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“Dirt work” is an umbrella term that covers any site preparation activity that uses dirt to help stabilize, support, and sustain the concrete foundation of a structure throughout its lifetime. It ensures the site is firm, safe, and ready to make way for the rest of the project—which can be really hard on the land.
When you see dirt work being done, it can look like any of the following.
This work sets the foundation for all construction projects, and it’s a process that often goes unnoticed, happening well before any actual construction begins. Unless you know what to look for, it can be hard to tell that they’ve done anything at all. But without it, safe and secure construction would be impossible.
As a land development company, we are extremely familiar with all things dirt. Before contractors, builders, and plumbers can step foot on the property, it has to be prepared—that’s our job. Here at Caskin Development, we are firm believers in doing it right the first time.
You have a lot riding on this project. Whether that’s money, plans, or sheer hope, no construction project is without risk. And this industry has a reputation for ignoring that. Over the course of a project, your limits, needs, budgets, and deadlines all become a hazy memory. And we don’t like that.
Every project has a level of sensitivity to it. Permits hurry for no one. And for a lot of landowners, there’s only one shot at getting the foundation right. That’s why we are committed to helping your project set off on the right foot. We aren’t here to be another problem. We want to be the solution.
For those wondering if this is the service you need to be done on your property, we can explain. You need dirt work done if you need any of the following.
Now, we need to discuss the need for professional dirt work. For the record, we have no issue with DIYers out there, but there are real drawbacks to doing this type of work on your own, especially without any understanding or experience—and we think you should know them.
Some of the reasons to get professional help include
If you are looking to reduce costs by starting the project yourself, please discuss project details, equipment limitations, and any other considerations with us before starting. We aren’t kidding when we say we get calls from angry people who just wasted three days in the dirt.
As with any aspect of construction and land development, there is a process. There are also quite a few ways to get the job done, and every detail depends on the type of project you are looking to complete. But there is a general flow to how these things go.
Before you dig into the ground, you have to clear the area of any obstructions, including vegetation, trees, rocks, stones, etc. You also have to identify, reduce, and clear potential hazards. On top of all of that, you have to be sure you don’t mess anything else up by hitting underground utilities.
Once the area of construction (and a little bit more) is cleared, you’ll dig in, remove necessary soil and any other materials, create level surfaces for foundations or basements, dig trenches, and more.
Most dug-out spaces are going to need to be contoured and sloped to align with the specific intentions you have for the land. These spaces also need to be prepared to support the weight of any structure or mechanism intended for each spot.
When all is said and done, dirt work is about creating a space that is stable, safe, and able to sustain the structures you plan to build. The final step before completion is all about compaction, where teams use machinery and tools to compress the soil and prevent settling.
At this point, you’d also do compaction testing to ensure the minimum of 95% compaction rate is achieved.
Most of our dirt work clients are those who need their land’s function or look improved. This can include
Basically, any project that requires moving, transporting, and reshaping dirt for functional or aesthetic reasons is considered dirt work.
As you are preparing for your house build, you’ll go through the motions of choosing the right location for the build—considering potential hazards, location preferences, visibility from the street, leaving foliage, and water. Understand that smaller properties are going to have fewer options all around, specifically as it relates to location.
Below, we’ve listed out every sub-service that is related to residential dirt work. When choosing a dirk work contractor, be sure to discuss any of the following that seem necessary. It’s better to ask too many questions than too few.
Below, we cover:
One of the first requirements for any build is soil sampling and bore testing. First, your dirt work contractors will attempt to understand the ground to determine the types of foundation or structure needed to handle the surface type.
There are two kinds of testing involved in dirt work, bore and compaction testing. Bore testing is required depending on your local permitting process, happens before the start of the project, and requires drilling a hole or a well (10-20 feet down) and evaluating composition.
Compaction testing happens before, during, and after the fill is put in place to ensure the right compaction rate (above 95%).
Sub-grade is the layer that consists of native soil that sits below the fill. It’s not uncommon for sub-grade to be wet, depending on the location and time of year. It has to be handled, or else it won’t fully compact.
That can be done in a few different ways. 1) The first few layers are removed until dry “enough,” and then additional layers of fill are brought in. 2) Lime and fly ash are mixed into the soil to harden it. 3) At a different location, that is still on the property, digging continues until they reach the extra dryer grade that is used for fill at the build site.
Once the necessary property has been cleared and the location for the build is chosen, dirt work contractors will strip the first 6 inches of dirt. The correct fill type is selected (some mixture of sand and clay) and then added to the location of the build until it reaches the “finished elevation” and correct size.
Once the house pad is prepared, your dirt work contractor will expand out into the hard and complete the final grade. It’s basically how yards are able to be so smooth. This is the stage where water is preemptively drained from the house, and if not done properly, it can present you with drainage issues for years to come.
Sometimes, contractors will look to skip this step or not take the appropriate amount of care, but you’ll want to be sure they do it right the first time.
Dealing with water runoff is an extremely important step in dirt work. By disrupting the earth, you’re disrupting the natural flow of water, which, if not handled properly, can easily destroy structures.
One of the most common ways water is preemptively handled is with culverts that lead into ditches. First, you bring the pour-over fill to elevation, and culverts always require some kind of overlay, which can look like crushed concrete/rock, crushed limestone, miller asphalt, etc.
Of course, whenever clearing land, you have to consider how you’ll access said land, which means you’ll either have to have a driveway or a road constructed. You can see more about road work [here].
