Building over stumps???

[lockman]

First of all, I'd like to say hi to everyone out there. I've been reading these forums for awhile now, but now I have a question that I can't find an answer to. I recently bought some land that I'm wanting to build a small place on. There's already a road going thru it so the only trees that need to be felled is where I'm going to build. There's quite a few, but they are all pretty small, 3-6 inches. My question is do I need a dozer to push em over and uproot em, or can I just cut em with a chainsaw and build over the stumps? Thanks for any help.

[PA-Builder]

Are you planning on a concrete perimeter foundation, pier foundation ? ? ?   I'm assuming you're not planning on a concrete floor over the stumps ?   Please provide a little more information.

[lockman]

Pier foundation....

[tanya]

Sure you can build over the stumps when I lived in Hawaii everything was on piers and set over anything tht wouldn't couldn't move but do you want to build over the stumps is another question.  They will cause all kinds of problems and be harder to deal with once you build bugs will be drawn to them first of all and then there will be the little sprouts coming up and the roots will still try to grow and throw the whole thing off kilter.  Since they are small you wouldn't have any trouble with a dozer plowing them off or you could just build a  fire over them and they will burn off.  If you have the cash up front the dozer is going to be your best bet I would guess but I don't know much and there are real builders here.  

[MarkAndDebbie]

If you are going to be on septic, you'll need something and/or someone to dig your lines and tank. My guy used a backhoe and bobcat. Those machines will make quick work of the small trees. Leave them high to get good leverage.

[lockman]

Thanks for the replies

[StinkerBell]

My only concern would be if your area has termites. They like to live in stumps, so do ants including carpenter ants.

[skiwest]

If little stumps a bobcat will make short of of them.  While your at it should scrap first couple of inches of top soil to remove organic matter .  If you don't remove sumps you'll be hitting a lot more roots when you dig for your piers.

[lockman]

Well, I called my uncle (who is in the excavating business) and got him to go look at the property. He told me he'd level out and widen the road goin thru the property, and clear all the trees I wanted down for 450.00. I thought that was pretty good, so I told him to have at it.

[glenn-k]

Sounds like a real bargain.