Atherton Construction Excavation Services for Basements, full foundations slabs and Septic Systems in Hancock County, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, and Mt. Desert Island area.

Atherton's Construction offers Foundation excavation services and is experienced in excavating building sites and excavating septic systems. Our company provides excavation services for development corporations, contractors and homeowners.

Excavation is generally the first stage of your project and, therefore, it is important to set the tone of how your project will be managed and how the surrounding owners are going to feel about your construction. With Atherton Excavation,, no matter what your need, we always strive to service our customers in the most courteous and professional manner.

We have the ability to work in limited or confined space situations. This allows us to preserve the integrity of mature residential properties, negating the use of traditional excavators and material handling equipment. Complex jobs are started and completed in a timely manner.

 

From excavation for a full Foundation to a complete new septic tank excavation, Atherton's Excavation services has the tools, equipment and expertise to complete the job!

All year-round the team works hard in fulfilling a variety of residential services for the surrounding community of Ellsworth, ME.

• Pond
• Ground preparation for landscaping jobs
• Trenches
• Driveway preparations
• House extensions

Our excavator services include basements, trenching for water and power lines, road and driveway construction, plus lot clearing and leveling.

Popular Foundations Projects

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Three Types of Concrete Foundations

T-Shaped

A traditional foundation method to support a structure in an area where the ground freezes. A footing is placed below the frost line and then the walls are added on top. The footing is wider than the wall, providing extra support at the base of the foundation. A T-shaped foundation is placed and allowed to cure; second, the walls are constructed; and finally, the slab is poured between the walls.

In summary:

• T-shaped foundations are used in areas where the ground freezes.
• First, the footing is placed.
• Second, the walls are constructed and poured.
• Lastly, the slab is placed.

As the name suggests, a slab is a single layer of concrete, several inches thick. The slab is poured thicker at the edges, to form an integral footing; reinforcing rods strengthen the thickened edge. The slab normally rests on a bed of crushed gravel to improve drainage. Casting a wire mesh in the concrete reduces the chance of cracking. A slab on grade is suitable in areas where the ground doesn't freeze, but it can also be adapted with insulation to prevent it from being affected by the frost heaves. (see below)

In summary:

• Slab on grade used in areas where ground does not freeze.
• The edges of the slab-on-grade are thicker than the interior of the slab.
• The slab-on-grade is monolithic (poured all at one time).

This method only works with a heated structure. It relies on the use of two sheets of rigid, polystyrene insulation—one on the outside of the foundation wall and the other laid flat on a bed of gravel at the base of the wall—to prevent freezing, which is a problem with slab-on grade foundations in areas with frost. The insulation holds heat from the structure in the ground under the footings and prevents heat loss from the edge of the slab. This heat keeps the ground temperature around the footings above freezing.

In summary:

• Only works with a heated structure.
• Has the benefits of a the slab-on-grade method (concrete poured monolithically) in areas subject to frost.
• Concrete is poured in one operation, versus 3 pours required for T-shaped foundations.
  

Homeowners who have full or partial basements that can be transformed into living space are essentially sitting on a goldmine. Realtor surveys show that finishing a basement ranks just behind kitchen and bathroom renovations in maximizing the return on the homeowner's investment, with the payback sometimes exceeding the remodeling expenditure (see Why a Finished Basement?). What's more, expanding the living space into the basement is often much more economical than adding another room or floor onto an existing home.

Basement Construction in Ellsworth and Hancock County

*** Contact Atherton's Construction TODAY for a free estimate on your next home improvement project 207-479-6657 or Toll Free 207-479-6657

 

Ellsworth | Franklin | Sullivan | Gouldsboro | Hancock | Lamoine | Mariaville | Mount Desert | Bar Harbor | Bucksport | Dedham | Otis | Sorrento | Surry | Trenton | Eastbrook

"Excellence in Excavation and Site Work for Downeast Maine"
Building Septic Systems in Downeast Maine since 1992