How to Save Construction Costs With Proper Site Preparation!
Land clearing and site preparation services are an integral part of every construction project, whether that is to build a single house or a business park for retailers.
With the national average price of land clearing at $3500 per acre, the cost of site preparation contractors alone can add up considerably before a foundation is even dug, yet poorly prepared sites can also increase construction project costs.
Keep those costs as low as possible by hiring an experienced site preparation company that knows the best and most efficient way to prepare a construction site for building.
What Is the Cost of Basic Land Clearing?
Land clearing is the first and most basic step of overall site preparation that is done on every parcel of raw land, regardless of how it will be used.
The cost can vary based on many factors, from the density of the vegetation to the topography of the land.
Properties with dense woods, many trees, and heavy brush cost much more to clear than more open spaces covered in grass or light brush.
Site preparation contractors also charge more when land clearing involves the demolition and removal of structures, removal of big rocks, and needing to fill as well as grade the land to level it.
The more these contractors do and the more difficult it is to do it, the higher the cost of the land clearing.
How Can You Reduce Extra Construction Costs?
Though it may seem that the land clearing and leveling done by a site preparation company would have nothing to do with the rest of the construction being done, in reality how the site is prepared can make a huge difference in those costs:
- Site Access - To prevent costly and time-consuming problems with getting equipment to the building site, a skilled site preparation contractor must clear that access and fortify it so it can withstand the back-and-forth traffic of heavy equipment.
- Perimeter Access - The next step in the site preparation services to create a safe and workable construction site is making the whole perimeter of the location of the building pad accessible in the same way. There must be enough space on all sides for equipment to move around easily without damaging the land or getting stuck.
- Creating the Building Pad - The site preparation company will next level the building site and create the actual building pad, another critical part of the whole project. The building pad must be expertly finished to ensure a secure surface on which to build the foundation.
- Utility Location - In addition to all the groundwork, the site prep contractor will also locate and mark underground utilities to ensure the worksite is safe and speed up future work to connect those utilities to the new structure.
Proper Site Preparation A Cost-Saving Part of Construction
Site preparation services involve much more than simply clearing the land for a construction project.
To keep the project on time and on budget, site contractors must skillfully prepare the whole construction worksite as well as create safe and durable access to that site so heavy equipment can get in and out.
Unless this site work is properly performed, the entire building project could be affected if equipment cannot easily access the site or the building pad itself is not stable.
A key factor for every construction project owner to realize is the importance of working with an experienced site preparation company that can correctly handle the job.
Averting site and building pad problems before they happen is one great way to keep construction costs down!