GRADELINE project guide
The complete grading & drainage guide
Rough grade, finish grade, the six-inch rule at the foundation. What grading costs. What slope a yard needs. How to hire a crew that sets grade by laser, not by eye.
By GRADELINE Editorial TeamUpdated 6 min read
How to hire a grading contractor
- Sketch where water should end up before you call anyone — that sketch is the brief.
- Know the code number: 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet from the foundation (IRC R401.3).
- Ask every bidder how they set grade — laser or GPS, not a string line.
- Compare at least three quotes with cut/fill, compaction and seeding itemized.
- Check whether your job crosses the local grading permit volume. That is often 50 cubic yards.
- Get the finished slope in writing. This matters most near the foundation and property line.
What grading crews do
Grading is the shaping of ground to a designed elevation and slope. Rough grading moves the bulk of the earth to bring a site close to plan; finish grading dials in the last few inches so a pad is level and a yard sheds water. The number that matters is fall: building codes call for the ground to drop at least six inches in the first ten feet away from a foundation, and a lawn or gravel area needs roughly a two percent slope to drain. Crews do this with a dozer, a skid steer with a grading bar, or a motor grader on larger lots, checked against a laser or GPS grade stake rather than by eye.
A grading plan or a simple sketch showing where water should end up is the most useful thing you can send. Point out low spots, existing drains, septic fields, tree roots and anything the machine needs to steer around.
Phase 01 · 4 checks
Plan the grade before the machine arrives
Grading is cheap to plan and expensive to redo. Ten minutes on paper saves a re-mobilization.
The most useful thing you can hand a grader is a sketch or plan showing where water should end up. Mark low spots, existing drains, downspouts, septic fields and tree roots — anything the machine needs to steer around.
Ask: “Looking at my sketch, where should the water go?”
Building codes (IRC R401.3) call for the ground to drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the foundation, where the site allows. Lawns and gravel areas need roughly a 2% slope to drain. Your local code may add to this.
Ask: “What finished slope will you leave at the foundation?”
If the dirt you cut can be spread on site as fill, the job is far cheaper than one that must truck soil in or out. Ask which case applies to your site — it is often the biggest single price factor.
Ask: “Does this site balance cut and fill, or is trucking involved?”
Many cities and counties require a grading permit once the job moves more than a set volume. The volume is often 50 cubic yards. A job that changes drainage toward a neighbor can also need one. Any job that disturbs an acre or more triggers a stormwater permit and erosion control plan in most states.
Ask: “Does my job cross the local grading permit threshold?”
Phase 02 · 4 checks
Vet the grading contractor
How a crew sets grade and controls erosion is what separates real pros from neighbors with tractors.
Laser, GPS machine control or a transit — not a string line and a level. A crew that sets grade by instrument hits engineered elevations; a crew that eyeballs it leaves you guessing where the puddle will form.
Ask: “Do you set grade by laser or GPS, and can I see the readings?”
Especially near the foundation and at the property line. A written slope (e.g. "5% away from the house for the first 10 feet") is enforceable; "it'll drain" is not.
Ask: “What slope do you guarantee at the foundation and the lot line?”
Bare soil washes out in the first storm. Ask who handles seeding, straw or blanket on disturbed soil and whether it is in the price — a regrade that erodes is money spent twice.
Ask: “Is seeding or mulch on disturbed soil in your quote?”
General liability and workers' compensation at minimum. If fill goes under a slab or driveway, ask whether they compact in lifts with a roller and whether density testing is included or available.
Ask: “Will fill be compacted in lifts, and who tests density?”
Red flags
Walk away if a contractor...
- Sets grade by eye and shrugs at the word "laser"
- Won't put the finished slope in writing
- Seeding or erosion control "not included"
- Suggests skipping the grading permit
- No unit rate for rock or unsuitable soil
- Bid far below the others with compaction left out
Phase 03 · 4 checks
Compare the bids
Grading quotes vary by unit more than most trades. Force the same units out of every bidder.
The bid should show each part as its own line. That means mobilization, machine hours, cut volume, fill import, haul-off, compaction, erosion control and final seeding. Line items let you compare bids.
Ask: “Can you break this out by line item?”
Hourly machine rates ($100–$200 for a dozer or skid steer with operator), per-acre pricing ($1,000–$5,000) and per-square-foot finish grading ($0.50–$2.50) are all common. Ask each bidder to price your job the same way.
Ask: “Are we comparing the same units on all three bids?”
Rock, wet ground and unsuitable soil change grading costs fast. A written rate per cubic yard or per hour for surprises beats an open-ended change order every time.
Ask: “What is your rate if we hit rock or bad soil?”
