Want to save money by digging a basement on your own? Well there are a few things you need to consider before you get out your shovel and dig.
If you own the land you plan to put a basement on then you need to make sure you have a solid plan drawn up that has been stamped by an engineer so your city will approve it.
You do not have to have your city approve your dig, but you want to make sure they approve your house plans before you go through all the work and expense of digging a basement for it. Have everything in order up front so you can move as quickly as you need to when the time is right.
Make sure to pay particular attention to any minimum set-backs that apply to your property lines. You do not want to dig a basement in the wrong location. This information should be included in your house blueprints. You will commonly find set backs of 25 feet or so from the road and about 12 feet on each side of the house.
Take your house blueprint to all the excavators in your area and get bids. You may find a great deal that will save you a lot of hours and sweat from doing it yourself. Plus, it is always helpful to consider all your options right?
It would literally take you weeks to dig your basement with a shovel. If you really plan to dig your basement yourself then you will need to rent a back-hoe to get it done. If you are not comfortable on this type of equipment you should probably hire an excavator who will do it right the first time. A good one can get the entire job done in just a few hours.
If you do choose to go with an excavator for your basement digging project make sure to get everything, I mean everything, in writing. The bid price, the deadline for completing the work, what happens if the job is not up to par or not done in time, etc … Do not trust anything on just an oral agreement.
You do not want to be handed a bill for several hundred more than you agreed to because you did not get a solid contract completed ahead of time. Digging a basement is quite a large project, but if you plan carefully and weigh all your options you will do great.