Site Prep project guide
Site Prep contractors cost and hiring guide
Everything between raw land and a buildable pad: clearing, stripping, cutting, filling, compaction and the construction entrance.
Key facts
Site Prep numbers you can check
Rules and figures that come up in nearly every site prep quote, with the public source for each one.
| Fact | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stormwater permit trigger | Clearing, grading or excavating 1 acre or more requires NPDES stormwater permit coverage and a written SWPPP. | EPA, Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities (NPDES)As of September 2026 |
| Stabilization deadline | Exposed soil where work stops for 14 or more days must be stabilized within 14 calendar days. | EPA, Construction General Permit (CGP) Frequent QuestionsAs of September 2026 |
| Concrete washout | The federal Construction General Permit prohibits concrete washout wastewater unless it is managed in an appropriate control. | EPA, 2022 Construction General Permit (final permit)As of September 2026 |
| 811 locates | Utility locates through 811 are free and must be requested a few business days before any dig. | Common Ground Alliance, 811 Before You DigAs of September 2026 |
Project guide
Hiring site prep contractors
Site preparation is the package of work that turns a lot into a place a builder can start. On a typical job that means clearing vegetation, stripping and stockpiling topsoil, cutting or filling to the pad elevation, compacting fill in lifts, cutting in a temporary driveway, and installing the silt fence and gravel entrance the stormwater inspector expects to see. The scope shifts with the ground: a flat suburban infill lot may take two days, while a sloped wooded parcel with poor soil can run weeks and involve undercutting and replacing unsuitable material. Site prep contractors typically coordinate with the surveyor who sets the corners and the geotechnical engineer who signs off on compaction.
GradeLine lists 5,003 site prep contractors.Compare their work and equipment, then confirm availability and service area before requesting a quote.
Listed businesses are based in Harmony, , Alton, Superior Township, Millersburg, Northwood, though most crews travel well beyond their home city.
What site prep work costs
A straightforward residential lot typically runs $3,000 to $15,000 for clearing, stripping and pad grading, with heavily wooded, sloped or poorly drained parcels going well past that. Imported structural fill adds $10 to $30 per cubic yard delivered, and undercutting bad soil is one of the most common change orders on a site prep job.
Ranges are national and approximate; regional labor rates, material prices and site conditions move them in both directions.
Common projects
- Residential and commercial building pads cut, filled and compacted to the geotechnical report
- Temporary construction entrances, access roads and staging areas
- Topsoil stripping, undercut of unsuitable soil and import of structural fill
What affects a quote
- Vegetation and debris on the lot, and whether it is chipped, burned, hauled or buried on site
- Volume of cut and fill, the lift thickness and compaction spec, and whether a testing lab is required
- Slope, access, drainage across the lot, weather windows and how much room there is to stockpile
Site Prep FAQ
What does site prep work cost?
A straightforward residential lot typically runs $3,000 to $15,000 for clearing, stripping and pad grading, with heavily wooded, sloped or poorly drained parcels going well past that. Imported structural fill adds $10 to $30 per cubic yard delivered, and undercutting bad soil is one of the most common change orders on a site prep job.
What should I share when requesting a site prep estimate?
Send the site plan, the survey with pad elevations, any geotechnical or soil report, and the order the trades will arrive so the contractor can leave the site the way the foundation crew needs it.
What can change the cost of site prep work?
The main cost items are vegetation and debris on the lot, and whether it is chipped, burned, hauled or buried on site; volume of cut and fill, the lift thickness and compaction spec, and whether a testing lab is required; slope, access, drainage across the lot, weather windows and how much room there is to stockpile. A site visit helps the crew see which ones apply.
Do site prep projects need permits?
Site prep usually runs under the main building permit, but grading, land disturbance and stormwater permits are often separate and must be in hand before the first tree comes down. Lots on a public road need a driveway access permit for the construction entrance.
Find site prep contractors near you
Pick a state to see the site prep contractors listed there. Most crews travel well beyond their home city, so confirm the service area before requesting a quote.
- 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 site prep contractors
5,003 contractors found
Next Generation Services WSL LLC
driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, pond water management, septic systems
RND Excavation and Land Clearing, LLC
demolition, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management, site prep
Spartan LLC
Alton, ME
demolition, driveways, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management
Russell’s Excavating and Land Management
driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, hauling trucking, land clearing
Fountain City Land Services
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, hauling trucking
SCS Excavation Concepts, LLC
erosion control, excavation, foundations, grading, land clearing, retaining walls
Paquet's Excavation and Site Work
demolition, driveways, excavation, grading, land clearing, site prep
Bad Creek Excavating
concrete cutting removal, driveways, excavation, grading, retaining walls, septic systems
WR Excavating
Superior Township, MI
demolition, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management
Seaside Landscaping & Excavation
excavation, grading, land clearing, pond water management, retaining walls, site prep
A & B Lawn and Landscape
Millersburg, IN
excavation, hauling trucking, land clearing, septic systems, site prep
Lake Shore Construction, LLC.
Northwood, NH
excavation, grading, retaining walls, septic systems, site prep, trenching underground
Cranberry Landscape & Design of Cape Cod
driveways, excavation, grading, retaining walls, septic systems, site prep
Abram Construction Services
Bloomington, IN
demolition, driveways, erosion control, excavation, grading, land clearing
Duce Construction Company
Champaign, IL
concrete flatwork, demolition, excavation, grading, paving prep, site prep
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