Excavation Contractors Sydney

Mark J. Donovan recently asked:


Razing the Cottage

With new house plans and permits in hand, subcontractors hired and a Septic Design in process, it was now time to raze the existing cottage. I considered employing the local fire department to burn it down, however I chose the demolition route instead. Though I did not contact the Fire Department, I was convinced that this route would have led to multiple delays and pitfalls, as I would have been at the whim of several town employees and weather conditions. The demolition route required only the excavator subcontractor and had less weather related schedule risks. In addition, the demolition cost and effort was very reasonable. Within two days, it was as if the cottage never existed on the land. It is important to note, however, that the cottage was relatively small. It was 22′ x 30′. If the cottage had been significantly larger, then the Fire Department route may have made more financial sense.

The demolition effort itself basically consisted of three parts. First, all of the furniture and appliances needed to be removed. Most of these items were old and musty and were not worth saving. Next, the excavator used a large backhoe and tore apart and crushed the building into small pieces. Finally, the excavator loaded the debris into several 20 cubic yard dumpsters, which were then hauled away by a dumpster company. Finding the appropriate dumpster company was a little bit of a challenge, as there are strict regulations on the disposing of certain home construction material. In addition, the dumpster costs can dramatically increase depending on how far away their facilities are from the construction/destruction site.

Breaking Ground

After the cottage was razed, and the stakes were placed outlining the boundary of the new home, it was time to break ground. This was a very exciting time as my dream was about to begin to take shape. I was building a large contemporary home with a wall of windows facing the lake front. Admittedly it was only a hole in the ground, but this hole represented the rough footprint of my future house. Seeing the hole, I could begin to more easily visualize my future home.

Digging out the hole and preparing the site for a foundation is one of the most critical aspects of building a new home. As a result, I spent several occasions with both the Excavator and Foundation subcontractors reviewing the house plans and the site prior to, and during the excavation. It was imperative that all of us were on the same page to ensure that the foundation walls, with all its jogs and step ups/downs would be located and installed per the plans. During these meetings a few adjustments were necessary to the foundation plans, however with all the team members involved the changes were minor and absolutely necessary. The changes helped prevent more serious problems later on and ensured that the outside aesthetics of the home were maintained.

As I already indicated, the foundation is extremely important to any quality home. If the foundation is not built upon a solid footing, nor constructed of the appropriate concrete strength, the foundation walls will crack in short order. These cracks can lead to water in the basement, settling in the framing, and eventually cracks in the finished walls and ceilings. Consequently, it is imperative that the excavation site not only be properly dug out, but also backfilled with crushed stone and sand to provide for a stable base and to enable proper drainage underneath and around the home. In my case I had the excavator dig out sufficiently to enable 18″ of crushed stone to be backfilled into the hole and still meet my foundation plan requirements.

Once the site was prepared for concrete, the foundation crew installed concrete footings 18″ wide and 12″ deep. In addition they installed several cement footings in the middle of the house footprint for lally columns. The footings represent the base of the home and support the concrete foundation walls and the home itself. Due to the fact that it was winter, Calcium Chloride was used as an accelerator to speed the curing time of the concrete. In addition water had pooled in a portion of the hole, so constant pumping was necessary during the curing time.

After a couple of days, the foundation crew installed forms for the concrete walls. A day later the foundation walls were poured. Three days later the forms were removed and the foundation walls were in. I then had my excavator subcontractor return. After tarring the outer walls, just up to the level of where the finished grade would be, he installed a perimeter drain around the foundation and then backfilled the foundation with clean sand and fill. It is important that boulders and clay not be used as backfill material. Boulders can crack the foundation walls while being pushed into place, and clay can lead to improper drainage around the home.

With the foundation in and backfilled I was ready for framers.

The Framing Stage

The framing stage is probably the most exciting part of building a home. In a relatively short period of time, literally days, a house begins to take real form. Within less than a week knee walls were up, floor joists were installed and a plywood sub-floor was down. After a couple of weeks, the first floor walls were up and ceiling joists were being installed. I was so impressed I was convinced my new home was a month ahead of schedule. Boy was I wrong.

