Land Grading and Clearing
Shaping ground so water leaves, so something can be built on it, or so a yard is usable instead of a hillside.
What grading actually solves
Grading is the quiet fix behind a lot of expensive problems. Water against a foundation, a yard that cannot be mowed, a patio that cannot be built because the ground falls six feet across it, a new build that needs the site cut and leveled before anything else happens.
It is also the cheapest drainage fix there is. If ground can be shaped so water runs away on its own, that beats buried pipe on both cost and lifespan, because there is nothing to clog and nothing to fail.
How we do it
Every job runs the same sequence. If something changes it, you hear about it the day we find it.
Shoot the grade
Work out what the ground is actually doing now and where the water goes, before deciding what it should do.
Clear what has to go
Brush, stumps, and small trees. Large removals are a job for a tree service, and we will tell you when a job needs one.
Cut and fill
Move material to where it is needed. Using material on site instead of hauling it is the biggest saving available on most grading jobs.
Compact in lifts
Fill that is not compacted will settle, and settled fill undoes the grade you just paid for.
Topsoil, seed, straw
Bare graded clay erodes in the first storm. Stabilizing it is part of the job.
What it costs
What moves the number
Grading is priced by the volume of soil moved and by how easily a machine can reach it.
| Work | What changes the price |
|---|---|
| Foundation regrade for drainage | Area, fill volume, and access |
| Yard leveling, typical residential area | Volume, haul off, and finish |
| Brush and small tree clearing | Density, disposal, and access |
| Site cut and level for a build or pad | Volume, soil, and haul off |
Whether spoil stays on site is usually the single biggest variable. Haul off adds trucking and tipping to every load.
We price off a site visit, not off a photograph, so you will not find a number on this page. You will get a written scope with a fixed price in it, and it will say what is included and what is not before you are asked for anything.
The work
Photographs from our own jobs.
Questions
Before you call anyone
Worth reading first
Can regrading fix my drainage without a drain?
Often, yes, and it is our first choice when the site allows it. Surface water is best handled at the surface. We only recommend pipe when the ground cannot do the work on its own.
Do you remove large trees?
No. Brush, saplings and stumps in the course of site work, yes. Large tree removal is a job for a tree service, and they are better at it than we are.
What happens to the material you dig out?
If the grade needs it, it stays and you save money. If it cannot be used, it goes, and haul off is a separate line so you can see it.
Will the graded area wash out before grass comes in?
That is why seed and straw go down as part of the job. On steep sections we will use matting.
Need grading & land clearing in the North Hills?
Send a few photos and what you have in mind. You get a straight answer about scope and what the job involves before anyone asks you for money.