The dirt work related to road/driveway construction is pretty straightforward, but the exact steps depend highly on the conditions of your land and your environment. First, a service material will have to be selected. This could either be a single material or a combination of materials (crushed limestone, concrete, granite, asphalt, or concrete wash).
Dirt will be placed directly below the service material to help level and prepare the surface. And, as we mentioned before, the subgrade (native soil) cannot be wet or soft. If you find yourself with wet or soft subgrade, your contractors might do any of the following.
Another step your dirt work contractors will likely take is installing culverts to prevent water from crossing and injuring the road. Cattle guards are also an option.
On the flip side, your property might already have a driveway or access road that is simply in need of repair. Your contractors can supplement with additional fill and then run the blade back and forth to mix new and old dirt. It’s also common for the driveway to be wet during this process to help the materials mix, bond, and hold.
It’s smart to have a usable access point for any project—and have it be the location of the future driveway—because tracks will appear anyway. You might as well let those trucks assist in packing that dirt.
Now, for any of you with much bigger projects than a single structure or two, you’re likely looking into commercial dirt work services. Not only is your project larger, but the timeframe, intensity, and level of collaboration are much higher, too. We understand.
And while you might know exactly what your process looks like, we’ve gone ahead and explained the process anyway. If you have any questions about getting help with dirt work, feel free to give us a call, and we’ll help as best we can.
By far, the most important part of a commercial build is the pad. A tedious amount of work is put in to make sure soil structure is stable and prepared to face setting, erosion, and flooding. Your dirt work contractor should take several steps to ensure the best outcome.
First, they’ll remove the top six inches of soil, specifically because native soil often has so much organic material that it will eventually decompose and create voids in the soil. Most engineers require somewhere between 2 and 6 feet of soil to be removed and replaced with select fill.
If the subgrade is wet or soft, they’ll have to find a feasible way to harden and dry the area before the fill is placed.
Due to the size of commercial projects and how they are so much larger than residential ones, additional drainage has to be installed. These structures see much, much more runoff, so it’s a strict requirement.
The drainage systems can either be major or minor.
There are two types of ponds to consider when building a commercial structure, detention and retention ponds. Detention ponds are often dry and are used for flood prevention since they greatly reduce runoff rates and are cheaper than installing underground piping. Retention ponds hold water all the time and fluctuate depending on the amount of rain and runoff. These are great for preventing resuspension as well as holding any deposited sediments.
One of the most crucial and underrated steps in commercial dirt work is setting up the construction entrance. It’s used a lot and needs to face rough wear. Water must be handled so that it flows underneath the road, subgrade has to be dried or hardened (if needed), and dirt is placed. On top of all of that, a service material is placed. This material will likely be one of the following.
You might also have a driveway that was previously built on the property. That can be updated by mixing in the new fill with the old.
Depending on the location of your project, how much rain the area receives, and the types of soil it sits on, your engineers might require a water filtration system. The most common one used in commercial dirt work is rock filter dams that capture courser sediment and allow water to pass through.
As the name implies, this step is focused on giving your property its final pass before completion. It’s what makes the area surrounding the structure smooth and usable. It also ensures water drains away from the structure.
Quality dirt work is what ensures your foundation will be sustained and supported for the rest of its life. If done incorrectly, you can see sinking, slips, buckles, and shifting that will eventually cause the structure to fail. The whole artwork process can be misleading because people think it’s simple, but it’s not. It will likely require multiple rounds of permit and plot plans. Fill will need to be carefully selected to be as close to the dirt on the lot as possible. And testing will need to be completed.
Cutting corners anywhere in this process will cost you tenfold down the road, so it’s best to get it right the first time.
When looking to book dirt work, consider where you are in the whole build process, the building season, and your plans for the property. A good dirt work contractor will assist in that evaluation, making sure you get the right work done (hopefully) at the right time.
Dirt work is any service that is focused on preparing the ground beneath a structure. It can include adding/removing soil, excavation, reshaping land, preparing for runoff, excavation, and grading.
Generally speaking, you could have residential dirt work, that is focused on preparing for the construction of a home, or you can have commercial dirt work that is preparing for a business to be built. Other than that, dirt work largely consists of the same tasks from project to project.
The cost will vary depending on the location of the build, the type of soil, the size of the build, and more. We know it’s frustrating to get the usual vague answer, but it’s the truth. If you are really concerned about the possible costs of this service, please use our quoting system and we will give you an estimate.
It all comes down to the machinery. Using any type of heavy machinery is immediately costly because the machine has to be transported to the project site using special trailers and hauling vehicles. Second, those machines need to be fueled and manned. The person who comes to do all of this work, transporting, unloading, and using the machine, will also be compensated for their time.
Dirt work and [excavation] are extremely similar. Often, dirt work companies will use an excavator to complete the work, but excavating can result in a lot of different outcomes. For example, you can have a pond expanded for aesthetics, and they use an excavator—that’s not dirt work.
Dirt work is the excavation, hauling, grading, and installation of drainage to support that dirt work. While dirt work is a part of the construction process, it is not actually construction.
We recommend finding someone who is willing to educate you on dirt work and its nuance as well as meet your project where it is. Sometimes, time is of the essence, and you have no choice, and that’s that. But when you do have the choice, go with someone you can communicate with who is willing to take their time and take in each detail of the project in an attempt to do the best job possible. You’ll know it when you see it. PRO TIP: Try to fight the urge to rush. Sometimes, when we are in the midst of the chaos of a project, we want our contractors to speed through it. Don’t do that. You’ll end up costing yourself in the long run.