Before I elaborate on my misconception I should jump back for a minute. While the excavation work went on, I was also engaged with the Framing subcontractor. The Framing subcontractor needed to order framing material including lumber, doors and windows, shingles and siding. Inevitably there were issues with the availability of material and delivery dates, and as a result, we spent a fair amount of time resolving these issues. Fortunately, due to constant communication and quick problem solving we were able to have the initial delivery of lumber arrive on the site within a day after the backfilling of the foundation.

It is important to note, that it is at this time of the project that the large outlays of money begin to occur. Lumber costs for a home construction are quite large, and final payments are due to the Excavator and Foundation subcontractors. Excavation/Sitework and Foundation installations are a significant portion of the cost of building a home. In addition, the Framing subcontractor requires a portion of his labor to be paid in advance.

Also, it is very important that Homeowner Construction Insurance be obtained prior to the construction phase. This insurance protects the Homeowner/Builder against material theft and job injuries. All of your subcontractors and their employees should be insured but don’t count on it. During any building project, subcontractors are bound to hire extra help for short stints and I would be surprised if these temporary employees were added to the subcontractor’s insurance policy. The homeowner/builder insurance policy is small change compared to the risk of theft or the threat of injury lawsuits.

As I indicated earlier, I was in for a surprise with the framing phase of my home. As mentioned, the initial framing moved quickly. However it was still winter and frequent snow storms and extremely cold weather began to hit. This dramatically slowed progress. In addition, with the fresh supply of snow it quickly became apparent that my framing crew had an affinity to snowmobiling. So even on the sunny days my framing crew was frequently absent. No matter my level of complaining or prodding I was unable to control my framing subcontractor’s work ethic.

Consequently, I had to contact my plumbing, electric, and fireplace subcontractors to inform them of the delay. This was extremely painful to have to do, as I had no definitive date on when I would actually need them and each of them had very full calendars. As a result, to be able to call them at the last minute and expect for them to drop what they were doing to come to work on my project was highly unlikely. Again, through regular communication with these other subcontractors I was able to mitigate some of this problem, however my project did experience significant schedule slips due to my framing crews shenanigans.

In retrospect, I am not sure what I could have done to have prevented this problem. Reference checks on the Framing subcontractor had been positive. I guess I should have asked what his hobbies were and made sure they did not correspond to the season I wanted the work done. It is also a fact that unexpected things do happen on any project and one should expect it and plan accordingly. For example, put some contingency dollars and schedule into your project for events such as mine. Also, I can not stress enough to establish a rapport and regular communication channel with all of your subcontractors. Do not assume anything during a project of this size.

To Be Continued ….

In Part 3 of “Building Your Dream House”, the Framing continues and Rough Electric and Plumbing begin. Stay tuned……………

irinaM recently asked:


The construction industry in Pennsylvania probably never had it so good. With so many high quality and certified distributors as well as equipment dealers they can readily find the exact parts they are looking for. Thus, their productivity and efficiency is always high not to mention the longevity of their machinery.

Special deals to lure more customers

Many equipment dealers in Pennsylvania have very exciting schemes in a bid to lure more customers. Some of the special deals and discount schemes include a 0% interest financing for a period of 3 years, year end saving schemes, one hour guarantee on truck servicing, 36 hour opt-in feature for overhauling challenge, 90 days of CAT access with same as cash specialty and many other exciting offers. As if this weren’t enough the prices of various equipment is extremely affordable meaning that in these times of recession, industries will not be feeling the pinch so much with regards to purchase of equipment. Special depreciation bonus schemes have also managed to rope in many customers to the stores of distributors.

Range of products

The equipment dealers stock up on a large variety of products and heavy duty equipment. These range from crushers and screens, power systems as well as hydraulic systems. All of these products and models can be purchased brand new, used or can even be rented out for a specific period. In addition, there is the option of purchasing specific parts of machinery too. This makes it very flexible for most construction, mining and landscaping companies, who want the option of choosing between parts and whole equipment. With the recession dampening the buying spirit of most companies, having access to high quality used parts is an added bonus these dealers provide PA based companies.

New and exciting product lines

Some of the fresh and exciting product lines introduced by these dealers include mini excavators for sale. These have power ranging anywhere from 18 HP to even a massive 55.6 HP. Operating weights can range between around 3000 pounds to around 18000 pounds as well. The special mini versions of these hydraulic excavators are compact, fairly light and easy to carry around making them a portable and cost-effective choice for most construction companies. These excavators are also available in small, medium, large as well as ultra high demolition or UHD models. The larger the size the more is its operating weight. However, if the end usage requirement load is lesser then the mini versions are perfect for such uses.

