Before work begins
Understand access, costs and the information needed before booking excavation or construction work. Practical guides to help you prepare.
Excavation and groundworks
Excavation near existing foundations: what to prepare before ordering
Before excavating beside an existing house, clarify the purpose, foundation condition and required specialist documents. Prepare the brief and follow-on work; a safe method for the particular house must follow its assessment.
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Excavation near a property boundary: what to clarify before equipment arrives
For excavation near neighbouring land, clarify the boundary, working space and access. Prepare documents on nearby structures too; permission to pass through does not resolve the excavation's technical design.
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Water in an excavation after rain: what to report before continuing
There is water in the excavation after rain and another contractor is due soon? Do not enter an excavation whose condition has not been verified. Report the change and have it checked before work resumes. This overview helps you pass on information; it does not design pumping.
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A sloping garden: when to plan earthworks and when to start with a design
A level terrace, a more convenient path and a retaining wall are three different proposals. On sloping land, start with intended use and relationships to the house, water and neighbouring properties. 'Level the garden' alone is not enough for a quote.
Read guide ↗Setting out before excavation: position, levels and handover
A peg in the ground does not itself say where the excavation edge begins. The operator needs to know what the mark represents and which current drawing it relates to.
Read guide ↗Earthworks handover: a simple record before the next stage
Handover should show what is complete, what awaits inspection and what remains unresolved. A short shared record helps both the client and the contractor who follows.
Read guide ↗Fence foundation excavation: the route, gates and follow-on work
Fence length alone is not enough for an excavation quote. The fence structure, pedestrian and vehicle gates, and ground profile all matter. Start with the route and the requirements for your particular fence.
Read guide ↗Utility marking before excavation: what to prepare
An operator's statement, a utility's position on site and information about private services are different things. Before excavation, establish which documents you have and what still needs arranging.
Read guide ↗Mini excavator with an operator or self-drive hire? What to compare
Hiring a machine and ordering completed work cover different things. Transport, operator experience and responsibility for soil handling and finishing all belong in the decision.
Read guide ↗Strip foundation excavation: what to hand over before the machine arrives
Strip foundation positions, dimensions and levels come from the design. Before ordering excavation, coordinate setting out, utilities and soil arrangements with the subsequent inspection and concreting.
Read guide ↗Rainwater tank excavation: the pit, delivery and placement
Tank dimensions are not automatically pit dimensions. Excavation must suit the particular product, pipework and future ground level. Agree delivery and placement as well as digging.
Read guide ↗Mini excavator or larger excavator? The whole job decides
A smaller machine may reach the property more easily, while a larger one may suit a different work scope. Excavation, space and soil transport all influence the choice. The hourly rate alone is not enough.
Read guide ↗Electrical connection excavation: where earthworks end
A house connection, a gate cable and garden distribution can have different requirements. Clarify the electrical scope first, then the trench and surface reinstatement.
Read guide ↗Topsoil stripping: what is removed, where it goes and what follows
Stripping removes a specified surface layer before further work. It does not automatically mean levelling the entire property. Agree the extent, storage and future use of the material beforehand.
Read guide ↗Ground preparation for an above-ground pool: before installation
Even a small pool area needs requirements for the actual product. SORTI also accepts small above-ground pool preparation jobs. We agree earthworks scope according to the site and supplier's requirements.
Read guide ↗Wastewater holding tank excavation: the product, preparation and handover
The word 'tank' is not enough to define a pit. You need the actual product, purpose, location and placement conditions. Plan excavation with the tank supplier.
Read guide ↗Wheel loader or mini excavator? Digging and material transfers
Do you need to excavate, load a pile or move material? Each task may lead to a different equipment choice. The location and route surfaces matter too.
Read guide ↗Garden pond excavation: shape, levels and soil
An outline drawn on the lawn is not enough for a pond. Earthworks need documents defining shape, individual depths and the technical elements of the chosen solution.
Read guide ↗Photographing your project: five views for an initial quote
A useful photograph set shows the work, the route to it and material space. Five connected views with brief descriptions help more than many similar close-ups.
Read guide ↗Preparing for a prefabricated garage: excavation, foundations and access
A garage's catalogue dimensions do not define foundations for your property. Coordinate manufacturer documents with the actual design and finished driveway levels.
Read guide ↗An excavator in a finished garden: access, protection and reinstatement
In a finished garden, the route matters as much as the excavation itself. Identify retained elements, access conditions and any reinstatement scope in advance.
Read guide ↗Several small jobs on one property: preparing a single enquiry
A small excavation, soil transfer and preparation of another area can be assessed together in one enquiry. Each task still needs a clear result and place in the work sequence.
Read guide ↗Pool excavation: the pit, soil removal and installation
Start with preparation documents for the chosen pool, then book excavation. Connect digging, loading and acceptance by the pool contractor so that each stage has a clear handover.
Read guide ↗Water and sewer connection excavation: what to arrange
A connection needs more than a length of trench. Connection points, levels, existing services and installation sequencing determine the brief. Take depth and gradient from the specific design.
Read guide ↗Site levelling: target levels, soil and the finished area
A more level garden might mean rough earthworks, preparation for a surface or an area ready for seeding. Define the use and finished levels before booking machinery.
