Sounds like a lot of work for a hobby...

Man, I used to call that overkill but a job like that changes your mind fast.

That "better way to check" is the real kicker. A soil probe is the cheap tool for this, but honestly, hitting caliche here is more a "when" than an "if". A lot of crews just budget for the jackhammer time from the start because a probe can miss a big shelf.

Honestly, you gotta trust the book and double-check the gut.

Watched my friend's scanner LOSE IT over a bag of grapes. It kept screaming 'place item in bagging area' even though it was RIGHT THERE, so he started petting the machine like a cat until it shut up.