5 Times You Need to Call a Dirt Haul-Off

Most people don’t give the dirt in their yard much thought until they need to move it. There are many different types of home projects that require excavation, and getting rid of the resulting dirt on your own can be a major headache. Here is a look at five timesyou need to call a dirt haul-off.

You Are Building a New Home

One of the top reasons dirt haul-off services are needed is when a new home or building is being constructed, particularly if it has a basement. Basement excavation entails removing dirt, rock and debris to make space to accommodate the basement and is often the first step in carrying out building work.

However, basement excavation might also sometimes be needed after the home has already been built. In these cases, the work is significantly more complicated, and a seasoned excavation contractor will be needed to remove the dirt carefully without damaging the foundation of the home.

You Are Getting Ready to Install a Pool

When a swimming pool is installed, it is necessary to remove a significant amount of dirt from the yard. In some cases, this involves multiple truckloads of several tons of dirt each. You can use the dimensions of the pool you plan to install to calculate the amount of soil that will need to be removed to accommodate it.

Some homeowners initially believe that they will be able to keep all of the dirt that is excavated for their pool for other uses, but they often underestimate the amount of dirt that they end up with at the end of the project. Unless you have an extremely sloped yard that also needs to be leveled or a major hole elsewhere on the property that needs to be filled, you will need to call a dirt haul-off after the area where the pool will be installed has been excavated.

Your Soil Is Contaminated

Another reason that you may need to call a dirt haul-off is if the soil in your yard is contaminated. There are numerous reasons that contaminated soil should be avoided. For example, it may be unsafe for children or pets to play in the yard if the soil is severely contaminated. If you wish to start a garden, the fruit and vegetables that grow there could be unsafe to eat.

How can you determine whether your soil is contaminated? It can be helpful to know the history of the property. Find out how the site of concern was used in the past. For example, if an older home occupied the land, it may have contained lead paint or asbestos. If it was the site of a deck or swing set, it may have been exposed to pressure-treated wood. Land that was devoted to farming or orchards in the past might also contain contaminants as lead and arsenic were used as pesticides before their dangers were fully understood.

If your site has seen high vehicle traffic or commercial or industrial activity, you should have the soil tested. You should also have it tested if the site has experienced petroleum spills or been a storage area for junk vehicles. If there have been fires, garbage dumps, furniture refinishing, automobile repair, lumber treatment, or the use of lead paint or fertilizers, it is important to have it tested to determine the presence of contaminants. You will need to take samples from a few different spots in the garden and send them to a lab, taking care to follow the instructions they provide for collection.

Although it may be possible to top dress a garden area with cleaner materials, the safest course of action is removing the soil altogether and bringing in safer soil, particularly if you intend to grow food in a garden.

You Wish to Build an Inground Fire Pit

Backyard fire pits are enjoying a surge in popularity right now as more people choose in-home get-togethers over public gatherings in the wake of the pandemic. Likewise, many people are now working from home or enjoying hybrid work arrangements, and the additional time spent at home has piqued people’s interest in creating the most comfortable and inviting environment possible.

Inground fire pits provide warmth and add a special ambience to outdoor living spaces. They enable you to enjoy your yard throughout much of the year, even when the temperatures are on the colder side. These pits create a warm central gathering space that provides hours of enjoyment. If you also have a pool, they’re a great way to warm up after an evening swim as well.

However, it is necessary to remove a surprising amount of dirt to create a space for an inground fire pit. If you do not have another use for it in your yard, such as a hole that needs filling or a space that needs to be leveled, you will need to call a dirt haul-off to get rid of this extra soil and improve the aesthetics of your yard.

You Are Leveling Your Yard for Landscaping or Gardening

As part of gardening and landscaping projects, it is sometimes necessary to level a yard to create a flatter space and provide a more stable foundation for the project. Yards might also need to be sloped away from the home gradually to facilitate the drainage of rainwater away from the foundation.

Depending on the existing slope and shape of your yard, this may result in a significant amount of extra dirt that is too unwieldy to remove on your own. Professional dirt removal contractors can handle tasks like this efficiently, and some may also be able to help with the grading work.

Contact the Dirt Removal Professionals at Dirt Connection

Whether you are taking on a major project like a pool installation or are digging out smaller areas of your yard for simpler endeavors, displaced dirt can be very unsightly and surprisingly heavy. Let the professionals at Dirt Connections take this problem off your hands. We haul all types of dirt away from residential and commercial sites throughout the Northern Virginia area safely and effectively. Contact us today to discuss your project.