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Slab foundations are more affordable than crawl spaces because they require minimal excavation, as the slab sits directly on the ground or on footers that only sink a few feet into the ground. Crawl spaces require excavation of the entire footprint of the home to several feet below the surface. Not only does that mean higher labor costs, but more materials are necessary for the concrete foundation walls.

The best way to protect tree roots is to avoid the roots entirely by excavating outside the root radius of the tree. For nearby projects, it’s a good idea to construct a temporary retaining wall. But that’s not always possible, depending on the project and the root system. In these cases, consider using alternative equipment like an auger to tunnel under the ground.

Remember, tree roots can damage nearby cement foundations as they grow. If a tree is close enough to interfere with large excavations, it may be better to remove the tree than risk future problems.

Septic drain lines (or leach lines) are typically buried between 18 and 36 inches underground, and should be at least 6 inches below the surface. These pipes are perforated and surrounded by filtering materials like sand or gravel. Burying the lines at this depth helps minimize odors and allows bacteria and other biological processes in the soil to effectively treat the wastewater. Burying lines too close to the surface can cause issues unless the soil is very compact and stable.

A crawl space can be as little as 42 inches below the grade of your house, but this is not always recommended in flood-prone areas. At a minimum, there must be at least 16 inches of clearance between the ground and the floor joists to access the space in an emergency.