Charlotte Land Works links homeowners with grading crews, along with providers for land clearing, drainage, driveways and site prep across the Charlotte region. Grading & leveling is about controlling two things — where water goes and how flat a surface is — on ground that is mostly dense Piedmont clay.
Rough grade vs. finish grade
Rough grading moves bulk soil to establish elevations: cutting high spots, filling low ones and setting slope. Finish grading follows with a smoother, raked surface ready for sod, seed, pavers or a sport court. Most residential projects need both; problem yards often only need a corrected rough grade plus topsoil.
Numbers grading crews work to
- Foundation slope: the residential building code generally calls for ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet from the house
- Lawn areas: about 1–2% slope keeps water moving without feeling sloped
- Patios and courts: about 1% cross-slope so water sheds without puddling
- Swales: a gentle, continuous fall to a defined outlet
Equipment and grade control
Compact track loaders
The workhorse for yards. Low ground pressure protects existing turf, and a 6-way blade or grading bucket gives a clean finish.
Box blades and laser receivers
On larger flat areas, a laser transmitter and machine-mounted receiver hold elevation to a fraction of an inch.
Dozers with GPS
For acreage and building pads, small dozers with GPS grade control work from a digital surface model of the plan.
Soil: the part people skip
Clay compacts into a hard, slow-draining layer, and many builder-graded lots have only an inch or two of topsoil over it. Good grading typically rips compacted areas, adds 4–6 inches of screened topsoil where grass will grow, and compacts any structural fill in thin lifts with a vibratory roller or plate tamper.
Our providers' typical process
- Shoot existing grades with a laser or transit and note where water enters and leaves
- Mark utilities via 811 and locate irrigation heads
- Strip and stockpile topsoil where heavy cuts will happen
- Cut, fill and compact to the target slopes
- Respread topsoil and finish grade
- Seed and straw, or prepare for sod
Making a grade last
Settlement is the main reason a level yard turns uneven. Fill placed in lifts no thicker than about 6–8 inches and compacted near optimum moisture settles very little. Downspouts piped past the regraded area keep concentrated roof water from cutting new channels.
Request grading & leveling near you
Crews in our network work across the metro, including Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Huntersville, Concord, Gastonia, Rock Hill, Fort Mill and nearby towns. Call or use the form below to describe your project.