From DA approval to a site your trades can start on
Keevs Construction delivers site preparation and civil packages for commercial builders across Newcastle, Maitland, Cessnock, Singleton, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast. Approved drawings go in, a construction-ready site comes out. Site clearing, bulk earthworks, stormwater, retaining walls, services coordination and access all delivered under one contractor.
Our in-house engineering team prices and runs every site preparation package. Excavation methodology, temporary works, stormwater management and services protection coordinated by engineers who understand the design intent and the construction sequence. Current clients include Richard Crookes Construction, Kingston Building and Livana Developments.
ISO Certified
Quality, safety and environmental management systems certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
In-House Engineers
Senior engineers on every site preparation package from scope review through to handover.
Send us your project drawings
Full civil package or a specific site preparation scope. Send the drawings and our team will review the scope, confirm the methodology and come back with a clear price and program.
Why builders engage a civil contractor for site preparation
You have a DA-approved project, a builder’s program to meet and trades lined up to start. Between approval and the first building trade stepping on site, there’s a block of civil work that has to happen correctly, in sequence and without surprises. Site cut, fill placement and compaction. Stormwater and erosion controls. Services identification and protection. Retaining walls where levels change. Access roads and hardstand for crane pads, laydown areas and deliveries.
The risk for builders isn’t the individual tasks. It’s the coordination between them. Earthworks affect drainage. Drainage affects retaining wall timing. Retaining walls affect when you can start building. When these scopes are split across multiple contractors, the builder becomes the project manager for civil works they didn’t price, didn’t plan and often don’t have engineering oversight for.
Keevs removes that coordination burden. We deliver the full site preparation package under one contract, one program and one engineering team. Approved drawings go in. A site that’s level, drained, retained where required and ready for your building trades comes out.
What a site preparation package includes
Site clearing and demolition
Vegetation removal, tree clearing, stripping of topsoil and demolition of existing structures or hardstand. Topsoil stockpiled on site for reuse in landscaping areas. Waste classified and disposed of per EPA requirements.
Bulk earthworks
Cut and fill to achieve design levels for building pads, carparks, road alignments and drainage falls. Rock breaking or ripping where required, import or export of fill, moisture conditioning and compaction to geotechnical specification. Compaction testing at specified lift heights under engineering supervision.
Erosion and sediment control
Sediment fencing, sediment basins, stabilised site access and diversion drains to the approved ESCP. Controls maintained and adapted as staging and site conditions change.
Stormwater and drainage
Pits, pipes, culverts, subsoil drainage and on-site detention systems installed to design. Drainage staged with earthworks so the site stays functional through construction and the permanent system is in place before building trades begin.
Retaining walls
Concrete sleeper, reinforced concrete, sandstone block and gravity retaining systems where level changes require structural retention. Built under engineering supervision with hold point inspections and certified documentation. Full scope on the Commercial Retaining Walls page.
Services coordination
Identification and protection of existing services during earthworks. Coordination with Ausgrid, Hunter Water, Jemena and other utility providers for new connections, relocations and temporary services. Civil interface managed so the site is connected and compliant before building trades mobilise.
Access and hardstand
Temporary and permanent access roads, crane pads, laydown areas and vehicle turning areas. Road base preparation, compaction and stabilisation to support heavy vehicle and crane loads through the construction phase.
How Keevs delivers a site preparation package
Scope review and pricing
You send the approved drawings, geotechnical report and any relevant engineering documentation. Our team reviews the scope, identifies risks and interface points, and comes back with a fixed price and a clear methodology. The price defines what’s included, what assumptions sit underneath it and what we need from you to maintain the program.
Pre-construction coordination
Before we mobilise, our project manager and engineer walk the site with your team to confirm access, staging, services locations and any constraints that affect the program. We finalise the construction sequence, confirm hold points with the certifying engineer and align our program with your builder’s schedule.
Construction delivery
Crews work under engineering supervision with daily progress tracking, compaction testing at specified intervals and photographic records of concealed works. You get regular progress updates and early notification of anything that could affect your program. If site conditions differ from the geotechnical report or approved drawings, our engineers assess the impact and bring options before it becomes a delay.
Handover
Handover pack includes as-built surveys, compaction test certificates, material certifications, ESC maintenance records and photographic records of all concealed works. The pack gives you and the certifying engineer a complete record of the civil works for compliance and future reference.
Price your site preparation package
Send us your approved drawings and geotechnical report. Our team will review the scope and come back with a clear price and program. If the civil package extends to retaining walls, drainage or road works, we’ll assess the full scope and show you where integrated delivery saves time and cost.
