Order of work
Clear and grub the footprint, set a working pad, then place fabric and stone if the soils will pump. Finish grade has to shed water away from the structure, not into it.
Posts and buildings go last. If the pad is still moving when the kit arrives, you own that problem for years.
- Flag utilities and keep-trees before the first cut.
- Proof-roll soft spots instead of hiding them under gravel.
- Plan truck access so stone can actually reach the pad.
Why geotextile shows up on these jobs
On sandy or wet Gulf soils, fabric keeps stone from punching into mud. It is not magic, but it is cheaper than importing a second load after the first disappears.
The photo version of this work is simple: a rectangular footprint, posts or forms, a stone pile waiting to spread, and dirt that has already been balanced.