Types of Site Preparation Projects

If your organization is developing a raw piece of land, and if it’s planning commercial construction, then the following types of site preparation projects will be needed:

• Site surveying – During a site survey, the site development crew will walk the property and determine its feasibility for construction. If there are potential issues with construction – like a utility line or existing structure – these will be noted during the site survey. And if your organization already has a site plan drawn up, your site development team can reference it during the survey to verify that the property is ready for additional work.
  
  
• Soil testing – If necessary, a site development company can take a soil sample from the development site and have it sent to a lab for analysis. The goal during soil testing is to determine its composition and its loadbearing capacity. Site development companies are also interested in how the soil absorbs water. For example, in the Houston area there are large tracts of clay-rich gumbo soils that are difficult to build on, specifically because they swell and shrink with rain.
  
  
• Site planning – Site planning is a mandatory site preparation project that’s important for diagramming the site and ensuring that all development plans are accounted for. Before issuing permits for development and construction, you will need to have a site plan drawn up. Your site development expert can assist with this if they have an engineer on staff that can verify the project’s details.

  
  A site plan includes visual markings for trees, existing structures, nearby roads, property lines, utility lines, proposed foundations/construction pads and proposed elevations. Without a detailed site plan in place, it will be difficult to establish the necessary grade.

• Land clearing – Once the site plan is established and the area surveyed, it is time to break ground. Land clearing comes first and is an essential type of site preparation project for all commercial development. During the land clearing phase, the site prep crew will remove all vegetation and underground obstructions from the property. This includes a “grubbing” step where all root structures are removed, typically by pulling or pushing the vegetation out of the ground with a bulldozer.

  
  Following land clearing (and demolition) you will have a project site that is ready for detailed dirt work and is safe to excavate.

• Demolition – Demolition is not always necessary, but if there are existing structures on the property, then you will need to bring in a demolition certified crew to deal with them. During demolition, the site preparation team will use heavy machinery like excavators and hand-held demolition tools to safely dismantle and remove any structures.

  
  Given the risks involved, such as falling or crushing injuries, hazardous materials or active utility lines, demolition teams must be properly trained and certified for the job. If your property will require demolition services, target an experienced site prep team for your project.

• Excavation – Once the property is clear of all obstructions, the site can be shaped to fit the site plan. The first major step in this process is excavation, which involves the use of excavators to cut, fill and trench the dirt.

  
  Cutting and filling is the dirtiest part of the dirt work process, as it involves removing large amounts of soil where it’s not needed (cutting) and moving it to where it is needed (filling). Once cutting and filling is done, the site prep team will have all the material they need to continue development where it is needed.

  Trenching is another part of the excavation process, and involves precisely cutting out narrow, deep trenches for utility line or concrete footing purposes.

• Land grading – Grading a property means establishing desired elevations for drainage, utility or aesthetic purposes. All commercial development requires multiple grading passes to ensure the property is ready for additional construction.

  
  When land grading the site, dirt work crews usually start by passing over the property with bulldozers, which is the rough grade. This may take a couple of passes, but as the grade gets closer and closer to the target, grading machines may be used instead. Grading machines are designed to level and gently smooth the dirt as it slowly passes over the site, which allows the crew to precisely establish the desired elevations.

• Drainage construction – Efficient drainage is essential for protecting building foundations, reducing erosion, keeping pests away and ensuring the property is always in presentable fashion.
  
  Drainage structures include curb and gutter systems, catch basins, drains, culverts, retention/detention ponds, risers and more. An experienced site preparation company can assess which drainage structures are needed for a particular property, plan them out and install them during the project.

  
  If your property will require drainage structures, it is important that your site prep team have experience with installing concrete.  
  
  

• Soil stabilization – Stabilizing the soil is essential before placing construction pads and foundations. The more stable the soil, the more weight it can bear. As such, site preparation teams will prioritize soil stabilization during and near the end of development.

  
  Soil stabilization may be accomplished through mechanical or chemical means. Mechanical stabilization includes the use of rollers and rammers to push the soil particles together and compress them into a more rigid layer that is more suitable for bearing weight. Chemical stabilization means using chemical additives (like lime or cement) to alter the soil’s composition via chemical reaction. In effect, chemical stabilization minimizes the soil’s plasticity and reduces its ability to soak up water, ensuring it stays uniform even during periods of wet weather.