COMMON QUESTIONS
Common questions
These are what people ask us on the phone. If yours is not here, call — we answer around the clock.
BUILDING?
Building? This is what happens before the concrete
If it is your first time, this is usually the order. You do not need to know the terms — tell us what you want to build and we will tell you which stage you are at.
- 1. The plot gets clearedDry brush, scrub, old rubble, whatever has gathered. Until it is clear you cannot even see what you have.Land clearing
- 2. Whatever is in the way comes outIf there is an old structure, a wall or a concrete slab in the middle, it comes down and gets loaded. If rock appears, it is broken out.Demolition
- 3. Levelling, then the foundationsThe ground is shaped to what the drawings need and the foundations are dug. This is where which excavator comes matters.Excavation
- 4. Water and drainage go inThe trenches for the connection to the mains, and the septic tank if the house is not on a sewer.Water and sewer connections
- 5. Last, the ground around the houseWhen the building is finished, garden topsoil goes down and the yard is shaped. A lot of people call us back years later for this.Garden topsoil
You do not need to arrange all of it up front. Most people call us at the first step and we work the rest out as we go.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What people ask us
What does earthworks cost?
It depends on what it is, how big, what the ground is like and whether a machine can reach it. We do not quote blind. Tell us on the phone what you want done and where, and either we tell you straight away or we come and look. Our customers write that we are reasonable — but we give the price once we know the job.
Do I need a permit?
It depends on the job. Clearing a plot usually needs nothing; foundations, a septic tank and a demolition need paperwork. The permit is issued through your engineer, not us — but tell us what you are planning and we will tell you what we have seen asked for on jobs like it, so you know what to ask him.
How soon can you come?
In Metamorfosi and the Daskalon settlement we come first — that is where we are based and where the machines are parked. Everywhere else depends on what is running that week. Call and we will give you a real day. We do not give a time we cannot keep.
Do you work weekends and holidays?
The phone is answered around the clock, every day. A burst pipe or an overflowing septic tank does not wait for Monday. When the machine actually comes is something we arrange on the call.
My yard is narrow. Will a machine fit?
Usually yes. We have three excavators — large, medium and small — and a skid-steer. The small one and the skid-steer get into yards and gaps where nothing else fits. Measure the narrowest point the machine has to pass and we will tell you straight away.
Do you build septic tanks? Do you empty them too?
We build septic tanks, from the excavation to the cover. We do not empty them — that is a tanker job and a different trade. If you are looking for emptying or unblocking, we are not the people.
Do you take the rubble and soil off the plot?
Yes, we have our own trucks. We load and haul away soil, rubble and stone, and the plot is left clean. We also bring in garden topsoil or fill material if you need it the other way round.
Which areas do you come to?
Five: Metamorfosi, the Daskalon settlement, Nikiti, Vatopedi and Psakoudia. The first two are home ground and we get there first. We do not work further out — we would rather be close and reliable in a few villages than spread thin and late everywhere. If you are further away, call us and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right people.
I do not know what the job is called. What do I say on the phone?
Say it in your own words. “I want to build and it is all overgrown”, “rock has come up”, “I want to sort out the yard”, “I am pulling down an old shed”. That is enough. Since 1987 we have heard all of them and we will work out what it needs.
Do you speak English?
Enough for the job — the village, the size, what needs doing, and the price. If it is easier, send an email in English and we will answer. Plenty of our customers here are foreign owners and it has never been the problem people expect.
What should I have ready before I call?
Four things help: which village it is in, roughly how many square metres, what you want done, and whether a truck can reach it. If you do not know all of them, call anyway.
Tell us what the job is
One phone call is enough for us to understand what it needs and what it costs.
Open around the clock, every day. Landline 2375 061341.