Service / Site Preparation
Site Preparation in Chelan, WA
Site prep decides how smoothly everything after it goes. Ground is cleared, topsoil is stripped and stockpiled, the pad is cut and filled to the elevations on the plan, and the surface is compacted so the foundation or slab has something solid underneath it.
Site PreparationWhat the work involves
What we do on a site preparation job
- Clearing and grubbing the building envelope
- Stripping and stockpiling topsoil for reuse
- Cutting and filling to the elevations on the plan
- Compaction of structural fill in lifts
- Rough grading so water falls away from the structure
- Erosion and sediment control while the ground is open
Who this is for
Who calls us for it
- Owners building on a bare lot
- General contractors who need the pad ready before framing
- Shops, barns and outbuildings that still need a proper base
Before you hire anyone
What people worry about
The questions that come up on almost every site preparation call.
Where does the dirt go?
A balanced site reuses what comes out of the cut as fill. When it doesn’t balance, spoils get hauled off or import fill comes in, and you hear which way your site is likely to go before we start.
Will the pad settle?
Settling comes from fill dumped in one pass. Structural fill goes in lifts and gets compacted, and soft native ground gets over-excavated and replaced before anything is built on it.
Can a machine even get to it?
Our Kubota U55-5 is 6 ft 5 in wide over the tracks. A photo of the way in tells us in seconds whether it fits, and what it will cross to get there.
Do I need a permit first?
Often, depending on the parcel, the slope and how close you are to water. See permits and locates, and ask us before you dig.
The machine
Sized for residential access
This work is done with our Kubota U55-5 compact excavator: 6 ft 5 in wide on rubber tracks, 11 ft 11 in dig depth and 19 ft 7 in of reach. It fits most driveways and side yards a bigger machine can’t, and it’s easier on the ground getting there.
How the price works is on how an estimate works. Who calls 811 and who issues permits is on permits and locates.
Where we do it
Site Preparation across North Central Washington
Based in Chelan and working Chelan, Manson, Entiat, Wenatchee and further out. Each town page covers the ground and access there.
Questions
Site Preparation questions
How long does site prep take?
It depends on the size of the pad, how much material has to move and what the weather is doing. Once we have walked the site we’ll give you a realistic window rather than an optimistic one.
Do I need permits before site work starts?
Most ground disturbance in Chelan County needs some form of approval, and what applies depends on your parcel, the slope and how close you are to water. Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll talk through where you stand before anything gets dug.
What should I have ready before you start?
Access for equipment, a clear idea of where the building is going, and any plans or survey work you already have. If you don’t have those yet, that’s a normal place to start from.
What does rough grade versus finish grade mean?
Rough grade gets the ground close to the planned shape so the build can happen. Finish grade is the last pass, set so water runs away from the building and the surface is ready for rock, landscaping or paving.
Related
Work that usually goes with it
Land Clearing
Overgrown or wooded ground opened up. Brush, stumps, slash and debris out, site left workable.
See the detailExcavation and Earthwork
Digging, moving and placing dirt. Foundation holes, bulk earthwork, backfill and haul off.
See the detailGrading and Drainage
Shaping ground so water leaves the property the way it should, instead of sitting against a building.
See the detailCall or text the owners
Get a written estimate
Tell us what you’re building and where. A photo of the way in helps more than anything else.
(509) 421-1539