Stonehenge Observatory recently asked:


At the start of summer 2006 I probably knew as much about Stonehenge as the next man - it’s a collection of big old stones, or megaliths, set in a circle on the gently rolling chalk hills of Salisbury Plain in the English county of Wiltshire …

Having grown-up in England I’d even had the opportunity to visit the area as a schoolboy, although I must say I was more interested in running up and down the slopes of neighboring Avebury than listening to the master droning on about how the site was constructed and by whom. Little had changed almost forty years later, England in the World Cup proving far more exciting than the antics of their Neolithic ancestors. So when my ten-year-old daughter asked why anyone would want to use such big stones to build Stonehenge in the first place my answer was appropriately glib, but it got me thinking. In fact it prompted a very bizarre experiment followed by two years of intense research culminating in a book, The Stonehenge Observatory.

You may be wondering why anyone is still interested in the site, after all, so much has been written about it in the past 100 years there can be nothing left to discover, can there?

If only it was that simple because, try as they might to pigeon-hole the site, Stonehenge poses a rather difficult problem for the archeologists.



It is similar to ancient earthworks in the use of a bank and ditch but the arrangement is unique, for almost every other ancient earthwork has an inner ditch and outer bank. For some reason this is reversed in Stonehenge where an outer bank encloses the remains of a once towering inner bank.



It is also similar to ancient megalithic structures in the use of stone but the quality of workmanship is unique. Lintels set atop two pillars have been secured using knob and socket joints that are more familiar to pre-cast concrete structures today. Possibly the only other ancient site demonstrating this method of dry-jointing stone is the Giza Pyramid where it has been used to secure cornerstones.



Stonehenge sits in a greater megalithic landscape populated by causewayed enclosures, chambered tombs and passage graves, and although individual stones of the size and finish seen at Stonehenge are not unusual to the Neolithic age, thirty pillars, each weighing around 30 tons, accurately placed on sloping ground to support a level and perfect ring of lintels over 30m (100ft) in diameter is extraordinary, and not just for Europe.



Considering the size of the surrounding ditch and number of stones there is surprisingly little evidence of it having been constructed using the tools of the day - antler and bone. For example there are only two radiocarbon samples available to place a date on the erection of seventy-five stones that make up the Sarsen Circle and Trilithons, and they differ by almost 2,000 years.



It is so well-designed that some observers believe it functioned as a solar and lunar calendar at a time when the emerging agrarian societies in Neolithic Britain became aware of the significance of the Sun and Moon in predicting seasons, a view that contrasts with British archeologists who believe it in some way ’symbolic’ for a culture connecting with dead spirits - anything more would require knowledge well beyond the capabilities of the British Neolithic people and suggest (heavens forbid) a foreign influence. To this end the ‘authorities’ appear willing to do almost anything to keep Stonehenge a truly national monument. 



Almost every attempt to recreate techniques believed to have been used to transport, prepare and erect the stones is done so from the point of reinforcing the Neolithic theory.

It has helped define a phased sequence of construction spanning 1,500 years where erection of the largest stone groups, the Trilithons, at the center of the monument would require the builders to negotiate the Sarsen Circle during their positioning and final erection (it’s worth noting how the recreation of construction techniques is always performed in isolation and with neatly squared-off blocks of pre-cast concrete). A re-evaluation by the Ancient Monuments Laboratory (AML) of radiocarbon datable material recovered during 20th century excavations of the site was clearly aimed at reinforcing these established phases.

