If proper preparation prevents poor performance, as the business adage goes, this puts a spotlight on land use. When a developer has acquired a piece of land for a specific purpose, they can’t just steam in with dozers and excavators. There is a sequence of events that begins before the heavy equipment arrives and continues throughout the work.
Approvals and Permits
First and foremost, is what the developer is planning okay with the local authorities? It makes sense to find this out before purchasing the land, but if you’ve finally found the perfect site in exactly the right place, it can be natural to assume there is nothing to stop you going ahead. This would be a serious mistake.
Rules and regulations are there for a reason and must be respected. It is therefore essential to contact the relevant department in advance and explain what you are planning. There may be site inspections to follow, plus a delay while some committee considers the request, but it is better to never start than to get part of the way through and have the project grind to a halt.
Potential Objections From the Public
There may be environmental matters to take into account, including potential objections from individuals and organisations concerned with environmental damage and conservation or archaeological interests. The days when a developer could barge in and eradicate the last group of native trees or beetles are long gone. With luck there will be nothing special about your land in those respects.
Site Visits With the Earthmoving Company
The people who are going to be doing the heavy work for you need to know exactly where the boundaries are, how they are going to get in and out and what condition the land is in. They need to know what kind of soil they are dealing with, what the natural drainage is like and whether there will be obstacles that are currently not visible.
If this is a virgin site, are they going to have to clear trees and undergrowth and the roots that come with them? If it’s a redevelopment, what is down there in terms of pipes and cables, basements and sewers?
All of these factors can affect the speed at which the job is carried out and therefore the cost, so the earthmoving company can’t give you an accurate quote or even a realistic estimate if there are too many ifs and buts involved.
Time Frames and Deadlines
There are two sides to this: the developer’s needs and the contractor’s projections. Timeframes and deadlines need to be set in stone before the work starts, and there could be substantial negotiations to go through. It is in everyone’s best interests to get the project finished in good time, but the contractor won’t want to commit to dates if there is a possibility that something unforeseen could throw a spanner in the works.
Once the contractor has committed to the contract, detailing any penalties for late results or perhaps bonuses for work completed head of schedule, then ground can be broken, but not before.
Signing off so Construction can Begin
Once the land preparation is completed, the developer is dealing with a construction company, which must be satisfied with the condition of the site because their own estimate depends on it. If they are not happy with the state of things, there could be a standoff while elements of the contract are redrafted. Eventually, if they are happy to proceed, that’s the prep phase finished and on you go to the building. For more information visit Fraser Earthworks today.
