There seems to be quite a bit of confusion regarding ground clearing and excavating. Are they the same thing? How do they apply for the average homeowner? What do they cost?
We will tackle those questions in this insider article by J & A Excavation, leading the way in the Greater Fort Worth area for excavation services. Call us the next time you need the excavating job done right.
What is ground clearing?
Ground clearing is the first step, after planning, for any major construction project. Whether you are merely building a backyard clubhouse for the children, or clearing a space for a backyard plastic pool, the area chosen for your project must be cleared of rocks, sticks, bushes, and possibly even trees.
Depending upon the size of the obstructions, this ground clearing will be done with shovels or it will be done with large machinery. However you accomplish the task, the area must be thoroughly cleared so that the next phase of the construction job can move forward.
How does ground clearing differ from excavating?
Excavating is that next phase in construction. Once the land has been cleared, it is then necessary to prepare that land for the actual project. This will include preparing a building pad, leveling the land, taking whatever steps are necessary for erosion control, and applying for whatever permits are needed for the job.
In the construction industry, ground clearing is simply considered the first step in excavation services. It’s a bit like comparing the elbow to the arm. The arm will not function without the elbow, but the elbow is certainly not the entire arm.
What is the cost for these jobs?
There is no way in this article for us to answer this question adequately. The cost of ground clearing, or the cost of other excavation services, differs from city to city and, in some cities, differs greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. It also depends upon the size of the job.
Simply clearing land for a dollhouse might cost you $500. Clearing land for a half-acre commercial building could easily cost you $5,000 or more.
The same is true for all other excavation services. Erosion control can be costly, as can building pads. For a large project, the entire cost of excavation can run you $10,000 or more.
And we know this will trigger some of you to think you can do the job yourself, and you probably can, but do you want that job done correctly, and do you want to roll the dice based on your lack of professional training? We have seen homeowners lay a driveway for their homes, and do it in a very affordable way, but we have also seen that same driveway crack and buckle within two years because the erosion control was not done properly.
It is your choice.
A final word about J & A Excavation.
J & A Excavation is locally owned and operated in Fort Worth, Texas. For driveway excavation, for ranch road excavation, for pond excavation, or for excavation for a large commercial project, J & A Excavation should be one of the first phone calls you make.