It is against this backdrop that I attempted to publish a paper documenting my own theory some six months into my research. Looking back, to be honest, it was a hastily prepared conclusion I felt keen to rubber-stamp as my own and deserved no more attention than it achieved. Undeterred by the lack of official or media response I continued researching the subject of Stonehenge in books, video, and on the Internet. Most authors provide little more information than can be obtained from R. J. C. Atkinson’s book, Stonehenge, published in 1956, and default to the techniques for moving and erecting stones he describes. Even Gerald Hawkins, author of the much maligned Stonehenge Decoded in which he ‘proved’ the builders capable of astronomical calculation far ahead of their time, felt obliged to stick to Atkinson’s sequence of construction and subsequent archeological dating of such. I too may have fallen into this trap had it not been for Google Sketchup. This incredibly powerful yet easy to use software allowed unparalleled access to the site via 3D models I had created using data from a variety of sources and, used in combination with CyberSky astronomical software, I was able to test theoretical alignments as well as add weight to my own theory. However, it was in using the models to provide illustrations for the book that I realized a consequence of the method Atkinson adopted to erect the Sarsen pillars - the orientation of the flat inner face meant they could only have been raised from outside the circle. It was only one of a number of inconsistencies which were to cast doubt upon the established sequence of construction and dates, a doubt that was further corroborated following a thorough examination of the AML study.

By the end of 2007 I was reasonably certain my theory provided a credible alternative to any other, including the ‘archillogical’ interpretation of Stonehenge as a Neolithic place of ritual worship. Hawkins had been right about the outlying stones but they could only have been placed following severe erosion of the bank which would have otherwise rendered them useless. Other theories rely on a uniformity of stone and symmetry that is absent in all but the Sarsen lintel ring. Still more totally ignore features for which they have no use or explanation. Stonehenge is too precise an arrangement to be simply a temple and yet too crude in the choice of material to be an astronomical observatory - that is, until you fill it with water at which point the central setting of stones provides a firm base from which to observe a reflection of the Sun, Moon and stars. There could be no other reason for paying such close attention to the form and finish of a lintel ring that would remain out of sight to observers at ground level, and especially so when such little attention had been paid to the pillars supporting it.

Contrary to the many stylized models of Stonehenge the pillars are not of a uniform shape and size (and never were) neither are the gaps between them, yet much is made of their placement in aligning on or obscuring the view of various events. The pillars are purely structural and well suited to the purpose. Another reason to believe the lintels provided a firm base on which to move around is the technique used to secure them in place. It’s not as if 7 tons of rock is likely to slip off two 30 ton pillars set 1m (3ft) into the ground, yet the builders felt it necessary to use three different methods to join them all together. The surrounding hills still provide an ample supply of water in the form of an unconfined aquifer and there is every reason to believe the level of the water table even higher in the past. Features within and around the site provide examples of how that water could be accessed and maintained within the confines of the henge.

At the same time (the end of 2007) I was struggling with the geometry of projection. It was proving impossible to provide a geometrical method to compensate for the orientation of the site around 50° east of north without resorting to trig tables, and I wanted to show how the stars could be plotted mechanically. The orientation of the site towards the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, lends weight to the idea that it was intentionally aligned on the event but the association is tenuous for several reasons, none least of which being the tendency for the event to move left and right according to the Earth’s changing angle of tilt. Following a dialogue with a professor in astronomy I decided to look at the problem from a completely different angle, literally, at which point everything fell into place. Not only was the geometry problem solved, there was also an explanation for the positions of the Trilithons within the Sarsen circle in providing a permanent record of the Moon’s northern and southernmost standstills.

For the first time every feature within the henge could be accounted for in a single, functional unit. However, in closing the door on one mystery I had opened the door to another of even greater magnitude - for my theory to be correct, the history of the Earth has to be wrong.

There is, of course, much more disclosed in my book, The Stonehenge Observatory. It includes a full cross-examination of the AML study, an explanation of the astronomical problems faced by the builders, alternative theories, and a full description of the features. But paper alone never really does justice to the site. Previous authors have reverted to long-winded descriptions of the stones with Ordnance Survey style plans for reference, or wire-frame diagrams of what the site would have looked like. In an attempt to provide the reader with as much access to the site as possible without the need to be there in person (which would require a time-machine to see how it was originally) I have made the 3D models available online at:

