Has anyone seen a generic definition for a "pad-ready site" that does not reference a specific site grading specification? I have been asked what could be the expectation for a site that is marketed as "pad-ready."
I would interprete this to mean a house/commercial bldg. that has the subgrade (fill)in place and at finish grade to begin excav. for plumbing and slab beams for slab placement.
Hard to define...means different things in different places and different applications. Could mean finished grading, could include or exclude final compaction, could mean cleared and grubbed only....it is what you define by contract.
I have not seen a definition, but would agree with drumchaser, rough grading and drainage is done which includes compaction if fill was placed. Only fine grading such as required for landscaping is left to do. Can begin site utilities and structures work.
. . . and there's some reference to bearing capacity and subgrade support for industrial slabs on grade (if it's an industrial building for instance). Imagine a pad ready site in an industrial park where you have to use site improvement to obtain a warehouse slab for 250 or 500 psf loading conditions. Not much of a pad ready site if the use of wick drains and surcharge is still required, eh?
No, a pad ready site has the fill in place and prepared for fine grading. I've never heard of pad ready where the rough grading plan is not implemented.