Grading project guide
Grading contractors cost and hiring guide
Rough and finish grading for building pads, yards and drainage, so water leaves the site instead of pooling against it.
Key facts
Grading numbers you can check
Rules and figures that come up in nearly every grading quote, with the public source for each one.
| Fact | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage slope at the foundation | The IRC calls for the ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the house, where the site allows. | International Residential Code, Section R401.3As of September 2026 |
| Stormwater permit trigger | Construction that disturbs 1 acre or more needs NPDES construction stormwater permit coverage and a written SWPPP. | EPA, Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (NPDES)As of September 2026 |
| Stabilization deadline | Under the federal Construction General Permit, disturbed soil left idle for 14 or more days must be stabilized. | EPA, Construction General Permit (CGP) Frequent QuestionsAs of September 2026 |
| Operator wages | The median construction equipment operator wage was $28.04 per hour in May 2024 (BLS OEWS). | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook HandbookAs of September 2026 |
Project guide
Hiring grading contractors
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.
GradeLine lists 6,860 grading contractors.Compare their work and equipment, then confirm availability and service area before requesting a quote.
Listed businesses are based in Leesburg, Moroni, Hephzibah, Sadieville, Richville, Lawson, though most crews travel well beyond their home city.
What grading work 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.
Ranges are national and approximate; regional labor rates, material prices and site conditions 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 affects a quote
- 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
Grading FAQ
What does grading work cost?
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.
What should I share when requesting a grading estimate?
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.
What can change the cost of grading work?
The main cost items are 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. A site visit helps the crew see which ones apply.
Do grading projects need permits?
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.
Find grading contractors near you
Pick a state to see the grading contractors listed there. Most crews travel well beyond their home city, so confirm the service area before requesting a quote.
LiveOpening as listings fill in
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Contractor directory
Browse grading contractors
6,860 contractors found
Sharp Point Excavation
demolition, excavation, foundations, grading, septic systems, site prep
Schmidt Site Work
Hephzibah, GARichmond County
demolition, erosion control, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing
S&S Excavating, LLC
Sadieville, KYHarrison County
demolition, driveways, excavation, grading, pond water management, septic systems
Ruther Excavating Inc
Richville, MNOtter Tail County
demolition, excavation, grading, hauling trucking, septic systems
RMR Dirtworx and Hardscaping
Lawson, MOCaldwell County
demolition, driveways, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management
18 years in business
RAR Excavating & Building
Torrington, CTLitchfield County
driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, pond water management, retaining walls
41 years in business
PH Earthworks & Contracting
McDermott, OHScioto County
demolition, erosion control, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing
30 years in business
McDowell Excavation LLC
Kirbyville, MOTaney County
excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing, retaining walls, septic systems
Man with a Skid Steer
Evergreen, COClear Creek County
demolition, driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, trenching underground
Koser Excavating
demolition, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management
Kenneth Trindle Dirt Work and Excavation
Cleo Springs, OKMajor County
driveways, excavation, grading, pond water management, site prep
Jordan Construction
Boothbay, MELincoln County
driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, hauling trucking, septic systems
50 years in business
John Phillips Grading & Excavating
Fleetwood, NCAshe County
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, foundations, grading
30 years in business
Jilek Land Service
Lake Hallie, WIChippewa County
demolition, driveways, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing
JB Excavation
excavation, grading, land clearing, site prep, trenching underground
J D Wagoner Excavating
Chambersburg, PAFranklin County
demolition, excavation, foundations, grading, septic systems, site prep
Hutchens Grading & Hauling
Yadkinville, NCDavie County
excavation, grading, hauling trucking, land clearing
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