http://www.stonehengeobservatory.com

The web site is designed to compliment the book, so don’t expect too much in the way of commentary. The models are, however, very interactive with the option to hide or show features, pan and zoom manually or with the help of a site plan. An eBook version of The Stonehenge Observatory is available for those of you who can’t wait for the printers. There is also an animated reconstruction of the destruction of the site from which it is possible to see the extent of the damage to individual stones. The destruction of Stonehenge is as much a mystery as how it was built. There can be no doubt that Man figured largely in the removal of fallen stones but you need only look to the 20th century restoration of the site to realize how the sheer size and foundations of those left standing poses more of a problem for the scavenger than it ever did for the builder. Large cranes, gantries and cradles were essential to lift megaliths still buried after so many centuries. It is also clear that erosion of the site exposed some foundations sufficiently for the wind to take its toll, but not to such an extent that the entire southwestern sector would be demolished, and though the scale of the damage would suggest a tidal wave or earthquake, the pattern of destruction says otherwise. To this end, what I consider possible in The Stonehenge Observatory can only invite scorn from the academic community to which I do not belong, but the true age of Stonehenge and the event which lead to its destruction together with what can only be described as a red herring of truly astronomic proportions, are corroborated in studies by members of that very community.

Tamilselvan recently asked:


Excavation and trenching are known as the most unsafe construction operations. Excavation is defined as any man-made cut, cavity, land clearing or trench in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal. A trench is defined as a narrow alternative excavation, which is deeper than it is wide, and is not wider than 15 feet (4.5 meters).

Dangers involved in Excavation and Trenching

Cave-ins have the maximum risk and are much more probable than other types of excavation associated accidents to result in worker fatalities. Other possible dangers include falls, falling loads, harmful atmospheres, and other incidents concerning mobile equipment. Trench gives way cause dozens of losses and hundreds of harms each year.

Common Excavation and Trenching Rules

Heavy equipment tools should be kept away from trench edges.

Surcharge loads needs to be at least 2 feet from trench edges.

One should not work under raised loads.

Test for low oxygen, dangerous fumes and other toxic gases.

Inspect the trenches that follow a rainstorm.

You should know the location of underground utilities

Self protection

You should not enter an unprotected trench! Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or superior need a protective system unless the excavation is made totally in stable rock. Trenches 20 feet deep or better require, which the protective system be designed by an expert engineer or be based on tabulated data prepared and/ or approved by a registered expert engineer.

Protective Systems

There are various kinds of protective systems available. Sloping comprises cutting back the trench wall at a slant inclined away from the actual excavation. Shoring needs installing aluminum hydraulic or any other kinds of supports to stop soil movement and cave-ins. Shielding defends workers by making use of trench boxes and also other types of supports to stop soil cave-ins. Designing a protective system could surely be compound because you have to think about many factors: soil classification, depth of cut, water soil, changes in the weather or climate condition, surcharge loads (e.g., spoil, other tools to be used in the trench) and other operations in the surrounding area.

Anil Gupta recently asked:


Casa Mila, also known as “the Quarry” as it has rock-like façade, was Gaudi’s last private commission. Although the apartment building houses a few residences, most of the structure is open to visitors. There is a special exhibition housed in the attic of the Casa Mila, which includes models and explanations of all Gaudi’s projects. Especially interesting, is the wonderland of rooftop chimneys and staircases that visitors can pass through, while circling a large opening to the building’s central courtyard.

It is comparable to the steep cliff walls in which African tribes built their cave-like dwellings. The wavy facade, with its large pores, is reminder of an undulating beach of fine sand formed by a receding dune. The honeycombs made by industrious bees might also spring to the mind of the viewer while viewing the snake-like ups-and-downs that run through the whole building. In this last secular building which he constructed before devoting all his energies to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi created a contradiction in terms – an artificial but natural building which was concurrently a summary of all the forms that he had since become famous for. The roof sports an imitation of the bench from Guell Park as well as an ever more impressive series of bizarre chimney stacks.

The building breaks with traditional architecture by using not a single straight line. It does not use load-bearing walls, but rest on pillars and arches. Together with the use of steel this allowed the architect to create completely irregular floor plans. Even the height of the pillars and ceilings differ from one to another. So as to allow light in all the rooms, the apartments are set around two central courtyards, one circular and the other oval shaped.

The top floor, attic and the extraordinary roof are open to visitors. The top of the apartment gives an idea of how the interior must have looked at the beginning of the 20th century. Just like on the outside, the interior has virtually no straight lines. The attractive rooms have a lot of character, with a mixture of expressionist and Art Nouveau styles. The attic houses an exposition of Gaudi’s works, with photos and scale models of his buildings. The roof is probably the most extraordinary of the building. It features a number of surrealistic colorful chimneys. Many of them look like warriors in a science fiction movie, while a few of them look frivolous. The roof also features a bench similar to the one in Park Guell. From the top of Casa Milà, one has a nice view over the Eixample district.

