Development in Florida is going like gangbusters, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Tucker Paving has been the company on the ground completing site clearing for numerous different developments; it may seem like “just moving dirt around,” but there’s a lot that a developer should know about a site before assuming that site clearing work for the site will be a simple task!
What Site Developers Should Know
These are some of the major considerations that go into site clearing work. Developers need to be prepared for their site presenting some or all of these issues:
Demolition: Many sites that developers look at have buildings and other structures that will need to come down prior to any site excavations or other Earthworks; demolition can uncover many different issues, like asbestos, unknown septic, or unmarked utilities.
Vegetation Removal: While keeping existing trees, shrubs, and other vegetation on a site is a nice idea, it’s generally not a cheap nor feasible option. Many types of vegetation will not be suited to the site in the future, roots can play havoc with utilities, and such vegetation creates a hazard for those trying to work around it. The best option is to install new trees and vegetation that better suit the site after construction is completed.
Unsuitable Soils: Not all soils are created equally; some are good to use for a foundation to build upon and others are not. Features like porosity, compaction, and more need to be considered when developing a site, and not all soils will make the cut. Most of Florida’s sandy soils are not suited for certain types of structures. In these cases, a different soil or other substrate will need to be brought in to replace or amend the existing soil.
Erosion Control: Developers must also take into account erosion, especially if there are important waterways nearby. Site clearing generally also requires controlling runoff and mitigating erosion to ensure that damage is not done to surrounding waterways and ecosystems.
Access Points: Developers will need to figure out how a site clearing construction company will access a site; site clearing usually requires the use of heavy machinery like bulldozers, excavators, and dump trucks. These pieces of heavy machinery will need to be hauled over roads and be able to access the construction site; these might require special permits, the permission of neighbors, and more.
Surprises Hidden Under Existing Properties: Developers need to know that properties that have been in use can hide a host of surprises. These can include pollution, buried trash, dangerous underground utilities, hazardous materials, and even sinkholes. Planning for the unexpected is a must.
Tucker Paving offers site construction services, including site clearing, site grading, stabilized subgrade, base work, asphalt paving, underground utilities, and concrete curbs, sidewalks, slabs, and tie-beams, in addition to our nearly three decades in the asphalt and concrete paving industry. Contact us at (863) 299-2262, or through our contact form online, to let us spearhead your next Earthworks project!