Site Trenching Runs
Site trenching runs cover water service, power conduit, gas mains, drainage and low
voltage runs cut to the depth shown on the drawings. Our tracked trencher is sized so
that the spoil can be placed on one side of the trench and the pipe crew can work on the
other side without stepping over a windrow. We cut to a laser on the stick, check depth
at intervals along the run, and log every reading against the station number. Where the
ground carries water, we trench in shorter runs and backfill behind the crew the same
day so the excavation does not open up overnight. Crossings are hand-potholed first so
that existing services are confirmed before any chain turns.
Grading and Leveling
Grading and leveling shapes building pads, parking aprons, equipment yards and
landscaping surfaces to a tolerance that drainage and concrete crews can work from. The
blade works at an angle to the machine so that material rolls rather than pushes, which
keeps the finish tighter and reduces the number of passes. We establish a grade
reference before the first cut and re-check it after every lift. Pad edges are cut back
to a clean shoulder and the surface is crowned away from the structure. Before handoff
we run a level over the pad and provide the readings so the next trade can verify the
surface independently.
Track Road Building
Track road building creates haul roads and temporary access tracks that will not
collapse under a loaded machine in wet weather. We strip the organics, shape the
subgrade, place native or imported base material where the soil needs it, and crown the
running surface with shallow side ditches. Turnouts and passing bays are cut in at blind
corners, and the road width is set against the widest machine that will use it. Final
shape is rolled and re-checked for cross fall, and we note the ditch depth so the client
can confirm that runoff will leave the track in the direction intended.
Cut and Fill Balancing
Cut and fill balancing models the site before a machine moves. We take spot levels,
compare the design surface against existing ground, and work out how much material can
stay on site rather than travel by truck. Where the balance allows, surplus is
stockpiled in a location that can be recovered later for backfill or landscaping. We
record volumes as the work progresses so the client can see whether the site is tracking
to the model. Balancing is not only about cost; it also reduces haul traffic through
neighboring streets and keeps the working platform stable.
Trench Backfill Programs
Trench backfill programs place and compact material in lifts that suit the specification
for each run. Select fill is used where settlement would damage the surface; native
material is used where the spec allows and the moisture content is controlled. Lifts are
tracked in with the machine and checked by hand where the trench is narrow. We photograph
the lift counts and the compaction readings, then finish-grade the surface so the trench
sits flush with the surrounding yard. Return visits for settlement checks are built into
the program rather than treated as an extra.
Site Prep Estimates
Site prep estimates are measured, not guessed. We walk the site with the drawings, take
depths and distances on the ground, note the access constraints and the utility locates,
and price the machine hours, trucking, compaction and small extras separately. The
estimate lists assumptions so the client can see which conditions would change the
number. We send the written estimate within two working days of the walk, and we are
happy to break out a single pass if the site is being staged across several seasons.