ASeeds is comprised of a staff of Qualified Arborists, Certified Soil Specialists, as well as Accredited Soil Foodweb advisors.

All Tree & Stump Removal Garth Symonds at human nature landscaping has 16 years in regenerative and sustainable land management and landscape design.

How We Do It

With our focus on Soil Health and ASeeds’ comprehensive Plant Health Care (PHC) programs to include Compost and Actively Aerated compost tea (AACT), you can be assured of the best results and care for your plants. Techniques such as Deep Root Soil Injection (DRSI) are applied as needed in our ecological landscape management methods as a regular part of our programs.

Vascular Stem Injection (VSI) is part of our comprehensive list of services. This technique and products are only used when trees are under extreme pest and/or disease pressure and require rapid intervention to arrest their decline. Tree Preservation Australia is leaders in chemical-free organic Tree, Lawn and Plant Healthcare Management specializing in a scientifically based integrated Soil and Plant Health Care management system that includes monitoring,  and maintenance using PHC programs.

Soil testing and geotechnical reports are required before construction

Most property owners are investing a large amount in constructing a home, building or other structures. However, they should be aware that the life of a building depends to a large extent on its location, the soil, and whether the structure has been designed accordingly. For example if the soil has a lot of clay, the moisture content will change over a period of time, and this can affect the foundation of the house. During summer when temperatures are higher, the clay which retains moisture will loose the water, and shrink. Hence the foundation of the house will sink, and this could lead to uneven flooring, cracks in the wall. All this will affect the appearance, livability of the property, rental and resale value…

Though large builders are aware of the importance of soil testing and geotechnical reports, it is recommended that property owners should get the relevant tests completed even for smaller construction projects like swimming pools or home renovation. It is advisable to get a soil test done when purchasing land to construct a home, since the cost of constructing the home could vary depending on the site classification. Usually the construction contractor will also suggest a soil test while building a new house, extension to the existing house, townhouses, decks, garages and sheds.

The history, soil and geology of each site is different, hence it is necessary to get the soil tested by a professional organization like Smolders Geotechnical Engineering, who have the tools and expertise to provide accurate reports of the soil conditions and classify each site correctly. Typically based on the soil for the site, it can be classified as Class A, almost no movement of the foundation, to Class H1 for reactive clay sites, may move frequently depending on moisture content and Class P which are problem sites where the foundation is changing its position repeatedly to soil composition, water table and other factors.

Based on the soil test reports which are obtained for a particular site, the experienced geotechnical engineers will classify the site, and also provide recommendations for the most suitable footing. This footing information is then used by the engineers and draftsmen while designing the house, building. In case the soil is stable, Class A, the size of the footing required will be less, while for sites with clay, the footing size recommended will be larger in area. If any site problems are detected at an early stage, measures can be implemented and design adjusted so that costly repairs and redesign are not required later.

Property owners who are planning to construct a building or home are also required to get a geotechnical assessment done for their property according to the law, before getting the permission required to start construction activities. This Geotechnical testing is fairly comprehensive and in addition to soil testing, it also considers the location of the site and other factors. If no hazards are found by the geotechnical consultant who is carrying the testing, the property owner can get the the permit required for constructing the building.

If hazards are found in the first stage, there is another stage of the site assessment which has to be carried out, assessing it for landslide or landslip. This will evaluate the property for problems that could be faced in future, the effect on the property and how often these problems will be faced. If the properly is subjected to Erosion management overlay, further planning permission may be required to construct a structure on the property. Hence it is advisable to use the services of an experienced firm like Smolders Geotechnical who can provide the right advice on construction even on hazardous sites.

Smolders Geotechnical is one of the most reputed firms offers soil testing services and geotechnical assessments in Melbourne and other areas of Victoria. Their well qualified and trained geotechnical engineers have more than thirty years experience in drilling in the soil for thousands of properties and providing soil and geotechnical reports to builders along with footing and foundation recommendations. The business has public liability and professional indemnity insurance and is fully insured. Smolders Geotechnical complies with relevant Australian standards for soil testing and has the latest drilling and testing equipment, making it the preferred choice for builders.