If you would have to use a french drain system, consider filling the trench above the drain tile with gravel, toped by a filter fabric, and then some top soil on the top 4".
I have used SoftDesk and AutoCadd Land Desktop for about 10 years now, and have found the earthwork tools to be very good. As previously mentioned in other post, it is imerative that you know how to check the work, so that you have a high confidence level in the numbers that are generated. The...
I would suggest picking up a "Construction Management" text book, such as "CONSTRUCTION PLANNING, EQUIPMENT, AND METHODS", R.L. Peurifoy, to give you a good broad over view of the construction process. There is no substitue for getting out on the construction sites and...
Everyone has been on the money here with what is important DRAINAGE!!!, and as far as equipment selection, the only situation I could see the back hoe as being benefical would be if you have any deap excavations, such as for culverts. If you have alot of dirt to move, a scraper would be the...