Shed Site Prep

[teslacoils]

How difficult? Given a close to flat area, exactly what's so tricky about prepping the ground for a cattle shed and putting in some foundation holes?

I'm not thinking of doing it myself, just getting sick of folk giving the impression that it's going to take ages - 50*200 on a flat patch next to the yard. It's not cutting it into a cliff in Wales.

 

[Steevo]

I know company who decided to get their mate to do it rather than the shed company doing it themselves. In the end it cost them more to get the shed company to put it right than to get them to do it in the first place.

My local shed builders do it themselves and it is one reason I have sheds from them. They make it look easy because to them it’s second nature.

I would say in theory it isn’t hugely difficult, but if it isn’t done right it can get expensive and that alone poses quite a risk. I find groundworkers seem expensive and have often put that down to them adding quite a contingency to cover the risk of the unknown. If I DIY and mess it up then it probably works out just as expensive.

 

[upnortheast]

In the past we have cleared the site , leveled it & put a layer of stone down.
Then let the shed men do the holes. as above,they do it all the time. An accurate sized hole can save neediing more concrete than necessary

 

[teslacoils]

There's no way I will DIY. But I do struggle to see how it can cost X to scrape off some topsoil and dig some holes. Very rarely do I quibble a quote, but I do like to have done idea of what it actually entails rather than just a price.

 

[Sharpy]

How difficult? Given a close to flat area, exactly what's so tricky about prepping the ground for a cattle shed and putting in some foundation holes?

I'm not thinking of doing it myself, just getting sick of folk giving the impression that it's going to take ages - 50*200 on a flat patch next to the yard. It's not cutting it into a cliff in Wales.

How flat? 500mm variance over the site might be considered flat but it isn't, the other thing is are they spreading hardcore as they remove the topsoil, how will they get rid of the dug material and how are they getting concrete to the holes? We need more info.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

About to start a new store.

We will take off top soil, probably install some drains, terram and stone the whole site then leave it to them. This will make it crane ready but any cocks up are their issue not ours regarding footings.

 

[Werzle]

If your tech minded you can hire lasers to get levels and pin point bolt etc surely. Ability to understand drawings and use a tape measure would also see you through. I have dug the holes in the past so shed builders can just pour and set the bolts, if they know the holes are dug in advance they will usually turn up with part loads from other jobs and set bolts cheaper/quicker

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

We cleared our site and levelled it to a reasonable standard, the shed company sent their guy to supervise the holes and setting the bolts, whilst we dug the (12) holes the concrete truck poured to his instruction and he pushed the bolts in. At the end he measured all of the heights and then each leg was made to size for the hole. I thought it was brilliant, but would probably stone the whole site if I had to do it again, because you take an immense risk that wet weather would turn the whole thing into a nightmare.

 

[Mark Hatton]

A friend of mine works for one of the big shed builders, putting up structures that make farm buildings look pretty small in comparison and has always advocated getting as much of the site stoned up as quickly as possible just to ensure that they can travel over it.

 

[teslacoils]

It's pretty flat. Ajoins my hard standing yard. Soil can be moved nearby and will be used in later construction.

I don't mind bills. But I'm not happy with unitemised bills. I'd prefer to buy the concrete, geotextile, stone, hire the digger etc myself and just pay for the work to avoid the inevitable markup.

 

[teslacoils]

Access no issue. Seperate drive. 140*140 yard for turning. Loader on site.

 

[Warp Land Farmer]

Have you employed your shed building firm yet?

 

[Clive]

How difficult? Given a close to flat area, exactly what's so tricky about prepping the ground for a cattle shed and putting in some foundation holes?

I'm not thinking of doing it myself, just getting sick of folk giving the impression that it's going to take ages - 50*200 on a flat patch next to the yard. It's not cutting it into a cliff in Wales.

we are building a new shed at the moment, don’t under estimate ground work, loads of work and money has gone into drains, power, oil traps etc so far and a huge amount of stone etc

 

[Clive]

This oil trap alone was over a weeks work, 28 cube of readymix and 100t of stone

 

[Warp Land Farmer]

This oil trap alone was over a weeks work, 28 cube of readymix and 100t of stone

Why? For just the shed or are you liking the yard drains through it as well?

 

[Clive]

Y experience of previous sheds is skin ping on this can cost you more in the long run, concrete is only ever as good as what’s under it, gettIng levels right can save a lot of stone on concrete and good drainage and services instalations can make or break a project

 

[Clive]

Why? For just the shed or are you liking the yard drains through it as well?

the entire new site yard is drained through it

 

[Lincs Lass]

Set up a rotary laser and any half decent 360 driver with his or her mate with a receiver staff can get a site level ,hardcore it and dig in the stanchion bases ,its not rocket science

 

[Sharpy]

It's pretty flat. Ajoins my hard standing yard. Soil can be moved nearby and will be used in later construction.

I don't mind bills. But I'm not happy with unitemised bills. I'd prefer to buy the concrete, geotextile, stone, hire the digger etc myself and just pay for the work to avoid the inevitable markup.

Very very roughly
400t of stone £6000?
30 cube of concrete for bases £3000?
80 of holding down bolts and cones at £800?
drainage materials £1000?
1 weeks excavator hire and delivery /uplift £1000 ?

 

[teslacoils]

Very very roughly
400t of stone £6000?
30 cube of concrete for bases £3000?
80 of holding down bolts and cones at £800?
drainage materials £1000?
1 weeks excavator hire and delivery /uplift £1000 ?

As said, I'm not looking to skimp. I'm happy to supply what they need. But I'm not having them supply stone, adding a margin and selling me stone I could have got myself.