How Do We Use Concrete in Landscaping and Building Construction?

Concrete is one of our most common building materials. It comes in various forms depending on the job, but is incredibly versatile and with proper care can last decades.

Concrete a Foundational Material in Construction Work

Concrete and cement are often used interchangeably, but they are different. Continue reading “How Do We Use Concrete in Landscaping and Building Construction?”

Backyard Transformations for Aging in Place

Aging in place is popular in Northern California. Rather than selling their homes and downsizing, many Bay Area residents renovate their homes to accommodate the changes in their lifestyle. Retirees, and empty-nesters who are still working, decide staying put keeps them close to family, friends and activities they already know and enjoy.

With the decision made, it’s only natural to want to do whatever renovations might be appropriate for aging in place, to help you stay in your home well into retirement. This article will review some of those. Continue reading “Backyard Transformations for Aging in Place”

Lassiter Earns PG&E Operator Qualification

We are pleased to announce that Lassiter Excavating, Inc. has completed the training and met the qualifications for the PG&E Operator Qualification (OQ) that allows us to operate as a contractor on jobs that involve PG&E facilities.

PG&E Now Requires Operator Qualification to Work on Their Facilities

Contractors and project owners are invited to view our certificate, which contains a QR code that opens the record of our completion of all the training requirements:Continue reading “Lassiter Earns PG&E Operator Qualification”

The Demolition Process in Construction

For most landscaping and construction projects with existing structures on the property, one of the first steps is demolition of existing features like pools, garages or in-law units. Each job is unique, especially where there is limited access, but demolition can be pretty straightforward and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. However, the most important thing is to understand what the plan is, and the tools and manpower we need to bring to bear.

Construction Demolition Methods

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To Remove Your Pool or Not To Remove Your Pool

Are you on the brink of deciding to remove your swimming pool?

Here are some facts that may help you dive into the decision process.

With the close of the summer season here in Northern California, pool owners are once again assessing just how much they used their pool this year. And they are posing the big question again: Is it time to pull the pool out and transform the backyard?

Pool Ownership Costs Add Up

Continue reading “To Remove Your Pool or Not To Remove Your Pool”

How to Choose an Excavation Contractor

When you choose a builder, landscaper or pool company, you also are choosing numerous other sub-contractors that will work in conjunction with the primary contractor you have chosen. This is especially true when heavy excavation or drilling is part of the project. Few contractors do this type of work themselves (in-house) because the equipment investment is very high, and the training needed get it done efficiently and safely make it prohibitive for contractor to do it themselves.

Landscapers Often Use Excavation and Drilling Specialists

Continue reading “How to Choose an Excavation Contractor”

Using 4Rs to Manage Our Construction Waste

In the past, it was a common practice during the demolition of buildings or other structures to simply cart the waste materials away to a landfill. Today however, the growing cost of disposal and new materials, has put a greater emphasis on recycling old materials. De-constructing is an approach that involves a more careful disassembly of a structure so that parts of it can be reused or recycled. This has given a whole new face to waste management, one which reduces the amount of materials put into landfills, reduces the demand for precious natural resources and, best of all reduces the cost to the consumer.

The 4R’s of Construction Waste Management

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What Influences the Cost to Remove a Pool?

No swimming pool lasts forever. At some point, every in-ground swimming pool built will meet the same fate: Demolition. Oh sure, there will be a few hangers-on like old classic cars, but the majority of pools will be removed at some point. The reasons homeowners remove their pools are too numerous to cover in this article, but once this decision is made the cost discussion begins.

What is Involved with Pool Replacement?

When deciding to convert back yard space from pool to another use, multiple factors influence the cost. Continue reading “What Influences the Cost to Remove a Pool?”

Seven Reasons Why Homeowners Remove Pools from their Property

While the idea of having a pool on your property is attractive, people who already have them often decide to have them removed, especially once children grow up and leave home.

Seven reasons swimming pool owners “pull it out”

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Construction Site Excavation Safety Steps

Excavation and trenching are naturally hazardous construction operations, and contractors need to take all the appropriate steps to ensure worker safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines an excavation as “any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal.” A trench, in particular, is defined as “a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet (4.5 meters).”

When we approach any excavation, drilling or demolition job we keep safety first, starting with the planning for the job. It is not just the possibility of the sides of an excavated plot or trench collapsing. Safety planning also must accommodate the interaction of our people and the machines they need to employ to carry out the job, and the terrain on which those machines must operate. Continue reading “Construction Site Excavation Safety Steps”