There's a perfect, inexpensive solution for rural driveways that have become worn and bumpy. In many cases, that solution is chip rock.
It is the least expensive way to have a level driveway, one free of mud, washboards, and potholes, and one that is easy to maintain. After grading the existing surface, laying chip rock down with a chip spreader allows for an even coat of rock along the driveway. Much later you can put additional chip rock on top if needed to refresh it. Easy peasy. Sometimes it's best not to overthink it, or overspend on it.
0 Comments
The Story... In Celina, Tx. a rural homeowner decided it was time to fill in a pool that had been retired and empty for an extended period of time, and gave us a call. A few weeks earlier the homeowner sat down to consider his choices. He could upgrade all the pool equipment, resurface the pool, fill it with new water, and meet whatever pool fencing requirements were needed, or come up with another plan entirely. Simply putting a pool cover over it wasn't an option because the equipment wasn't in working order. This meant that the cover would be put over an empty pool. That's not good. If he filled it, the water under the cover wouldn't be circulating, so that was out as well. The homeowner could have gone the pool removal route, but that would mean having to redo the cement patios and walking path that went along the house to the back door. That route was also prohibitively expensive, even before the concrete work was taken into account. The Solution... He finally decided that it was far easier and cheaper to get the pool filled in. The plan was to remove debris from the bottom of the pool so drainage holes could be set in the concrete pool bottom. From there, fill in the pool with dirt and pack it in. With a smooth surface back there, he would have no trip hazards or safety issues. We put a number of holes in the bottom of the pool (after relocating three turtles that had called the pool home), backfilled it with course fill, topped it off with sandy loam, and packed it along the way to keep it nice and even with time. The homeowner is turning the hot tub into a fire pit so we added some gravel to get that started for him, and the main pool area will get some grass seed. Eventually he will be fencing in the exterior so the dogs can enjoy a nice enclosed yard during the day. Can I Fill in an In-Ground Pool Myself? All-in-all, filling in a pool in Texas is not something we would recommend a homeowner take on themselves. There are a lot of DIY projects a rural homeowner may encounter, but this one is tougher than most for the reasons mentioned next. Even if a homeowner were to have (or rent) the right equipment, working with heavy machinery near a deep hole can be very dangerous or expensive if something went wrong. On top of the issue of moving tons of dirt, properly packing that dirt is another matter entirely. If the soil is not rolled in, it will sink, leaving uneven soil at the surface. Lastly, the job needs to pass city inspections along the way, which could be an additional problem for a homeowner. The Specifics (cost & timeframe)... The cost of filling in a pool depends on the condition of the pool, the size and depth of the pool, its location, and the access to that pool. With so many variables, it's hard to estimate without looking at it. As far as price range goes, If the pool hasn't been used in a long time, chances are it's more expensive to replace all the equipment and resurface, than it is to fill in with dirt. You can also assume that it will be more to remove it entirely than it is to fill it. This means that filling in a pool with dirt is very likely the cheapest way to go. Of course, these estimates are generalizations. If you have a pool that you can update inexpensively, keeping it in working order would probably be the best solution. This is really case-by-case based on what you're trying to accomplish, your situation, and your budget. We are here to help you decide which route to go if it you want to talk it through. Having said that though, we only work in North Dallas in areas such as Frisco, Little Elm, McKinney, Sherman, Denton, Denison, Fairview, Anna, Melissa, Celina, Gunter, etc. As far as timeframe, depending on the size of the pool and its location, a pool fill in would generally take anywhere from one to three days. From there, let the soil settle before planting grass on it for a few weeks. Happily Relocated Turtle.
Texas has it's share of extreme weather. The heating and cooling of the ground through the seasons along with rain and vehicle traffic exaggerate any soil issues under country roads and driveways. Simply put... over time, country roads get bumpy. A Celina, Tx rural neighborhood asked us for help after the roads into their properties became too damaged. Leaving and getting home everyday was a jittery, jaw clambering experience, one where bumps were jarring and uncomfortable. As if that wasn't enough, the driveways were long, and the roads even longer. Grading the roads and adding material to it was a cost effective way to put homeowners at ease, without the expense of installing new private roads. Many residents took the opportunity with us out there to upgrade their driveways as well. The result? Homeowners in this private rural neighborhood of Celina, Texas went from buying replacement shocks for their cars, to enjoying a leisurely country drive home. You don't have to wait until the road is impassible to have it fixed—even if you have a private road with an HOA that doesn't want to spend a lot. Just reach out, get us to take a look at your problem for you. We can fix the issues without completely redoing the road using any combination of excavation & grading, crushed concrete, recycled asphalt, or chip rock. PHOTO SLIDESHOW: When a trip hazard in the restaurant parking lot reared it's head, Texas Roadhouse gave us a call. They weren't going to let things get worse. Once we checked it out it was clear that a safety issue was clearly developing at the Texas Roadhouse in Sherman, Tx.
