Specifying And Marking Off And Excavation

The slope of the walls depends on the soil type and condition, and the space you have to work with.....The sturdier the soil, the straighter the wall can be dug....

Estimating excavation volume....

http://basementimagination.blogspot.com/2015_02_01_archive.html

https://www.fema.gov/pdf/nfip/manual201105/content/07_lfg.pdf

Nice one SE.

Beautiful shots.

My lot is on the lower slope of a now dormant volcano. Half of it is covered with basalt boulders, the rest is very self-supporting, though I couldn't tell you its composition. When the workers dug to install waste pipes for the cottages in which we live now, the soil stood straight along the edges of the trench - no slope at all.

Beware of the excess runoff of water during typhoon possibility....

https://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/runoff-down-slopes-of-extinct-philippine-volcano-wreaks-havoc-on-magalang-village/

info...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disasters_in_the_Philippines

We're pretty far from the steeper parts of the volcano's slopes. I'm not seeing any trace of uncontrolled runoff here or anywhere else in the neighborhood.

Nice photos, and a good link to a nice little reference/how-to book, to start with...

The poster's project is probably not big enough to justify a purchase of a (LandCAD(R)-type) of software,

so a manually-drafted Grading Plan is a preferable alternative, if he has not done one already...(?)

Why not ask the contractor that will do the digging?

Don't know who that is yet. I'd like to get started while I am still looking for one. Just moved to this area and basically don't know anybody.

Begin by sketching it out on paper,

Beginning with;

• Property Boundary's with North direction
• Location of your building from reference point.
• And dimension of you building.

And lest you have something more solid to work with because after you've done this. Let it alone for a while. Then come back to it and look it over, you'd be surprised on some changes you've come up with.

Do all this before talking to a contractor. You'd have at least something for the contractor to look at instead of your thoughts.

You can refine it more with what's needed with local zoning, such as set away from street/road. Septic/Sewer is it municipal service of do you drill a private well well and install a septic

Another thing you need to take in to account is setbacks from the property lines. Check with the local building inspector about that. It does no good to spec out a footprint that exceeds the required setback, unless you plan to do a (probably expensive) variance. And while you are there, ask the inspector about the rest of your questions - he has the local information you need. Also, don't plan to excavate vertical soil walls greater than 5' without shoring. You'd be surprised at how easily "stable" excavations can shift - sometimes fatally.

I though I included the set-backs, While at it,... as well as covenants, and restrictions (sometimes called “CC&Rs”) and zoning, but yes, your right. Good catch

I work for a Civil Engineering & Survey company.
Here in Missouri we ask the contractor what they prefer. Usually its corner stakes and 10 foot off sets for a building.

Ten foot offsets from the stakes to the edge of the excavation?

Do you even have an official or authorized survey of the lot?

I ask because it's not wise to assume.

Yes.

Presumably, the (basement) Plans/Drawings already indicate the depth(s) of the floor slab and the perimeter wall footings (?)...

So, install your batten boards, run your strings, spray paint the building extents on the surface grade, and take down your strings, so the excavator has room to work.

When the excavator is nearly deep enough, run your strings back in to check your depths, and hand-excavate any areas not quite deep enough, checking for levelness and widths...

Thank you. That is exactly what I needed. I assume I can use a chalk line instead of spray paint?

A chalk line is sufficient, until rainfall washes it away.

Spray paint tends to last longer, and is therefore, more efficient...

Now, I don't believe every rumor I hear, but I've heard tell that the Philippines can get some little wet spells, every now and then...

Climate is highly variable here: everything from a typical tropical climate with a distinct wet season and dry season to one more like that of a temperate zone (climate zone 4) with rainfall more or less throughout the year. Right now, in my area, a drought just ended, so there are intermittent heavy rains but no flooding except in low-lying areas with poor drainage, because the soil has a high percolation rate and was very, very dry.

Knowing full well that the Philippines is, annually, one of the wettest places on earth, you are, therefore, now my nominee for ''Straight-Man of the Year''...