Hiring an operator costs $50 to $150 per hour. The cost to level a sloped yard could be up to 25% more than a yard that is less sloped. There are many options for landscaping a sloped yard to prevent soil erosion. The heavier the soil material, the higher the dirt excavation price. That does not include the cost of spreading it. yard with a 5-foot slope and 50 cubic feet of fill dirt and 50 cubic feet of topsoil. Land grading contractors charge anywhere from $40 to $180 an hour for labor. The average price of a land survey is $600. Fill any remaining depressions with topsoil. Start with a template or build your own (free; Account sign up required): For a basic project in zip code 47474 with 500 square feet, the cost to Grade Landscaping starts at $0.85 - $1.11 per square foot*. After grading, adding a layer of sand creates a level subbase and ensures no small rocks will puncture the pool's bottom liner. Updated the introduction with new information, project scopes, and project costs. The type of soil that crews have to remove from high points impacts the price. If the site is rocky, expect to pay $200 to $1,200 more for the project, or about $40 to $100 per cubic yard. If trees must be removed, expect to pay between $1,00 and $6,000 more per acre, depending on the number and maturity of trees. Two sections, Cost Factors for Regrading Lawn and Reslope for Landscaping Prep-work, are now present in the cost guide. Plants are one of the best ways to control erosion because thick foliage provides a blanket to diffuse water droplets at the soil surface. Dump the fill dirt in the low points to build them up. The cost to level a 1/4-acre home lot is $4,400 to $10,900. Leveling an area on your own can be backbreaking work, and theres no guarantee of success because the yard can shift and destroy all of your progress. This may prevent the need to regrade the land again a few months after the initial regrading. One yard of topsoil covers 81 square feet at 4" deep. Regrading a yard costs $500 to $1,000 for small lawns or $1,000 to $5,000 for the average backyard. Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles, Photo: Annie Otzen / DigitalVision / Getty Images. Most residential grading projects are 1/4 acre or less. Grading an entire backyard, regrading around a house, or leveling a lot for new home construction. Added the Cost to Level and Sod a Yard section. For more information, read our. A section includes the cost to grade the lawn by acre, followed by another with the cost to grade per square foot. Product and Supplies Data: Lowes Landscaping Products and Supplies, Product and Supplies Data: Home Depot Landscaping Products and Supplies, Product and Supplies Data: Menards Landscaping Products and Supplies, The HUD PATH Rehab Guide The Rehab Guide Volume 9: Site Work, Labor Wages and Costs: CPWAR Construction Cost Book, Project Spending Data: Harvard University JCHS Homeowner Expenditures. Grading ensures proper drainage and a stable subbase below the driveway. Costs to prepare the worksite for Landscape Grading, including costs to protect existing structure(s), finishes, materials and components. Costs for removing, relocating, repairing, or modifying existing framing, surfacing, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems - or bringing those systems into compliance with current building codes. Contact the pros you like to discuss project details. Having a retaining wall installed with your leveling project prevents you from needing to do the work after further landscaping projects. Look for these signs that a yard needs regrading: The best time to regrade a yard is in the Spring or Fall during dry weather, or immediately with drainage issues. Do you own or rent your excavation equipment? Will I need a grading surety bond? This infographic highlights decisions and site issues that can cause large cost variances in the typical Landscape Grading budget. 2. How much homeowners pay for grading varies based on the size and complexity of the site. Leveling a yard to install a patio, deck, or playset costs $500 to $1,000, depending on the area's size and current slope. You should also get a detailed estimate before beginning the project. The first step to any resloping project is to have your property surveyed by a professional. You will want to have a land survey completed to ensure that you are only doing work within your property lines and have identified high points, low points, and existing infrastructure underground. Cost Estimating Best Practices American Institute of Architects, Nov 2008, Michael DellIsola. While the cost is steep (no pun intended), it will save your lawn from needing another leveling within a few months. Grading refers to the sloping of your yard away from your houses foundation. The trench is filled in around the pipe with loose rock and gravel. Planting shrubs, bushes, or ground cover costs. For many homeowners, land grading is the first step to making the yard or house addition their dreams. Updated the Grading Cost per Square Foot section. DIY yard leveling costs $120 to $280 for tools to level a small area like a walkway or patio by hand. The land around a house must be graded at a slope of. This can cost $100 to $1,000, depending on where you live and the scope of the project. Grading larger areas involves renting heavy equipment, precise measuring, and intense physical labor. Excavation contractors handle land clearing, grading, and leveling projects. Suppose you need to relocate an existing irrigation system after your yard has been resloped. Surveying rugged, hilly, or uneven terrain costs $100 more per 10,000 square feet. By using Fixr.com you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Grading companies require an onsite visit to provide an accurate estimate. Instead of roughly knocking the soil down, leaves disperse rain more gently. Unless you want your new level yard to look like a desert, you should put in fresh sod to make the lawn look up to par again. It does not include extra fill dirt. People level their yards for practical and cosmetic purposes. In that case, you will spend more on hourly labor to have the work done manually with wheelbarrows and shovels. Follow a payment plan instead. These options include planting ground cover and