Content written by Mick the Builder

Footing systems

Footing systems

Site Scrape

One of the very first jobs that needs to be done to build a house, is to give the property that the house is to be constructed on a site scrape.
 This involves hiring a bobcat or excavator contractor.
At least 100 mm of topsoil and all vegetation needs to be removed from the construction location  and extend the scraped  area by 2 m if possible.  After this initial scrape the house can be set out and then further excavations  can be made in their exact location, depending on the footing, system design..
it may be possible to excavate the construction area to the required height levels on the first scraping to start constructing a slab

A bobcat can only remove so much topsoil, and he would do this by using a bucket or a set of rippers which attach to the bobcat which will rip the topsoil into strips.

An excavator can remove a lot more soil, and it is used on sloping sites where  bigger cuts are required.

"The soil which is excavated is usually scraped and pushed into a pile out of the way of the construction and is later used to back fill around the slab."