Casa Milà Barcelona is an apartment building with a fanciful impression. Wavy walls made of rough-chipped stone imply fossilized ocean waves, while doors and windows look like as if dug out of sand. A comical array of chimney stacks dances across the roof. This unique building is widely but unofficially known as La Pedrera or the Quarry. In 1984, UNESCO declared Casa Milà as a World Heritage site, and it is today used for cultural expositions.

Michael Pickering - LAC Lawyers recently asked:


Building surveyors and building inspectors play a vital role in domestic and commercial construction.

Both perform statutory functions of inspection and certification. Building inspectors have considerable statutory powers to order a halt to construction until problems are rectified.

In the 1980s, architects became the defendants of universal choice in litigation brought by clients, builders, contractors and subcontractors. The architect was always incorporated as a party. This was largely due to the architect’s dual role in design/design development on the one hand and contract administration/supervision on the other hand.

Over the last 25 years, litigation against architects has been declining. This has largely resulted from the loss by the architect’s profession of building administration and supervision and the exponential growth of the entirely new profession of building contract managers.

Over the last 5 years, building surveyors and building inspectors are starting to become the mandatory defendants of choice in place of architects.

This is largely due to the growing appreciation by claimants that in performing their statutory functions of issuing building permits, building surveyors are having to act as designers, architects, town planners and engineers. Accordingly, when a domestic or commercial building project runs into difficulties, the building surveyor is sued for not only wrongful issue of the building permit but also for allegations amounting to design/engineering/town planning problems.

This article identifies current hot topics for building surveyors and building inspectors in Victoria.

Issue of Building Permits - Current Hot Topics - Part 1

Building permits must be issued before building work can be carried - Section 16 & 17 of the Building Act.

“Building work” is defined in Section 3 as work for or in connection with the construction, demolition or removal of a building.

Section 5 of the Domestic Building Contracts Act covers the following types of work:

- the erection or construction of a home including associated work including, but not limited to, landscaping, paving, retaining structures, driveways, fencing, garages, carports, workshops, swimming pools or spas;

- the demolition or removal of a home.

Section 6 excludes from the coverage of the Act and from the definition of “building work”:

- any work in relation to a farm or proposed farm building;

- any work in relation to a business building;

- any work in relation to a building intended to accommodate animals;

- design work carried out by an architect, engineer or draftsperson; and

- any work involved in obtaining foundations data in relation to a building site.

Issue of Building Permits - Current Hot Topics - Part 2

Do these definitions mean that site cuts or site excavations are building work covered by this legislation in respect of which a building permit is required?

On the one hand, site cuts and excavations could be regarded as work associated with the erection or construction of a home including landscaping. Accordingly, a building permit would be required whether the builder, developer or an independent contractor was to undertake the site cut or excavation. Such cuts and excavations can be quite extensive and, depending upon geotechnical reports and recommendations and soil classification, may have batters of 45o or more. Such site cuts and excavations may well also have Occupational Health & Safety ramifications for builders, developers, site owners and neighbours both during construction and after construction has been finished.

This question was considered by the Supreme Court of Victoria Court of Appeal in a 2004 decision in Winslow Contract Constructors Pty Ltd v. Mt. Holden Estates Pty Ltd.

The Court of Appeal had to decide whether earthworks, roadworks, drainage, sewer and water reticulation construction amounted to domestic building work in respect of which a building permit was required for a new allotment developed by Mt. Holden Estates. The Court of Appeal noted that there were no homes on the vacant land, no homes were being constructed or completed on the land, no domestic building contracts for the construction of any homes had been entered into, no titles had been issued by the Registrar of Titles in relation to the land, and no sales of any titles to prospective homeowners had occurred.

VCAT and the Supreme Court Trial Division had concluded that the earthworks did amount to domestic building work under the Building Act and the Domestic Building Contracts Act. The Court of Appeal disagreed and allowed the appeal. The Court of Appeal decided that large scale building work covering more than one home was not intended to be covered by the legislation. The legislation was intended to regulate the rights of individual homeowners and builders as distinct from developers and builders of large-scale earthworks.

