Civil earthworks for subdivisions, roads and commercial sites: cut and fill, bulk excavation, benching and compaction testing. We run our own Komatsu and Caterpillar plant, so there is no hired gear and no unfamiliar operator on your programme.
Earthworks is where civil projects succeed or fail. Poor compaction at sub-grade level creates pavement problems years later that trace back to the earthworks phase. We use a nuclear density gauge for in-house compaction testing at each lift, which gives us real-time data to identify problems before they are buried.
Our earthworks team works closely with our pavement and kerb crews to ensure the earthworks phase is completed to the exact tolerances required for the civil stages that follow. That coordination is simple when all the trades are under one contract. Bulk cut-and-fill is the kind of scope that keeps machines on site for weeks, which is why we take it on in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Hornsby as well as here.
Bulk Earthworks
Large volume cut-and-fill with own plant fleet. We do not rely on subcontractors for the earthworks phase.
Benching
Bench formation on sloped sites, critical for pavement performance and drainage control.
Compaction Testing
In-house compaction testing at each lift using a nuclear density gauge.
Own Fleet
Komatsu PC200 excavator and D61 dozer, Cat 140 grader, all operated by our permanent crew.
Civil Integration
Earthworks phase integrated with subsequent kerb, drainage and pavement stages.
Anatomy of a cut and fill that holds
Settlement does not show up at handover. It shows up in year three. Here is the work on a sloped site that stops it.
- Survey and set-out
Levels tied to survey control before a bucket touches dirt. Topsoil stripped and stockpiled, cut and fill lines marked out, not judged by eye.
- Cut to design level
Material excavated from the high side with our own Komatsu and Caterpillar plant, and reused as fill where it is up to the job.
- Fill in tested lifts 300mm max
The difference between engineered fill and dumped fill. Each lift goes down at 300mm or less, gets compacted, then gets checked with a nuclear density gauge before the next one goes on. AS 3798 practice, with the test results recorded.
- Formation trim and crossfall
Final trim to design level with fall built in so water sheds off the formation. Handover comes with test data, not a verbal sign-off.
A pavement is only ever as good as the formation under it. Get the earthworks right and everything built on top behaves for decades.
Diagram shows typical construction sequence for standard site conditions on the NSW Central Coast. Actual scope, depths, and materials are determined on-site, as conditions vary by substrate, drainage, and access. Speak to our crew for an assessment specific to your project.
The Process
Every job follows the same standard. No steps skipped, no quality shortcuts.
Set-out and Strip
Site set-out, topsoil strip and stockpile management before bulk earthworks commence.
Bulk Cut or Fill
Bulk excavation or fill placement with compaction at each lift to specification.
Bench Formation
Bench cutting on sloped sites to provide stable formation for pavement construction.
Trimming and Test
Final trim to design formation level, compaction testing and handover to civil stage.
Frequently Asked
Questions specific to Earthworks on the Central Coast.
Ask Us Anything →Getting other quotes too? Smart. Take our questions sheet (PDF).
Do you subcontract earthworks, or use your own plant?
We use our own Komatsu and Caterpillar plant operated by our permanent crew. We do not subcontract the earthworks phase. This means you deal with one company throughout and we are accountable for the quality of the formation we hand over.
How do you test compaction on site?
We use a nuclear density gauge for in-situ compaction testing at each lift. Results are recorded and provided to you as part of the project documentation. We do not rely solely on visual inspection.
Can you handle rock excavation on the Central Coast?
Yes. Rock conditions vary across the Central Coast, and we have the equipment and experience to manage rock excavation. We assess rock conditions during quoting and provide a fixed price that accounts for what we find.
- Compaction judged by sight rather than tested with a density gauge
- Fill placed in lifts too thick to compact through, so voids remain below
- Sub-grade trimmed to grade by eye, not checked against survey control
- Hired plant operated by someone unfamiliar with the ground conditions
- No test data at handover, just a verbal sign-off
- Settlement and pavement failure appear years later when the contractor is long gone
The pavement above fails in year three. By then, the earthworks contractor has moved on.
Glenn and his team were terrific. Such a difficult job made to look easy.
Garry Parnell
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Earthworks
Free site visit. Prompt written quote. No obligation. Central Coast NSW.