shrubs, building a retaining wall, mulching, tiering with stairs, and building a rain garden. The average labor cost to have a yard graded runs between $50 and $150 per hour. Too high and heavy rain will make its way into your home; too low, and you may experience an increase in critters and pests. To install a French drain, a contractor digs a trench downhill, lays it with a perforated pipe, and places a drain at the very bottom. Fill dirt prices vary by region of the country, but you can expect that the cost of fill dirt per cubic foot to be $0.25 to $0.45. A concrete patio requires a stable subbase of sand or crushed stone on top of a level dirt pad. Remove all sod and plants from the sloped area. Your grading backyard price can be as low as $550 for resloping a small yard of 250 sq.ft. Soil excavation costs per cubic yard or cost per cubic yard to remove dirt ranges on average between $50 and $200. Topsoil price per yard is between $12 and $55. Most construction prices will not include the actual landscaping design, which costs $8,000 to $15,000 for new construction. With these calculations, the surveyor determines the level grade line, the level at which water will not run downhill but instead evenly soak into the ground. Your landscaper then finishes the area with sod or other landscaping designs. Grading typically requires permits and inspections to make sure you avoid damaging underground pipes and wires. Many terms are used to refer to resloping. Need professional help with your project? costs $15,000 to $45,000. Excavation may be necessary when grading a steep slope or mountain property. For maximum stability, experts recommend cutting down the high areas to match the height of the lowest area instead of adding dirt to raise the low area. Receive quotes from multiple pros that meet your exact needs. how can we improve this site? Leveling a yard takes 3 days to 1 week on average, depending on the size, slope, and terrain complexity. If youre good to go to handle it, though, here are the items youll need: If youre tackling this project yourself, expect this to take around five to seven days to complete. This is an excellent method of starting off a lawn for further landscaping. If you're grading your land for alandscaping project, you might also encounter one of these additional costs: Landscaping grading means you'll to need to put a layer of topsoil that contains nutrients needed to grow plants on the site. Check pro availability and book appointments right in the app. Some local landscapers take small grading jobs. Cost factors to regrade a yard may include: A topographic land survey costs $800 to $2,000, depending on the land size, location, and terrain complexity. Cost to Level a Yard by Inclination Degree. Whoever you hire, be sure to find a licensed, qualified contractor with experience in land grading. Most homeowners pay nowhere near the average price to regrade an entire acre. While you can DIY a yard leveling, it isnt recommended unless youre familiar with using a grader and have the time. 1. Expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, though your costs could be steeper, depending on how much work you need to straighten out your space. Contractor leveling a backyard for drainage issues. Permits will cost around $100 to $500, depending on the city and county where you live. Enter a zip below and get matched to top-rated pros near you. Order additional fill dirt or topsoil before if needed. One yard of dirt covers 55 square feet at 6" deep. Labor for grading a yard is around $50 per hour. Putting a sod lawn on that dirt will cost $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot. Land leveling costs $0.40 to $2.00 per square foot. Mulching a sloped area is also a way to protect from soil runoff. Updated the Additional Considerations and Costs section. The price to level a piece of land averages $1,500 to $2,600. For example, aThumbtack pro experienced in land gradingin Olympia, Washington, charges $1,750 to regrade and sod a 1,000-square-foot yard, including soil. Resloping land affects public property and potentially the property of your neighbors. This guide will help you estimate how much you might pay a contractor for this project. To regrade a 1,000 sq.ft. For example, the average cost to flatten a backyard with 1 foot inclination could be as little as $1,000, while the price for a 5 ft. inclination could be up to $2,400. So if you always wanted that lime tree to pick fresh limes for Taco Tuesday, nows your chance. Keep in mind that a survey (especially if this is the first time the homeowner has had one done) reveals many surprises with the infrastructure below ground. Below are the average national costs of several common land grading projects: Leveling for concrete patios and driveways, Leveling for foundation for new construction or home addition. Most homeowners pay around $1,800 to regrade a 1,000 sq.ft. Rocks are also a factor. Its a landscaping term you probably know well if youve ever had to push your lawn mower up a steep slope. The information provided by our cost guides comes from a great variety of sources, including specialized publications and websites, cost studies, U.S. associations, reports from the U.S. government, contractors and subcontractors, material suppliers, material price services, and other vendor websites. If grading your land requires draining it as well, a full-service landscaping company can usually install a drainage system, which will increase your project cost. Does the estimate include all equipment and delivery fees? ft. yard and a 5 foot slope with 50 cubic yards of fill dirt and 50 cubic yards of topsoil, Compare prices from grading companies near you, Get free estimates from trusted yard grading services near me, Find the best grading contractors near me, Get free estimates on Fixr.com from trusted landscapers in your area. Grading the top 1" to 3" of soil for surface smoothing and leveling. A recent topographic survey may be required before grading the land. You can resurface, regrade, or even restructure your yard to accommodate your dream landscape. Soils that are packed and rocky take longer to excavate than loose, loamy soil that is easier and lighter to move. Are you certified in Erosion and Sediment