Calgary infill builders · 2–4 units, rowhomes with suites
Infill excavation shoring in Calgary, ready for cribbing
Building a 4-unit, a rowhome with suites or another R-CG infill? The new basement often goes in right beside the neighbour's house, with tight setbacks and no room to slope the dig. Shotcrete shoring covers the side of the dig along the neighbour or property line while the footings and walls go in, helping protect the crew in the hole and the house next door.
Already digging? Call Carlos, 403-561-6141
Digging next to the neighbour's house
Calgary infill lots rarely have room to slope the sides of the dig back. With tight setbacks, the neighbour's foundation, fence or garage, or the lane, sits right at the edge of the excavation. When the dig is deep, close to a foundation, or the soil is wet from autumn rain, the exposed face needs shoring.
Shotcrete is concrete sprayed from a hose instead of poured into forms. For shoring, steel mesh is pinned to the exposed face and shotcrete is sprayed over it, building a solid face that holds the soil. It's built from inside the dig, with no forms or bracing on the neighbour's side, which is why it suits one-side shoring along a neighbour or property line.
For reference, Alberta's OHS Code (Part 32) requires excavations deeper than 1.5 m to be sloped or supported where workers enter, and calls for a professional engineer's design for deeper excavations and those that could affect a neighbouring structure. Your engineer sets the design; we build the shotcrete face to it.
What it does on your dig
Holds the cut face, so the cut stays on the dig line.
Helps protect the crew in the hole and the neighbour's house, fence and yard.
Leaves more room in the hole for footings, walls and forms.
Covers the face early, before autumn rain and freeze-thaw get to it.
Cribbing crews: we support your crew
Your crew works at the bottom of the dig, right against the face, forming the footings and foundation walls in wood or ICF. Shotcrete shoring gives you a solid face to form against instead of open soil.
We plan the shoots with the builder and the excavation crew from the drawings, so the shoring follows the dig and your crew can move faster once a face has set up.
How we work
We verify dimensions against the drawings and on site before we quote.
Once the quote is approved, we book the concrete and manage that booking with the plant, so the order follows the work.
Every job is closed out with a report: dates, before and after photos, and the area completed.
From demolition to cribbing: where shotcrete fits
Most Calgary infills follow the same order. Shotcrete is one short step near the start, and the steps after it build against it.
Demolition. The old house comes down and the old basement comes out. Your demolition contractor handles this part.
Excavation. The excavator digs the new basement. The faces that need support are shot as soon as they're exposed, so they stand open for as little time as possible.
Shotcrete on the cut face. Mesh is pinned to the exposed face and shotcrete is sprayed on. This is the step Enviro Shield handles.
Footings. The cribbing crew forms the footings and the concrete goes in.
Foundation walls. The cribbing crew forms the foundation walls, in wood or ICF, and the walls are poured.
Damproofing and drainage. The new walls are damproofed and the drainage goes in.
Backfill. Backfill goes in against the new foundation.
Real jobs
Recent shotcrete work, start to finish.
JCL Inc. — Shotcrete shoring, Calgary
Temporary shotcrete shoring on a residential basement excavation along a neighbour's fence line in Calgary, AB.
Novus Construction — Structural shotcrete, Edmonton
Structural shotcrete on an excavation in Edmonton, AB, completed in three days.
FAQ
Questions from builders and cribbing crews
What is shotcrete shoring?
Shoring holds up the side of a dig. Shotcrete is concrete sprayed from a hose instead of poured into forms. For shotcrete shoring, steel mesh is pinned to the exposed face and shotcrete is sprayed over it, so the side of the dig is covered while the basement goes in. It's built from inside the dig, which suits one-side shoring along a neighbour or property line.
Where does shotcrete fit after the house is demolished?
On a typical Calgary infill the order is demolition, excavation, shotcrete on the cut face, footings, foundation walls, damproofing and drainage, then backfill. The shotcrete goes on as each face is exposed, so the cribbing crew forms against a face that has set up.
Do I need shoring for a basement excavation on a Calgary infill lot?
It depends on the dig depth, the soil, the setbacks and what sits next to the dig. Once a dig goes past about 1.5 m beside a neighbouring lot, the side faces usually need to be sloped or supported, and tight infill setbacks rarely leave room to slope. Deeper digs, or digs next to a neighbouring foundation, need an engineer's design. Send us the site plan and the dig depth and we'll help you look at it.
Can shotcrete go up while cribbing continues?
Often, yes, when the job is planned that way. We plan the shoots with you and the excavator from the drawings, and once the quote is approved we book the concrete so the shoots follow the dig. Forming starts against a face once it has set up.
Does shotcrete shoring hold up in wet autumn soil?
It's a common choice for autumn digs, because covering the face early limits how long the soil sits exposed to rain and freeze-thaw. Wet or seeping faces are assessed before shooting.
Can you help if excavation has already started?
Yes. Call us and we'll come and look at the site. Our standard notice is about two weeks, so we can't promise to start right away, but we'll tell you plainly what's possible and plan the shoots with you and the excavator.
What do you need from me?
The site address, the site plan, the foundation plan, the dig depth, and the setbacks to the property lines. With those we book a technical site visit. Give us about two weeks' notice.
How much does shoring cost?
We price each site after a technical site visit, because depth, length and soil change everything. Send us your site address and drawings, and we'll book a technical site visit.
Planning an infill dig in Calgary?
Send us your site address and drawings, and we'll book a technical site visit.
Already digging? Call Carlos, 403-561-6141
Based in Calgary, AB. We also work in Edmonton, AB and across Alberta.
More from Enviro Shield: Shotcrete shoring & temporary walls · Structural shotcrete · Slope stabilization · All services