Footing Excavation Services

Preparing For Footer Excavation

It’s always a good idea to map out what you need done before anyone buries a shovel or starts the excavation machine. As for footings, it’s very common to spray paint the limits of the foundation on the ground.

In addition to spray paint, there will commonly be one of two other kinds of markers used. For basic rectangular buildings, the excavation crew may set out the markers. These will commonly include tape measures, strings, and stakes, called batter.

If the building’s shape is geometrically more complex, a survey crew will map out the footing. The surveying crew will indicate the edges of the building with offset stakes, which are usually placed 4 or 5 feet out from the edge of the building at all the corners. They’ll also place them at intervals specified by Tactical Excavating between the corner stakes. This gives the excavation crew a very specific outline of where the footing should be located.

Understanding Different Soil Types:

The kind of soil you’re excavating has a major impact on the excavation process. Cohesive soil like clay or silt is easy to excavate, using earth formed footers. This basically means there’s nothing additional needed to hold the form of the footing within the trench.

However, if you’re working in a non-cohesive soil, you’ll need something more to help keep the shape. These soils include sand and gravel, among others. To get a solid footer laid, you’ll need a lumber or steel form inside the trench to hold the concrete while the footing cures.

Excavating With The Footing Crew In Mind:

The footing trench must be accurately placed; however, it does not have to be precisely placed to the tenth of an inch. The concrete footing must be precise, but not the footing trench.

Rather, depending on the form being used, the trench needs to be wide enough for the footing crew to effectively work. This is why the excavation crew may over excavate a footing trench, ensuring the footing crew has enough room to work while also achieving the minimum footing width.

Depending on the depth of the footing trench, the crew may have to bench the trench to keep it safe for workers. This is basically creating incremental steps down to the right depth. This keeps the soil from collapsing in as workers set the form and pour the footing concrete. It’s important for the footing and excavation crews to stay in close communication throughout the excavation process to ensure the trench meets all of their needs and the safety requirements mandated by OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Excavating Crew:

A professional excavation crew will consist of at least two people, the excavating operator and a laborer. The laborer acts as the second set of eyes for the operator, helping guide the machine’s movement, keep others clear of the area, and ensure the trench is following the guides. One key component of their job is checking the vertical grade for the operator with a story pole.

Depending on the size and depth of the project, the spoils, or dirt removed from the trench, may be removed immediately. If it’s not being kept for backfill, the crew will also need one or more trucks to haul it away.

Make sure your site is thoroughly prepared for your building’s footers. Tactical Excavating brings expertise with a client-focused approach to all of our projects. Call to schedule your on-site consultation and estimate today.