The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Estimating Frame And Brick Houses
Excavating and Filling.
The natural condition of the site is an important feature primarily to be considered. The nature of the soil, whether it be easy or difficult to excavate; the trees, brush wood or stones which have necessarily to be removed before building operations can be commenced, and the practicability of obtaining an adequate water supply for building purposes, are all essential considerations before proceeding to build.
Excavations are usually measured by taking the length, width and depth of the material displaced, and calculating same and tabulating in cubic yards. The price of same will vary according to the conditions previously mentioned. In ordinary loose soil a man may excavate about 10 cubic yards per day, while in hard or gravelly ground a man may be able only to do 5 cubic yards, or little more, as an average day's work. Again, three men may remove 30 yards of earth a distance of 20 yards in a day. A cubic yard of concrete requires about 3 hours' labor to mix, throw in and level, or if in solid masses and the materials at hand, about 2 hours. The following material, given in cubic feet, will each weigh 1 ton, viz.: sand, 19 cubic feet; clay. 18 cubic feet; earth, 24 cubic feet; chalk, 153/2 cubic feet; gravel, 20 cubic feet.
A single load of earth 27 cubic feet, and contains 21 bushels. A double load contains 54 cubic feet. One cubic yard of gravel contains 18 bushels in the pit, and when dug will increase nearly one-third in bulk, but will subside nearly one-fourth in height and decrease one-fifth when formed into embankments. If earth is thoroughly drained an embankment may be made about 11/2 slope to I in vertical height. Ordinary earth and clay will decrease in embankment after settlement about 1 inch to the foot in height, and sand and gravel about one-third of an inch to the foot.
In digging trenches for foundations, six inches on each side should be allowed for working operations. The prices also should be included for wheeling and laying aside where directed, or for carting away the material as the case may be arranged. When the excavations are very deep, and the soil is loose and liable to fall away, then piles and boarding will have to be employed in protecting the subsidence. In soft ground it costs 5 cents per lineal foot to drive ordinary piles in the usual way, when wages range from 25 to 50 cents per hour. It is difficult to estimate sheet piling without seeing the ground. An average allowance is 25 cents per cubic yard for shoring pieces put in about 4 feet centers in good ground to a depth of about 8 feet; with continuous planking in bad ground, $1.25; for the worst ground, to the depth of about 12 feet, $350 should be enough. These amounts should be added to the regular cost of excavation.
