Anything Wrong ?

Spectatorz

Is it my eyes or is there an issue here ?

jmic

I haven't been up long, hopefully it isn't my eyes but it looks like someone dug what I would call frost trenches ( although I'm sure you don't call them that in your regieon ) maybe stem wall trench for commercial building. Also here I would dig the trench 6'- 8' wide to give concrete sub room to form. Hey Spec I can't take the suspense, what do you see?

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Joe

rino1494

Yup, jmic is right......looks like frost footers for a building. The only problem that I see is.........why is the dirt on the inside of the trench.

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Spectatorz

Yup,
Rino has a good eye !!! Thats what I saw too.
The dirt being piled up on the slab side of the trench !!!
This is Not my project. Was driving by and saw a guy starting the trench with a John Deere skid steer that got my attention. When I went back by later, this is what he had done. He ran the Trencher in the Wrong Direction !!!

jmic

I don't want to seem like I don't know what I'm doing, but you'de have to back fill the inside of the wall anyways and probably raise the grade to boot. It looks like good material ( not the usual crappy unsuitable soils we would run into around here ) so in this case I'de say you could have gone either way. You know some people say Tomato, some tomoto!

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Joe

jmic

Another point is that now the mixers can drive right around the perimeter of the foundation without spending any time to grade the materials off. Nice pics though, thats something I have to practice on , getting the pics on here.

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Joe

Spectatorz

I agree with Both of you guys.
It is just not the way that I would advise this be done. There is always a way around it. Just that it might be less work to put the most dirt to the Outside of the trench.
And Yes, the soil is good here. Easy working dirt.

gravtyklz

That big of a trench was done with a skid steer?

Spectatorz

Yes !!!
It was a John Deere with a Trenching attachment on the front instead of the standard bucket. The thing was about the size of a Bobcat.

jmic

Spec,
If you don't mind, how would you of advised and why? I'm never to old to learn something you know! Did that trencher have the availability of discharging the material to either side? I know he could have gone in the opposite direction. Maybe it was more comfortable going counter clock wise than clock wise.

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Joe

Spectatorz

Actually,

The trenching attachment did not set up for one side or the other. It was fixed.
I was almost about to stop the guy since he was just starting the first trench and give some friendly advice. My reason for wanting the majority of dirt moved to the outside of the trench is that this will save time and you know "Time Is Money." In the sense of saving the extra work of moving the dirt that is left on the inside for backfill or to grade for the slab or out of the area completely. Its just that we all dont want to be moving the same materials, dirt or lumber or what more than needed.
The method that guy is using just seems backwards to me. Thats all.
You guys probably know better than me.

logical

Seems to me you'd need a whole lot more information to call the way he did it "wrong". First of all...it ain't that much dirt to begin with and will be even less after backfill. You need at least some inside. If the elevation inside the walls needs to come up 4", that little bit of spoils isn't going to even move it 1/8"...and if it has to be dug 4" deeper, that little pile of dirt is not going to cause any measurable extra work.

jmic

I'm not saying who is right or wrong, I like to think that I could learn something everyday. I wouldn't even go on about this except for the fact that it's a pleasure to talk to you about this and that I can use the practice typing. I'de be willing to bet that they will end up raising the grade on the inside of that building and end up bringing more material in there. Please take a couple more progress pics. if you're in the area again. Is that leagle? See ya.

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Spectatorz

To tell the truth it really doesnt matter as long as it all comes out good in the end.
If a guy works with his right hand or his left hand, all that matters is getting the Job Done.
Mostly, we all work a little different anyways.

As the job moves on, I can get more pics as well.

To the methods of operation I will be making comments about what I will be doing with my Mini-Skid Steer that I posted about in the Photo area.
Looking forward to getting that up and running real soon.

rino1494

Well, if that was me, i would have placed the dirt on the outside of the trench. I am assuming that when they backfill, they will fill one corner then drive over the footer to get inside and backfill inside. I am sure that material is sufficent sub-base for a pad as long as they compact the backfill properly. I'd imagine that they will be bringing in a stone sub-base for under the slab.

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rino1494

Doesn't really matter. If he wanted the dirt to go to the outside, he could have reversed his direction.

__________________
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chrisherk

Down in new Mexico thats how they dig slabs. Thetrench is actually for the load bearing walls. they will put rebar in the bottom, put forms on the outside edges, and pour the whole thing, after the plumbing and elec. are buried. I agree, he did it backwards, though

chris