Excavations:
Excavation is a term used to refer to the digging of soil strata required for soil tests and geological surveys. More simply, it is a process of removing earth-forming cavities in the ground.
Materials such as rock, clay, stone, and sands can be found when excavating the ground. Rock excavations require specialist methods of excavation which may require the use of drilling or blasting of explosives. For example, trench excavations are necessary when an excavation will exceed six metres in depth. They are commonly used for forming strip foundations and underground services afterwards.
Cut & Fill
This is a method of excavation which allows a developer to reuse topsoil materials, spreading/ reducing the cost of removal or purchase. CAD/BIM Engineers can produce a ground model which shows which areas of the development can have soil removed, (Cut) and then where soil can be added to (fill). This is to achieve better ground levels by elevating necessary sections and levelling construction surfaces for building.
Other uses of uncontaminated topsoil could be filling of vegetation around the development, adding to gardens of the housing plots or even being used on a different site or sold to a different developer.
Walls and Roof – Super Structure:
Weatherproofing:
1st fix & 2nd fix
These are terms used in UK and Irish housebuilding and commercial building construction industry.
First fix comprises all the work needed to take a building from the foundation to putting plaster on the internal walls. This includes constructing walls, floors, and ceilings, and inserting cables for electrical supply and pipes for water supply. This allows for everything to be in place and approved before moving onto the next construction process. other internal works that are seen as ‘1st Fix’ is sound insulations, stair and door frame placements.
The Second fix is the process of adding in the final touches such as skirting boards, internal doors and windows. This begins when the plastering work commences.
The 2nd fix is usually a quicker process than the first as only a few days are required to place these componenets within the structure although this varies much on the size and complexity of the building being worked on.
Planning both the 1st fix and 2nd fix
With there being the difference of work to the infrastructure before plastering and the finishing of works after such, there are some key aspects to consider during the 1st fix:
- Having a structure that is watertight & weatherproof
- Having detailed design drawings that show locations of electrical sockets and fixings
- Bathrooms, Kitchens and Toilets must have a finalised layout