Shed Pad

[mikem393]

I need to level a 14 ft x 22 ft space for a shed. On the 22 ft side the ground drops between 12 and 18 inches. I'm considering renting a backhoe and leveling out the space. Hopefully I can bring the high side down and the low side up by 8 inches. Step 2 would be to drop crusher rock in the opening and tamp so that there are 4 inches left in the space. Step 3 would be to box with pressure treated, fill with gravel and tamp to level. Any advice? can I get this done in a day with a mini backhoe and 2 helpers? Is there a better way?

 

[GLyford]

Just remember on your high side the ground is now sloping towards your building, dumping all that surface water there.

I'd be very tempted to dig your pad a couple of extra feet over on that side, past what you would need for just the pad, then slope the bank up. Ending depth of trench between the bank and shed pad lower than the shed pad before gravel by at least a few inches. Fill with an inch or so of gravel, add drain pipe and run to daylight (slope 1/8" to foot or so) then build this section up to almost the same finish height as the shed pad with the gravel as you build the pad (just be careful not to break the pipe with your excavator). You'd have more dirt to move overall, but maybe wouldn't have to go down as deep on the shed side since you'd now have more fill dirt to play with. As for packing, it's hard to beat driving back and forth over it with either a tractor or pickup. It will probably pack better slightly damp.

I would think it could be done as you say in a day, but I'm always overly optimistic about these things so it usually ends up taking me weeks. But a competent guy with a dozer or Tractor-loader-backhoe could probably crank it out for you in half a day...but I have no idea what they'd charge.

 

[mikem393]

Thanks, trying to keep costs down with equipment and helpers to get it done in one day. A local landscaper wants 2400 for a cement slab...He does great work but.I was hoping to cut that cost in half with timbers and gravel and a solid days work

 

[breadtrk]

Backhoe would be too much work, get a bobcat or mini dozer and do cut and fill.

On the high side I agree with making a trench, filling with gravel and drain pipes to give the water someplace to go, well on the outside of the foundation.

 

[PhysAssist]

Backhoe would be too much work, get a bobcat or mini dozer and do cut and fill.

On the high side I agree with making a trench, filling with gravel and drain pipes to give the water someplace to go, well on the outside of the foundation.

We had a similar problem with our pole barn (30' x 45') as the back end (the 30'end) of the planned spot was about 4' lower than our planned grade, and the front was just slightly above.

Luckily, the fill dirt was available in the form of a pond bank that was in need of excavation.

We knew we were going to have a run-off water/drainage problem immediately because we had a light rain shower right after they finished rough grading it, and even that very light rain caused water to run right down into the pad.

So I used our bucket spade to dig a trench in front of the barn, used some corrugated drainage pipe wrapped landscaping cloth as a drainage tile, laid it on a thin pad of pea gravel, then partially backfilled it with some pea gravel on top, and then the original fill (well most of it) and tamped it all back down.

That little bit of extra work was really worth it becausecnow we're high and dry!