Excavate the terrace during ground works or will it be too deep?

Hi,

within the next 10 days, the ground for the slab foundation is supposed to be excavated. The groundworks contractor recommended that we also excavate and compact the area for the terrace at the same time. Do you think that makes sense? I’m concerned that it might be excavated too deep, the house might end up too high, and sand might have to be added later.

What do you think?

Best regards

Why should it be too deep, the heights are given after all?

Of course, it will have to be reworked later, as a lot goes over during the construction work. This way you have less mud fight if the rain hits the natural ground during the construction phase. The landscape gardener has different (smaller) equipment and gravel in bulk is of course also cheaper than having something brought in later just for the terrace. I would therefore have the earthmover do everything at once, including the driveway etc.

Definitely have it done! Otherwise, you will be trampling through the mud there throughout the entire construction phase. The landscaping gardener will have to do rework anyway!

The driveway will definitely be prepared as well.

My understanding of the matter was that the terrace would be at the same height as the preparation for the house. For the house, the floor slab will be added, and for the terrace only gravel. Then the step height seems quite high to me if the terrace is later only equipped with a fastening of about 10-12 cm.

Or am I making a mistake in my thinking?

That depends on how your terrace will be built later... wood or porcelain stoneware, the substructure or height differs accordingly. No matter what, if you have gravel laid there now, something still has to be added later; the floor construction will also be added inside the house. I would have it gravelled to the height of the floor slabs, then you still have 15-20 cm of construction above... prepare the drainage if necessary.

If recycled material is to be included: It will give way at some point. It is okay under the mineral concrete for the slab of a house. We had the terrace and floor slab subbase manufactured together. For the terrace, we were then able to remove the RC material again under the mineral concrete layer and replace it with mineral concrete. The later driveway to the garage was created as a construction road that was necessary anyway.

Best regards, Gabriele