excavation for store and lock business requirements - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

smitty58 · 03-17-2006, 09:11 PM

I'm getting ready to build some store and lock buildings. I got a bid for the excavation that seems really high. I'm hoping the bid is overkill and I can cut it back from what the bidder is proposing. Does anyone have an idea of pricing for the following. I have approx 240,000 sq feet of basically flat level land I'm going to build these storage buildings on. So I need an idea of what the costs would be for excavating, gravel ,and drainage systems installation if it's even neccessary. Do I have to dig down or can I just build up? Do I need a drainage system or can I just do drywells? How much and what type of gravel base do I need?
Thanks, I'll tell you what the bid is after I hear some comments.

jmic · 03-17-2006, 10:03 PM

You need to price something like this off of a site plan , way to much specific information needed to even come close.

jmic · 03-18-2006, 06:26 AM

Smitty,
So you have 5+ acres, how many sq. of buildings, and what are their configuration on the property? I'd imagine you have to do frost walls for all these buildings, anything special called out for the slab preps? How about drainage, any involved? Does it go into detention on site or into town / city system ( doutfull ) You must have all the other utilities going to an office somewhere on the grounds. What are the ground conditions there ( soil types )? There must be a enormus amount of process / gravel to be imported for driveways / parking in between the buildings. Unfortunatly earthwork pricing always seems high to anyone not in the field, mostly just because it's sub surface and not something you can really touch and see on a day to day basis. Sounds like a interesting project, please keep us informed of your progress as you move along with it. Good- Luck with it.

Glasshousebltr · 03-18-2006, 06:43 AM

Yes indeed jmic, that sounds like an interesting project. Going to need a lot more input for sure.

Bob

smitty58 · 03-18-2006, 11:45 PM

The plans call for a retention area on site at the back of the property. There will be 7 buildings (30 x 300 each) ,blacktop everywhere. The property is not rectangular but rather triangular ,so it isn't exactly 5 acres. There is a house on the property we are converting into office space. We are planning on the mechanicals being in one unit of the store and locks. The plans have a 12" drain pipe with collection basins at each end of the buildings. Is this really neccessary? Can we just do drywells? I don't know what the soil type is ,but it used to be a farm and it is flat as a pancake. The bidder figured taking 12" off and then building it back up with 8" of slag and then concrete/asphalt. Do we really need to take 12" off the top? Can't we just level it out and build it up from there? I'm sure you have figured out I know very little about excavation ,so any advice is much appreciated. I'm building the buildings and installing the fencing. It is a large project ,but will be done in 3 phases over a couple of years. The bid we got for excavation in including installing the drainage system is $244,000 which to me seems very high ,but again I have know idea about excavation.

Glasshousebltr · 03-19-2006, 12:58 AM

Was it the engineer that called for the cut?

If it used to be farmland, there's a good chance it has a hell of build up of organic topsoil. If so, and you deside to build up without the cut, your in for a hell of a ride. You'll get more movement out of your paved passage than 10 Iraqi insurgents with an incomming cruise missile.

Bob

jmic · 03-19-2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitty58

The plans call for a retention area on site at the back of the property. There will be 7 buildings (30 x 300 each) ,blacktop everywhere. The property is not rectangular but rather triangular ,so it isn't exactly 5 acres. There is a house on the property we are converting into office space. We are planning on the mechanicals being in one unit of the store and locks. The plans have a 12" drain pipe with collection basins at each end of the buildings. Is this really neccessary? Can we just do drywells? I don't know what the soil type is ,but it used to be a farm and it is flat as a pancake. The bidder figured taking 12" off and then building it back up with 8" of slag and then concrete/asphalt. Do we really need to take 12" off the top? Can't we just level it out and build it up from there? I'm sure you have figured out I know very little about excavation ,so any advice is much appreciated. I'm building the buildings and installing the fencing. It is a large project ,but will be done in 3 phases over a couple of years. The bid we got for excavation in including installing the drainage system is $244,000 which to me seems very high ,but again I have know idea about excavation.

Smitty,
Bob is right, you must have topsoil up the wazoo. Around here that would be a goldmine in itself, are you letting the Ex. contractor to take this material? Is he charging you to haul it away, or giving you a credit for it, all things to consider. If it was me I'de push it up in a corner, get a screener and sell it off the property, but again not sure of the market there for it. As far as the drainage IMO the best way is with c.b.'s and the 12" pipe, you're going to have a tremendous amount of water from all the roofs and blacktop surface's, it just makes sense to collect it and get it away into the detention area away from the building areas. I've seen C.b.'s set over drywells

once the crushed stone see's any amount of silt they will start failing, then you have real problems on your hands, again you have way to much water shed to consider that kind of system IMO. I'm not familiar with slag.....must be what we would call a process, ( machine made material ) Someone please inform me if I'm incorrect. Well I have to get a few things done around the house, later!

ruskent · 03-19-2006, 09:37 AM

Seems like someone didn't do a good business plan with estimates of construction cost.

jojo · 03-19-2006, 03:54 PM

Why not get a couple more estimates,,that just might tell you if the first guy is in the ball park,,,,

**denick** · 03-19-2006, 04:02 PM

I second JoJo's thoughts.

Nick

rino1494 · 03-19-2006, 07:22 PM

Seems pretty cheap to me. I just bid a 12,000 sq ft building with 6,000 yds of dirt to move, detention basin, curbs, catch basins and storm drains, 6" downspout drains, dig footers, stone sub base under pad and modified stone sub base for under asphalt for $225,000.

Oh, also there was a 6" sewer lateral with a ductile iron creek crossing.