Would the same conclusion be reached, that no building permit was required, for a site excavation to be performed either by the owner or a builder in respect of a specific building contract on a specific allotment for a specific proposed home construction? Perhaps not. However, the difficulty would be in determining when large-scale residential earthworks end and individual site cuts begin. Accordingly, the question of whether building permits are needed for site cuts and site excavations remains a grey area.

What is the significance of this question for building surveyors?

If no building permit is required, the working drawings presented to the surveyor for the issue of the building permit should make no reference to the location, method of construction, dimensions, bearings or batters of site cuts. There should be no question that the building permit does or does not apply to the proposed site cut or excavation.

If, on the other hand, a building permit is required for a site cut or excavation, then work cannot commence until the building permit is issued. The surveyor will need to assess whether the site cut complies with the Building Code of Australia, Building Regulations and applicable Australian Standards.

At the very least, the building surveyor will need to look at any excavation shown on the site plan in the working drawings to determine whether it is correctly located and dimensioned, whether protection works notices may be required, whether the batters are in accordance with the building notes and/or geotechnical reports provided by the builder. If a building permit is required, surveyors should require the architect / designer / engineer / builder to provide a more detailed site plan for the excavation if these details are not present.

Site cuts excavated incorrectly can cause significant delays and expense to building projects. If a building permit is issued to cover such an incorrect excavation, a developer’s first target may well be the correctness or adequacy of the building permit.

The argument will be that the surveyor owed a duty of care to ensure that the site cut/excavation was correctly sited, was in accordance with any town planning permit and was such that would not cause harm to any worker during construction or owner / occupier or neighbour after construction. The surveyor may take the view that the real or effective reason for the developer’s loss is inadequate geotechnical reporting, incorrect building design / working drawings, or error by the excavator or builder.

Under Victorian Law (Wrongs Act Section 24AI), the onus is on the first party sued to join additional parties. Otherwise, VCAT or Victorian Courts will order judgment solely against the building surveyor for all loss even if that loss has been caused by other parties which have not been sued. The onus would be on the building surveyor to join and claim contribution against additional parties so that any damages awarded to the developer plaintiff would be limited to an amount reflecting that proportion of the loss or damage claimed against the surveyor that was just having regard to the extent of the surveyor’s responsibility in comparison to the responsibility of the additional joined parties.

The situation is reversed when claiming contribution under Commonwealth legislation. The onus is on the initiating plaintiff or applicant to ensure that all potentially guilty or responsible parties are sued at the outset. Otherwise, the risk of only succeeding to recover part of the damages remains with the plaintiff/applicant. An example might be where the surveyor is sued for misleading and deceptive conduct under Section 52 of the Trade Practices Act.

Bradbury recently asked:


Excavator Training is crucial to the construction industry. Proper heavy equipment training will benefit both new and experienced operators of excavators by showing safe, efficient and productive applications along with various techniques to improve the safe operation of excavators. New excavator operators who are properly trained will benefit from industry recognition, trained skills, and obtain a higher wage.

Many programs exist for excavator training. Proper techniques should be covered when training a prospective operator prior to entering a job site. Accidents and unprepared excavator operators can cost a company invaluably. Safety is crucial and a very integral part of the training program. Excavator training programs can range from a few weeks to a few months. With the proper training, an operator may begin accumulating invaluable hands-on experience operating an excavator.

Excavator training begins by identifying the various parts and components of the machine. Maintenance concerns are covered in detail as well as pre-op inspection. Safety standards are also stressed during this phase of training. Safety is key and most fundamental to operating and training of any heavy equipment. Many training programs will cover both OSHA and industry safety standards.

Comprehensive excavator training includes trench digging, trench servicing and backfilling, loading haul units, and benching and sloping. Training will also cover respective safety concerns during these processes.

Understanding the fundamental procedures for proper setup, maintenance, use, and safety of the excavator and its operators will ensure successful candidates to enter sites well prepared. The demand for heavy equipment operators, including excavator operators, is on the rise. Operators can make a great living after proper training and certification.