The first thing we did was clean and prep the area. From there, a high-quality hot mix asphalt mix was applied to the low spots. This was rolled in and compacted, leaving a smooth, level and safe surface—one without any trip hazards. If you're experiencing something like this at your commercial parking lot, restaurant, strip mall or other office building, give us a call. We can generally take care of these trouble areas without disturbing your day-to-day operations, and will be in and out quickly so you can get on with business without worry or liability. When a property owner in Texas split his lot in two, the new house had no driveway. Pulling in was difficult, or completely impossible when the ground was wet. They were getting stuck in the morning if it rained overnight, and parking on the thin rural street wasn't convenient or safe. The situation they were in was no longer going to be an option for these McKinney, Tx homeowners. Clearly, a new driveway was needed—but they didn't want to spend a lot. Because there was a ditch between the road and the more flat areas of the property, a culvert was the first step. From a drainage perspective, this is not something you can avoid. Fortunately, a culvert is not a huge expense. Regardless, interrupting the natural flow of water along the street is simply not allowed. From there, it was just a matter of using a crushed recycled concrete product to give the new improvement a long-lasting, quality drive in—one without a chance of getting stuck in the mud. These awesome homeowners in McKinney, Texas can expect that with time, rainfall will allow the finer particles to sift to the bottom and harden into a nice, solid base with small stones on top. PHOTO SLIDESHOW: In Celina, Tx, we installed a crushed concrete driveway for a man on a budget. Coming in at a very reasonable price despite a number of interesting challenges thrilled this homeowner.
We removed grass in preparation for a new outbuilding. Next, we removed several small trees and shrubs. After that, we needed to remove a large grassy area where a new parking area would be. Finally, we finished the job by installing a long crushed recycled concrete driveway with a paving machine to ensure a flat surface and rolled it in with a roller. To top it off, we gave a bit of grading to the road, ensuring a smooth ride when turning into the property. It went from grass to finished in one day. Now rain, heat, and time will settle out the dust, turning it into a long-lasting durable surface. We repaired and upgraded the horse stall floor of a barn with several stalls in McKinney, Tx. The Problem: If a horse stands in a particular spot, the area underneath can become soggy. In some cases, the area will never drain or dry out. This is what happened here in McKinney. The soaked mud became soft under the weight of the horses, and needed to be addressed. The Solution: The solution is to remove the damaged soil areas and replace the wet topsoil with a new, more sturdy material—one that absorbs moisture! In order to accomplish a floor replacement the straw was removed. Then we removed mats. From there, any damaged areas (mucky nasty mud) was removed. The stalls were filled with a course base material, and then a finer top coat. The areas were leveled & packed. Some water was applied to begin the curing process. Lastly, the mats were replaced and new bedding was put down. In this case, we used two types of crushed recycled concrete to make a stable base, and then used a recycled asphalt to use in common areas in the center of the barn. The result is a clean, medium-hard surface that will properly drain and last for many years to come. Benefits: There is a natural give to the materials we used that simulates solid ground, but is not hard like cement or new asphalt. We've found that many horse trainers dislike the more denser materials since it can be harder on the horses feet and legs than necessary. The employees and horse trainers there will notice a huge reduction in dust particles. The horses will notice a firmer, safer floor without pockets of sagging. Timeframe & Maintenance: The process of installation is relatively fast depending on how many stalls are done, and how bad the soil underneath is (but just a few days because we use the right equipment for the job). Concrete and asphalt, however, do possesses an interesting characteristic—it hardens with moisture and heat. So, as time progresses, the horse stalls will become even more sturdy and long-lasting. Maintaining them once we leave is just a matter of watering areas we point out and waiting until a few warm days to heat the materials, both heat and water will help to bind the materials together. |
ALLSTARTake a look at our recently completed projects! These are all jobs we were asked to do for your neighbors here in North Texas! Enjoy! Archives
November 2019
Job Type
All
|