Read guide ↗Mini excavator and dumper: moving soil across a garden
The excavator may work beside the house while the truck waits at the road. Moving material between them is a separate part of the job. A dumper can be considered alongside excavation.
Read guide ↗Excavation costs: what you pay for and how to compare quotes
Excavation costs include more than machine time. Access, transport and what happens to the excavated material all affect the job. Compare the complete scope before comparing hourly rates.
Read guide ↗Will a mini excavator fit? Check the entire access route
Gate width is only the first measurement. Turns, overhead clearance, the surface and working space also matter. Here is what to measure and photograph before booking machinery.
Read guide ↗Preparing a site for excavation: five things to arrange
Before machinery arrives, clarify the excavation, existing services, access, space for material and the next stage. Use this checklist to prepare the job without unnecessary paperwork.
Read guide ↗Material transport
Loose material, bags or bulk bags? Delivery and unloading
The same material in different packaging can require different transport and handling. First confirm the actual product and available delivery format.
Read guide ↗Sand delivery to site: ordering the right supply
'Sand' is too general for an order. You need a requirement for the actual use, a quantity with its unit and an unloading location.
Read guide ↗How much soil comes out of an excavation? Worked examples
For a regular excavation, multiply length × width × depth. The result is not the soil's weight or the number of trips. Here is how to calculate the volume and what else the haulier needs to know.
Read guide ↗Loader crane delivery: what determines unloading
Load weight alone is not enough. Placement distance, vehicle standing space and conditions at both ends of the journey matter too. Prepare information for the actual handling operation.
Read guide ↗Garden soil delivery: purpose, quantity and spreading
Soil for finishing a garden may differ from material for other ground alterations. Define its purpose and the required result first, then the material supply and transport.
Read guide ↗Container transport: what to describe before ordering
Moving a prepared load and leaving a container for gradual filling are different requests. Describe the material, loading, access and required sequence before ordering.
Read guide ↗Rubble removal after renovation: loading, composition and quantity
Rubble may be beside the truck, in a garden or still being generated during demolition. For a removal quote, describe not only quantity but composition and how it will reach the loading point.
Read guide ↗How much gravel should you order? Layer volume is not tonnage
For a regular layer, multiply area by its designed thickness. Converting that into an order requires the actual material and a clear distinction between layer conditions.
Read guide ↗Gravel and sand delivery: material, quantity and unloading
The right material still needs the right delivery time and location. Connect its exact specification, quantity and unloading point with the progress of the site.
Read guide ↗Excavated soil removal: quantity, loading and the quote
A pile of soil does not automatically mean one truckload. A useful quote needs the material, loading conditions and receiving arrangements, as well as an estimate of quantity.
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Removing an old terrace: what to retain and prepare for its replacement
Removing a surface does not necessarily mean removing the whole structure. Identify retained elements, known layers and the required condition for the new terrace beforehand.
Read guide ↗A pergola with ground preparation: defining the whole job
The pergola, its foundations, terrace and surrounding landscaping are connected stages. Bring them together in one plan, but assign each its own scope and contractor.
Read guide ↗A terrace beside the house: comparing scope and price
Two quotes for the same terrace can cover different work. Differences often lie in removing old layers, earthworks, materials or finishing the surroundings.
Read guide ↗Outdoor steps: preparing for a design and quote
Steps connect two specific levels and must work with the surrounding areas. For an initial quote, show the full route, level difference and intended use.
Read guide ↗Wire fence installation: the route, materials and work scope
Before installation, establish the route, fencing specification and gate arrangements. If you have your own materials, attach a specific inventory.
Read guide ↗Garden walls: appearance, function and work scope
A wall may separate a bed, complement a terrace or retain soil. Those functions are not interchangeable. For a quote, describe both sides and its relationship to the ground.
Read guide ↗Replacing an old fence: removal, transport and new fencing
Fence replacement starts by deciding what goes and what stays. Temporary garden conditions, removal and preparation for new fencing belong in the same plan.
Read guide ↗Your own materials or contractor supply? Compare the whole process
An attractive purchase price may not mean cheaper completed work. Add transport, handling, any shortfall purchases and responsibility for correct specifications.
Read guide ↗Wall and concrete removal: scope, access and rubble
Removing a concrete surface and removing part of a structure are different tasks. A quote needs to define what goes, what stays and how the next stage will follow.
Read guide ↗Terrace, path and driveway bases: defining the preparation
A terrace, pedestrian path and vehicle driveway serve different purposes. Before ordering earthworks, provide the proposed finished surface and target levels.
Read guide ↗Foundation slab quotes: documents and scope of work
A foundation slab quote cannot be compared by footprint alone. The project, site conditions and included preparation and construction stages determine the scope.
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A retaining wall on a slope: preparing the design brief
A retaining wall holds back soil. Its solution depends on ground conditions, loading and water. A description of the site helps the initial discussion; structural design belongs with the responsible specialist.
Read guide ↗Ponds and waterways
Have a specific project in mind?
Send the location, approximate dimensions and photographs. We work in Prague, Prague-West, Kladno, Beroun and the Křivoklát area.
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