Why does a new slab in Grayson County need a raised house pad?
A new slab needs a raised house pad in Grayson County because the native clay moves. Blackland Prairie soils such as Houston Black clay swell when wet and shrink as they dry, and a pad of controlled fill lifts the slab clear of standing water and gives it even, compacted support.
A slab is only as level as the pad it was poured on.
Lot still wooded? HARDROCK also handles clearing brush and trees off a building site before the first load of fill arrives.
- The plans call for select fillEngineers' reports for slabs on expansive clay often specify a set depth of select fill under the foundation. When there is a report, that spec drives the order, not a rule of thumb.
- Water stands on the lotFlat Blackland ground can hold rain for days. A pad lifts the finished floor above it.
- The footprint slopesOne corner sits well below another, so fill has to make up the difference before forms go up.
- Roots and topsoil remainOrganic soil rots and settles under a slab, so it comes out before any fill goes in.
How much fill does a house pad take?
A house pad takes its length times width times height in feet, divided by 27, in cubic yards of compacted fill. A 40 by 60 foot slab with 5 feet of pad around it, raised 12 inches, comes to about 130 cubic yards before allowing for compaction.
Pads are normally built wider than the slab so the form boards and the slab edge rest on fill instead of the shoulder of the pad; the builder sets the exact margin. Loose fill packs down as each lift is compacted, so the delivered volume runs higher than the finished pad. How much higher depends on the material and how hard it is compacted, which is why HARDROCK checks the numbers with you first.
Pad L × W × Height ÷ 27
- Slab
- 40 × 60 ft
- Pad, 5 ft margin
- 50 × 70 ft
- Height
- 12 in (1 ft)
- Compacted fill
- ≈ 129.6 yd³
50 × 70 × 1 = 3,500 cubic feet. 3,500 ÷ 27 = 129.6 cubic yards.
What should a house pad spec tell HARDROCK before pricing?
A house pad spec should tell HARDROCK five things: the pad size, the finished height, the fill material, the lift thickness and compaction, and how the pad drains. With those in hand, HARDROCK can price the pad the builder and the slab crew actually expect to find.
- Pad size
- The slab footprint plus the margin the builder wants on each side.
- Finished height
- Tied to the finished floor elevation or a benchmark on the plans.
- Fill material
- Select fill, fill dirt or a road-base cap, as the report names it. Select fill is usually held to a plasticity index (PI) range.
- Lifts
- Fill placed in thin layers, each compacted, often to a set percentage of standard Proctor density.
- Drainage
- A pad that sheds water away from the slab on every side.
Fill dirt, select fill or road base: which belongs in a house pad?
Which material belongs in a house pad depends on the engineer's spec, but each has a usual job. Fill dirt builds up general grade, select fill forms the controlled layer under the slab on expansive clay, and road base caps the pad or carries trucks onto it.
| Material | What it is | Where it goes in a pad | On expansive clay | From HARDROCK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native clay, leveled | The lot's own soil, cut and shaped | Rarely enough alone; the slab sits on ground that moves | Shrinks and swells with moisture | Nothing to order |
| Fill dirt | Soil hauled in to raise grade | Builds up low or sloping lots where the spec allows | Depends on the soil; clay-rich fill can move like the native clay | Sold and delivered |
| Select fill | Sandy clay held to a plasticity index range | The layer under the slab when the engineer calls for it | Moves far less than native clay | Ask with the spec in hand |
| Road base | Crushed rock blended with fines | A cap on the pad, the drive in and equipment aprons | Compacts hard and does not swell | Sold and delivered |
Both stocked pad materials have their own pages: fill dirt for raising and leveling a lot, and road base for the pad cap and the drive in.
How does a house pad job with HARDROCK move from plans to a finished pad?
A HARDROCK house pad job runs from plans to pad in four steps, all set up by phone. You send the slab size, the site address and the spec; HARDROCK works out the yards of fill and base; you get a price and a day; then the pad is built for the slab crew.
