Timber frame owner builder in NJ
- Thread starter emanaresi
- Start date
- Views: 11833
BitChin1
Silver Member
Way cheaper but also sounds a bit expensive - check local building/roofing source
locally we paid ~ $35 per sheet
Ok, so all issues with the town and permitting are cleared up (long story). All of the trees are marked and we are ready for the excavator to start clearing. The excavator is not anxious to start because he believes the ground is too wet. I have no choice but to trust his expertise, so we wait...
One thing that has popped up, as I have begun to order materials and give rough schedules for delivery, there is concerns about whether or not a tractor trailer will be able to get down our dirt road, into our driveway, and turned around to get back out.
The dirt road is about 25' wide, and very stable and flat. The driveway will be cleared about 30' wide with about 14' graveled, it meets the road at roughly 90 degrees. By the house there is an area about 60'x60' that will eventually be driveway to turn around in. Is 60x60 enough area for a tractor tailer to turn around? How hard would it be for them to back down a 700' driveway that is mostly straight but has a slight bend about midway down?
I will get pics of the trees marked soon and hopefully very soon will have real progress pics.
One thing that has popped up, as I have begun to order materials and give rough schedules for delivery, there is concerns about whether or not a tractor trailer will be able to get down our dirt road, into our driveway, and turned around to get back out.
The dirt road is about 25' wide, and very stable and flat. The driveway will be cleared about 30' wide with about 14' graveled, it meets the road at roughly 90 degrees. By the house there is an area about 60'x60' that will eventually be driveway to turn around in. Is 60x60 enough area for a tractor tailer to turn around? How hard would it be for them to back down a 700' driveway that is mostly straight but has a slight bend about midway down?
I will get pics of the trees marked soon and hopefully very soon will have real progress pics.
tkappeler
Platinum Member
I remember mud through our construction. :confused2: Go with the excavator's advice and experience. The last thing you want is stuck delivery trucks, telehandlers or PO'd contractor's trying to navigate through a mud field.
Glad to hear that things are cleared up and ready to go when the weather breaks.
Glad to hear that things are cleared up and ready to go when the weather breaks.
BitChin1
Silver Member
How are you building the driveway (material)?
I used a geo fabric over compacted ground (tractor and dump trucks did the compacting) followed by 4" road base and then 4" asphalt millings
Had to meet firechiefs specs for fully loaded firetruck
I also required a minimum of 70' "t" (circle, square etc would work as long as 70' for each leg of t would fit and each leg had to be minimum of 20' width) this was to allow firetruck to enter and space to turn around.
I used a geo fabric over compacted ground (tractor and dump trucks did the compacting) followed by 4" road base and then 4" asphalt millings
Had to meet firechiefs specs for fully loaded firetruck
I also required a minimum of 70' "t" (circle, square etc would work as long as 70' for each leg of t would fit and each leg had to be minimum of 20' width) this was to allow firetruck to enter and space to turn around.
Actually we are going to the planning board tonight. The original plans called for a 50' radius circle which we decided we didn't want. We asked the fire chief if we could do a 60'x60' parking area to give them room to turn around and he said it will work. Hopefully the planning board is ok with that.
As far as construction, I am not sure what we are doing. I asked the excavator to build us a driveway and he specd "I5 gravel drive 6" thick" I expect we may tweak that a little bit. Any specific recomendations. We have very sandy, well drained soil with clay at about 5' deep.
As far as construction, I am not sure what we are doing. I asked the excavator to build us a driveway and he specd "I5 gravel drive 6" thick" I expect we may tweak that a little bit. Any specific recomendations. We have very sandy, well drained soil with clay at about 5' deep.
farmer2009
Elite Member
60 feet will be hard to turn a tractor trailer around in. They are about 70 feet long. Your entrance will need to be atleast 30-40 feet wide (flared) if the roads are that tight. About the same setup I have as far as road widths. But I have 100x 300 foot turn arounds for them. They use it all the 100 foot way. Turns need to be wider. How much depends on how sharp (off tracking). We average 2-3 tractor trailers a week here.
farmer2009
Elite Member
I think a lot would laugh at you and go back to the store and say it was undeliverable. A lot of drivers now can't back much over the length of the truck. They have to back out from between two buildings here about 300 feet to turn around. Some make it look easy most do a lot of sawing. And it's straight. If it's not soft, and is flat then they should be able to turn around at the house by backing the trailer off the road empty. Those trucks don't go real good too much weight when it's soft.