Gill Media recently asked:


We are a full service excavation and hardscaping company that actually has fun working. We have modern, specialized equipment that can do work that the bigger companies don’t want to mess with. We can get our equipment through a 36″ gate and haul up to 1000 lbs with us. Small and difficult jobs are our specialty one job at a time. Our Services include Hardscapes,Onsite Rock Engravings,Specialized Excavation,Demolition,Landscaping,Design,Snow Removal etc.

We are based out of Nine Mile falls, and have been doing water features since before they were popular. Our equipment is modern and specialized to provide the most efficient service in a timely manner. Whether it be building a retaining wall, excavating for an egress window, or cleaning up a lot for resale, we get in and get it done, quickly and efficiently with minimal impact on the land, except for that one time (just kidding).

Cascading Creations understands how important it is for you to work with a company that is knowledgable, honest and maybe even more importantly FUN. We take great pride in EVERY project large or small, and our LOW IMPACT approach to your land. We provide quality workmanship to your specifications in a timely maner. We also stand behind our work for one full year, and holy crap we actually get things done when we say we will.

We take great pride in keeping our customers “in the loop”, and going the extra mile. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. Its pretty simple; our best advertising is a happy customer.

http://cascadingcreations.com/

Chuck Tabla recently asked:


Who hasn’t gazed into landscaping magazines and thought to themselves when they saw the pictures of the beautiful in ground pools that one day they will have a built in pool in their back yard. Its part of the “America dream”and is something the generations have aspired to.

The fact is however; that most people have very little experience with having an in ground pool pool installed in their backyard, so it will be a learning experience where the information that you gain will be of no use because you most likely will never do it again.

So do your homework, so you don’t have to learn expensive lessons on the job! There are many types of in ground pools to choose from now, including solid fiberglass pools that a crane plunks into your back yard, so you should make yourself familiar with all of them before you choose.

Having a water feature that flows into the pool is something that more and more people are having done but they can quickly run up the cost of your pool. Consider having a more simple water feature set over near your entertainment area that doesn’t share pool water and you can shave a few thousand off the price and besides people will get more enjoyment out of it that way.

Your pool contractor will mention “excavation costs” and let you know that there are “unknowns” that have to be given consideration to once they break ground. What this means, is that if there is solid rock or “hard pan” type substrate that can’t be removed by conventional methods your cost can shoot through the roof.

You will want to find out before hand if there is a possibility of solid rock under your yard before you sign a contract, because with the cost of rock blasting and debris removal running upwards of $10,000 per day you may want to consider other pool options if you are living on solid rock.

Yisrael Today News Team recently asked:


Tel Arad (Hebrew: תל ערד‎) or ‘old’ Arad is located west of the Dead Sea, about 10km west of modern Arad in an area surrounded by mountain ridges which is known as the Arad Becken. The site is divided into a lower city and an upper hill which holds the only ever discovered ‘House of Yahweh’ in the land of Israel. It was identified as so from artifacts found that refer to the citadel as the ‘House of Yahweh’.

The House of Yahweh was uncovered by archaeologist Yohanan Aharoni in 1962 who spent the rest of his life considering its mysteries but sadly passed away there in the mid-70s. Thus, the site remained for 30 years larger un-excavated until 2005 - 2007 when archaeologist Yehuda Goverin was give permission from the Nature and Park Authority in Israel and began new excavations upon the upper hill and within the sanctuary. Mr. Goverin (an Israeli archaeologist) is in search of the water channels that lead from the sanctuary and out westward down to the lower city.

For 30 years scholars were under the believe that inhabitants of the site carried water from the lower city well up to the sanctuary or perhaps used some form of semi-vertical irregation to get water into the upper hill of the citadel. From his excavations in 2005 he proved that water came from the citadel in a downward direction toward the lower city. A fact that before then was only stated by a Yisraelite Research Team from the Tabernacle Congregation of Prayer organization that have been doing investigation on the location because of its collations with the biblical Tabernacle (or Citadel) of David and mount Zion (Click for more).

Mr. Goverin recently in the summer of 2007 began a new session of excavations underneath the citadal to explore the paths of channels that go out from the House of Yahweh. Presently of the items found there are a number to pottery and remains from animal sacrifices that took place within the sanctuary over the centuries of its existance. Both Mr. Goverin and the T.C.O.P research team believe that site holds great mysteries and answers to Israelite history. And presently the T.C.O.P and other groups are preparing to keep the 2008 Passover festival there.