- Site address, or the lot and subdivision name
- Slab dimensions from the plans
- The engineer's report or builder's pad spec, if one exists
- Finished floor height, or how far the pad must rise
- Whether trees or brush stand on the footprint
Builders working to a schedule can reach HARDROCK from 6 AM Monday through Thursday, 9 to 5 on Friday and 9 to 2 on Saturday.
- Send the plansSlab size, address and any pad spec, by phone or through the form.
- Yards worked outFill and base quantities are figured from the finished pad dimensions.
- Price and a start dayHARDROCK gives the number and a day to begin over the phone.
- Pad builtFill and base go in, leaving a level pad ready for the forms.
What does a staked building site look like with HARDROCK loads on it?
A staked building site with HARDROCK loads on it looks like this photo: rows of grey gravel piles dumped across graded ground at sunset, with survey stakes and flags marking the layout in front. Dropping the loads in rows across the site keeps the material close to where it will be spread.
What Grayson County builders and owners say on Google
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JJ W3 months ago
Excellent experience working with Dean, he went out of his way to get me the material i was needing. Top notch customer service. I would highly recommend giving Hardrock Sand and Gravel a call!
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Frisco Grass Guys LLC5 months ago
Top-notch company! Their prices are excellent, customer service is outstanding, and communication has always been reliable. I’ve been working with them for over two years and would highly recommend them for all your material deliveries 🚚 🤝
Read moreTop-notch company! Their prices are excellent, customer service is outstanding, and communication has always been reliable. I’ve been working with them for over two years and would highly recommend them for all your material deliveries 🚚 🤝
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Robert Holt9 months ago
Great service. Leo the driver was very friendly and courteous. Also spoke with the owner, Dean. He was very friendly and gave me some great information. Great job!!!!!!!!!
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Clyde Roberts11 months ago
Super helpful, on time delivery and informative. I would highly recommend
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Tami Beattya year ago
Couldn't be happier with this company. Called yesterday for help with an issue on my driveway. Talked with Dean the owner, he told me what we needed to do to correct the issue. I asked how soon he thought they might get to it and he said maybe the end of the week. By 8pm the same night, he was on the phone with me asking if it would fit my schedule for his guys to come the next day around noon. His guys were on time, polite, hard working and went out of their way to make sure the job was done perfectly and the price was more than fair. I will definitely use this company for all my sand and gravel needs in the future.
Read moreCouldn't be happier with this company. Called yesterday for help with an issue on my driveway. Talked with Dean the owner, he told me what we needed to do to correct the issue. I asked how soon he thought they might get to it and he said maybe the end of the week. By 8pm the same night, he was on the phone with me asking if it would fit my schedule for his guys to come the next day around noon. His guys were on time, polite, hard working and went out of their way to make sure the job was done perfectly and the price was more than fair. I will definitely use this company for all my sand and gravel needs in the future.
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Dustin Szumowskia year ago
Great driver and solid prices! Worked with us in to get all the aggregate we needed for the project! Phenomenal communication! That was the biggest pet for us with all the moving pieces of this project.
Reviews are shown as written on Google. See all 24 on Google
House pads sit alongside driveways, ponds, clearing and eight bulk materials on the HARDROCK services overview.
What do builders ask HARDROCK before ordering a house pad?
Builders and owners lining up a house pad with HARDROCK tend to start with two questions: whether HARDROCK works in their part of the county, and how the fill for the pad is measured and priced.
Do you build house pads around Sherman and Denison?
Yes. HARDROCK Sand and Gravel builds house pads in Sherman, Denison and the rest of Grayson County. Call 903-420-0330 with the site address and the slab size, and have the pad spec close by if the builder or engineer has written one.
Do you price pad fill by the ton or the cubic yard?
HARDROCK Sand and Gravel quotes each house pad by phone, because the pad size, the height, the material in the spec and the haul all change the number. Bring the cubic-yard figure from the pad math on this page, and HARDROCK will give you the current price and how the fill is measured.
