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Leveling Building Spot

B

Bill VA

Well-known Member
I'm building a small pole barn and the site that it will set on is slightly unlevel and a bit lumpy. I can hire it leveled, but prefer to do it myself and save the $$$.

We don't have front end loaders, backhoes, bulldozers etc.

What we do have are tractors, plows, discs, field cultivators, grader blades, etc.

Short of hiring this job out (and I might), what/how do you recommend I level this site with the equipment I've got - before I reinvent the wheel trying to do it.

Any sage advice is appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill
 
My dad built the pad for the second pole barn with just the loader on the tractor. Dump trucks brought the fill in, and he pushed it around until he was satisfied with the grade. It's not rocket science.

Should be able to do everything with your grader blade, provided it's heavy enough. You want to disturb as little soil as possible, just strip the sod, do some basic leveling, and bring in the gravel.
 
I leveled my building site with a box scraper.

Make sure and compact the dirt as much as possible. And you may need to bring in fill. If you don't have proper drainage before you construct your building, it's nearly impossible to fix later.
 
Shovel and a wheelbarrow? You didn't say how big it was, I did a 28 X 44 house basement that way in 76, I was younger then, but I could still do it today!
 
BillVA,

If you can, use a dumpy level, or if have to, use a water level to assist in keeping it level. Most always you can "make do" with what you have, just takes longer...good luck to you,

D.
 
They really don't need a level spot to build one on. Last one I had built I left the site alone so they were not wallowing around in mud while building it. I went in after it was up and removed to topsoil and then hauled in the fill to build it up. Was really nice to have a compact tractor with loader and backhoe for this.
 
How much dirt are you talking?Could always put in the poles run 2X6 or similar to level grade and add dirt or gravel.If not too deep I like crusher run it'll pack but let any water thru and the floor will stay pretty dry.
 
When I put up a 30'X48' building about five years ago, I hired the leveling done. It cost me $700, but it was money well spent, when added into the cost of the building.

A cousin of mine owns an earth moving company, so I called him. He sent one of his sons down with one of those huge earth movers with an engine on both ends.

The low corner was a foot lower than the high corner, and we decided to build it up to 6" above the high corner. All my cousin's son used was that huge machine, and when we laid the building out and shot it with a transit, all four corners were within 2". When I complimented the kid on it, he just shrugged and said, "Sometimes I get lucky". He'd obviously done it a time or two before.
 
if your ground is wet you can do it with your tractor and blade. what ever you do always remember the ground it already compacted so there wont be a lot of settling. if your remove to much dirt and have to fill a spot backup you really have to compact it but it will still settle more there than the other places.
 

The site where I put up a recent pole building was slightly less than level. It was higher at the west end and dropped maybe one foot going to the east end. Put the building up anyway and then I ordered 18 tons of road rock. Dumped it all in one pile and then used my tractor and loader to move it into the shed. Garden rakes and shovels leveled it all out.
 
Bill,
I built a 30x40 pole barn with 10x30 apron. I did the math, every 1/4 inch of concrete,( 30x50) was about $100 at contractors rates. I put down a 6 inch floor. The 30x40 was a continoous pour, done before noon. Only form was at overhead door opening where every ft was a 2 ft rebar to prevent apron from settling.

I purchased a dewalt self leveling rotating transit. It paid for itself on just that job.

You might be able to rent one cheaper, but I love to have an excuse to buy tools.

I got my ground laser level, within a 1/4 of an inch. Don't see How anyone can level without a loader loader and a laser.

I used a disk to break up the sod. Loader to pile up the sod away from pole barn. 6 months later sod had decomposed. I used that to angle dirt away from barn so rain wouldn't run towards barn.

I put my barn on the highest point on the property. Too costly to haul in fill. Make sure water doesn't run towards barn.
 
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