure that the driveway has a solid foundation so that it can be installed according to its design. It allows the constructed driveway to be comfortable, practical, and safe for drivers. Grading will also make sure that the slope of the driveway is sufficient to prevent flooding.
When constructing a quality driveway, there are two very important tasks:
- The subgrade of the driveway must be stable to ensure a solid foundation. The quality of a driveway will take after its subgrade. This means that you want to make sure that the grading is perfect before adding the base and all the overlying layers of the driveway.
- The slope of the driveway must allow for water to drain properly to prevent flooding. Having a stable driveway will hardly matter if it is submerged underwater. It’s also important to consider the destination of the water channeled from your driveway. Make sure to direct it away from your home or building either to a drain or a part of your garden.
Parking Lots
While it doesn’t seem like it, grading a parking lot has many considerations. Similar to driveways, contractors have to consider the functionality of the design and effects of water runoff.
Driving on a steep driveway may be alright, but you definitely don’t want to have to park your car on a steep incline all the time.
Because of this, parking lots need to have a predominantly shallow gradient. Yet, they still need to be steep enough to avoid collecting water. During the design, contractors also have to account for the need for ADA compliance before the construction of a parking lot can take place.
Gravel Landscape/Site Prep
When it comes to site preparations, the emphasis is on the long term effects on the soil. The steeper the slope of a piece of land, the greater the speed of any water runoff and the more susceptible the ground will be to erosion.
Depending on if the site will be covered with some foliage that keeps the ground intact and lessens the effects of soil erosion the gradient should never be too steep – especially if there are exposed soil beds.
On the chance that you don’t have or choose to have foliage or lawns on your landscape, there are other ways to avoid the potential effects of erosion with gravel. Gravel landscapes consist of covering the soil with a layer of small stones. These hold the soil in place while allowing for groundwater infiltration.
Excavation vs Grading – What’s The Difference?
Although they generally go hand-in-hand, there is a distinct difference between excavation and grading.
Excavations include cut-and-fills and other works that involve the movement of earth. They form a huge part of any development and are the basis for establishing the desired gradient of an area.
After the site excavations for a project, the land is curated to meet the specific slopes complementary to the design and needs of the construction. This is site grading.
After this, the construction of the development starting at the foundations can commence.
CF Excavation Expert Grading Services
Whether you need grading services or excavation work done to construct a driveway, parking lot or to simply prepare your lawn, CF Excavation is here to help you get the job done.
With the right knowledge, expertise, and experience, we have everything and more to get your site ready for development. To ensure the best for your building, you need to hire the best team to get all the preparation work done. It’s as simple as that!
If you would like to find out more about CF Excavation and our grading services, do not hesitate to contact us.