To dry out a wet lot, assuming of course that the trees have been cleared and the lot is free of debris, your first step is to ensure the sitting rain water (if any) and/or water runoff have a place to go. If the property has a natural slope, then you probably don't need to do anything. If not, however, then you'll need to create a swale or drainage ditch to provide an exit for the excess water. Keep in mind that water will take the path of least resistance, so take into consideration the topographical slope of the property from all points.
There are a few options to dry out the land after that, once Mother Nature subsists in rainfall:
Once the soil is dry, you can compact it to 95% (or better) with 6” lifts, or layers, and then proof roll. As shown in the video, one way to "proof roll" is to drive a fully loaded dump truck, very slowly, over the entire area of compacted soil. The purpose is to check for any wet, soft, or loose areas on the home site. Finally, a compaction test, signed off by a geotechnical engineer, will tell you when your lot is dry enough. A saturated lot will not pass a proof roll OR a compaction test. Once both are passed, the forms of the foundation can be set for the home!
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Kurk Homes is a Third Generation Full-Service Custom Build on Your Land company that is one of an exclusive group of builders chosen for the Southern Living Custom Builder Program. Kurk Homes designs and builds custom dream homes to a higher standard. We offer a 20 year structural warranty, 2 x 6 exterior walls, and multiple meticulous third-party inspections from pre-foundation placement to the final T.R.E.C. and Guardian Home certification. For more information, please visit www.kurkhomes.com