Wet ground can stop earthwork for days. Ask how rain affects the schedule and price, and what the site looks like when the crew leaves: debris gone, ruts repaired, topsoil spread, seed down.
Ask: “How do rain days affect schedule and price?”
Phase 04 · 5 checks
On the job
What to watch while the machines work.
811 marks public utilities before the machine cuts. Private lines — irrigation, propane, septic power — need separate locating. No marks, no digging.
Ask: “Can you show me the 811 ticket number?”
Silt fence, inlet protection and a stabilized entrance go in before major grading, not after the first storm. Local permits often require them. Inspectors can write violations for mud that leaves the site.
Ask: “When does erosion control go in?”
For homes, watch the finish: at least 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet from the foundation where the site allows. Check it yourself with a 10-foot string and a level before the crew demobilizes.
Ask: “What is the finished grade at the foundation?”
Fill under slabs, footings and driveways should be placed and compacted in lifts. On many projects an engineer or testing lab checks density; ask whether yours requires it.
Ask: “Who is testing compaction, and when?”
Walk the job with the contractor against the written scope. Check the slopes and drainage paths. Collect the final lien waiver before the last check goes out.
Ask: “Can we do a final walkthrough together?”
What grading costs
Rough grading is typically quoted by the hour for the machine, $100 to $200 for a dozer or skid steer with operator, or by the acre at roughly $1,000 to $5,000 depending on how much earth moves. Regrading a residential yard to fix drainage usually falls between $1,000 and $6,000. Finish grading a pad or lawn area is often priced per square foot, in the $0.50 to $2.50 range.
| Scope | Typical cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Dozer / skid steer with operator | $100 – $200 / hr | Typical hourly rough-grading rate |
| Rough grading by the acre | $1,000 – $5,000 / acre | Depends on how much earth moves |
| Yard regrade for drainage | $1,000 – $6,000 | Typical residential fix for ponding water |
| Finish grading | $0.50 – $2.50 / sq ft | Pads and lawn areas, laser-checked |
| Structural fill delivered | $10 – $30 / cubic yd | When the site cannot balance cut and fill |
| Compaction + density testing | Quote by scope | Required under slabs and driveways |
Ranges are national and approximate; regional labor rates, cut depth and haul distances move them in both directions.
Common projects
- Building pads cut and filled to engineered elevation with compaction testing
- Regrading yards that hold water or slope toward the house
- Subgrade for driveways, gravel roads, sports fields and landscape beds
What changes the price
- Cut and fill balance: whether dirt can be moved on site or has to be hauled in or out
- Compaction requirements, which decide whether a roller and density testing are on the job
- Access, the number of grade stakes or survey control points, and topsoil to strip and replace
Permits & drainage rules
Many cities and counties require a grading permit once the job moves more than a set volume, often 50 cubic yards, or changes drainage toward a neighbor. Disturbing an acre or more triggers a stormwater permit and an erosion control plan in most states.
Common questions
How much does yard grading cost?
Regrading a residential yard to fix drainage usually falls between $1,000 and $6,000. Rough grading is often quoted by the hour ($100 to $200 for a dozer or skid steer with operator) or by the acre (roughly $1,000 to $5,000). Finish grading runs $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot.
What slope should my yard have for drainage?
Building codes call for at least 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet from the foundation where the site allows (IRC R401.3). Lawns and gravel areas drain well at roughly a 2% slope — about a quarter inch per foot.
Do I need a permit to regrade my yard?
Many cities and counties require a grading permit once the job moves more than a set volume. The volume is often 50 cubic yards. A job that changes drainage toward a neighboring property can also need one. Any job that disturbs an acre or more triggers a stormwater permit and erosion control plan in most states.
Can grading fix water in my basement or crawlspace?
Often it helps significantly — surface water that ponds against the foundation is a common cause. But grading is only part of the fix: downspouts, gutters and subsurface drainage may also be needed. Fix the surface grade first, then see what remains.
What is rough grading vs finish grading?
Rough grading moves the bulk of the earth to bring a site close to plan elevation. Finish grading dials in the last few inches so a pad is level and a yard sheds water. It usually takes a skid steer and grading bar checked by laser.
When is the best time of year to regrade?
Workable, dry ground: machines and compaction both suffer in mud. Spring and fall suit most climates; in wet-winter regions, late summer and early fall give the new grade time to settle and seed before the rains.
Sources
- International Residential Code, Section R401.3 Drainage, codes.iccsafe.org
- EPA, Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (NPDES), epa.gov/npdes
- 811 Before You Dig, Common Ground Alliance, 811beforeyoudig.com
This guide is general information. It is not engineering or legal advice. Grading rules, drainage rules and permits vary by city, county and state. Confirm with your local building department.
Keep researching
0 of 17 checked