Why an integrated civil package costs less than split scopes
When a builder splits site preparation across separate contractors for earthworks, drainage, retaining walls and services, each contractor prices their scope with their own mobilisation, their own assumptions about site conditions and their own program. The builder carries the risk of coordinating between them and absorbs the cost when one contractor’s work is affected by another’s timing.
An integrated civil package from Keevs removes those interfaces. One mobilisation. One set of assumptions reviewed against actual site conditions. One program that sequences earthworks, drainage and retaining walls so each scope supports the next. The builder deals with one contractor, gets one set of documentation, and has one point of accountability from site strip through to handover.
The cost saving isn’t just in the civil price. It’s in the weeks of program risk that disappear when the coordination between civil scopes is managed by the contractor delivering them, not by the builder managing from above.
Projects we prepare sites for
Keevs delivers site preparation and civil packages across commercial building projects in the Hunter Region and Central Coast. The scope and complexity varies, but the approach is the same: engineer-led planning, coordinated delivery and a construction-ready site handed over with complete documentation.
We regularly prepare sites for childcare centres and aged care facilities, retail and commercial buildings, industrial warehouses and distribution centres, multi-unit residential developments, school expansions and community facilities, and mixed-use developments with constrained access. Each project type brings specific challenges around services density, access constraints, geotechnical conditions and council requirements. Our engineering team assesses these during pricing so they’re managed in the program, not discovered during construction.
Who we work with
Commercial builders
DA-approved project, program to meet, trades waiting to start. Keevs takes the civil scope off your plate with clear pricing, a defined program and engineering oversight you can rely on. We work to your builder’s schedule and hand you a site that’s ready for the first trade.
Developers
Site preparation across multiple stages or multiple sites. Keevs provides consistent pricing, systems and delivery quality. Engineering coordination with your consultants during pre-construction, and civil works delivered to a standard that protects your development timeline and asset value.
Project managers and superintendents
Managing a commercial build and need a civil contractor who communicates clearly, provides structured documentation and runs their scope without constant oversight. Keevs is built for that working relationship. Project managers provide regular updates, flag risks early and coordinate directly with your site team.
Frequently asked questions
What does a site preparation package include?
A site preparation package covers everything between DA approval and a construction-ready site. Site clearing and demolition, bulk earthworks, erosion and sediment control, stormwater and drainage, retaining walls where level changes require them, services coordination, and access roads and hardstand. Keevs delivers all of these under one contract with as-built documentation issued at handover.
When should a civil contractor be engaged for site preparation?
As soon as DA approval is in hand, ideally earlier. Engaging during the design phase lets the civil contractor identify constructability and staging issues before drawings are finalised. At a minimum, engage during pre-tender so the civil scope is priced against the actual construction methodology and aligned to the builder’s program rather than developed independently.
How is a site preparation package priced?
Keevs prices from the construction sequence, not from raw quantities. Engineers review the approved drawings, geotechnical report and staging plan, identify constructability and risk issues, then build the price from how the work will actually be delivered on site. The result is a fixed scope with clear assumptions and fewer variations through delivery.
Can Keevs deliver site preparation alongside the rest of the civil scope?
Yes. Site preparation is often the first stage of a longer civil relationship. Keevs delivers retaining walls, road construction, stormwater infrastructure and subdivision works under the same engineering team and systems. One contractor delivering integrated scopes costs less than splitting work across multiple parties, because the coordination risk between scopes is removed.
Does Keevs handle services coordination during site preparation?
Yes. Keevs coordinates directly with Ausgrid, Hunter Water, Jemena, NBN and other utility providers for service identification, protection, new connections and relocations. The civil interfaces are delivered as part of the earthworks and access phases rather than retrofitted after the site is complete.
What types of commercial projects does Keevs prepare sites for?
Childcare centres, aged care facilities, retail and commercial buildings, industrial warehouses and distribution centres, multi-unit residential developments, school expansions, community facilities, and mixed-use developments. Each project type brings specific civil challenges, which the engineering team works through during pricing rather than discovering during construction.
Ready to get your site started?
Send us your approved drawings and our team will review the scope, confirm methodology and come back with clear pricing against your program. One contractor. One package. One point of accountability from site strip to handover.
Other services
Civil Construction & Infrastructure Development · Commercial Retaining Walls · Subdivision & Land Development · Rural and Agricultural Civil Construction
Looking for residential site preparation? Visit Keevs Residential for homeowner and small-scale residential projects.