Control? Driveway grading costs $3 to $8 per square foot or $700 to $2,500 on average. Next, a section explains the cost to regrade a lawn, including an explanation of the labor involved. Some cities also require homeowners to purchase a grading surety bond to ensure the contractor follows local building codes. A retaining wall may be constructed of any material, but concrete is a popular choice to protect from erosion and improve drainage across a property. It might be used to fill ground holes or change a propertys elevation. Basic lawn re-sloping to prevent erosion and fix drainage averages at $1,900 for most homeowners. Installing a pool on uneven ground weakens the pool's structure and results in uneven water levels, causing problems for the skimmer. However, most projects are larger and more extensive. Costs for local material / equipment delivery to and service provider transportation to and from the job site. Leveling a yard for an above-ground pool costs $200 to $850, depending on the pool size and yard slope. If the contractor needs to haul in dirt to raise your yard, you'll pay $8 to $15 per cubic yard just for the dirt. You can speed up this project if you have access to an excavator and other heavy machinery. The Unit Cost method delivers high accuracy by using location, details and options for the unique requirements of each job. It costs between $2,800 and $6,500 to install. If you're leveling land that's full of rocks and trees, labor costs go up since your contractor has to remove full grown trees and dig out boulders stuck in the soil. The ground leveling cost does not include the price for a structural engineer to perform a land survey. Leveling a slope, a process called cut and fill, adds to the price because the job will require more labor. If you have a smaller space, like a yard, patio, or pool area, it can cost as little as $500 for leveling services. More trees and larger trees significantly raise the price, as it requires extensive safety precautions to keep the tree clear of structures (and people). Homeowners should ask their landscapers about these options. When talking about buying topsoil to fill an area, the terms yard and cubic yard are used interchangeably because topsoil always fills a three-dimensional area (cubic yard) and not a two-dimensional area (yard). The nationalaverage cost for 1,000 square feet of sodis $500 to $800, installed. And, Dudley says, doing retaining wall work now will save you from having to tear up that beautiful new lawn later on. Grade soil and remove rocks to final grade. Most grading projects take 3 days to a week. When you combine the price to level the yard, the final price ranges from $7,300 to $9,800. Patio and walkway leveled with steps for paver installation. If your soil is especially compact, hard, or rocky like in New England, excavation time will be longer than in the middle of the country known for loose and loamy soil. General contractor overhead and markup for organizing and supervising the Landscape Grading. They'll need to bring in more equipment, like bulldozers, and work longer. It is also important to have your property surveyed before the sloping begins because the surveyor identifies existing pipes, drains, and wires on the surface and beneath the ground. This prevents drainage issues and keeps water from pooling near the foundation of your home. We track the estimates they get from local companies, then we share those prices with you. Someone with a shallow slope that only needs to be raised a few degrees may only spend around $400 for dirt. The yard may require improvements after grading: A terraced backyard costs $2,500 to $10,000 and turns a steep slope into a series of smaller, level areas. You can expect to pay between $35 and $75 per hour for manual landscaping work like this. Leveling is the solution to grading issues since it involves making your yard flat and smooth (and easy to push a lawn mower through). But someone that needs to raise the ground 10 or more degrees may be looking at spending $1,000 and up. The pro will have to move dirt from the hill (cut it) and move it to another location (fill) to level a yard. Dont forget to factor in the price of the landscape design for your new resloped yard. Ask the contractor if their quote includes the cost of hauling in fill dirt, land clearing, and pulling permits. Usually, contractors must haul away dirt if they level a steep slope or remove dirt for a home addition foundation. Grading for smaller landscaping projects may take as little as 1 day. The price of landscaping depends on many factors, such as the size of an area, foliage type, and extra decorative enhancements. Avoid companies with the cheapest quotes as quality may suffer. These potential surprises should be accounted for in your budget. Save and share Homewyse on social media using the buttons below. Work not mentioned on this page and/or work using master craftsman, premium materials and project supervision will result in HIGHER COSTS! To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours. Includes planning, equipment and material acquisition, area preparation and protection, setup and cleanup. But remember: the exact cost of grading your land depends on a combination of factors. Removing a steep hill requires heavy equipment. However, because landscaping usually involves irrigation, a key consideration when starting any resloping project is to ensure that your yards new shape allows for water to drain away from a homes foundation. Tamp down the soil with a wood plank or a metal tamper. Depending on where you live and what you're doing to your land, you'll need a grading permit for the project. While some companies specialize specifically in land grading, companies that install septic systems and landscaping companies also do land grading. Get at least three quotes to compare. The cost of topsoil per cubic yard does not typically include delivery. Another option: Hydroseeding. Added the Cost to Level Yard With Retaining Wall section. Building a terraced yard requires retaining walls and proper grading. A grading plan details the slope gradients, planned elevations, and drainage patterns to ensure the project meets local code requirements. After the area is level, the contractor covers the entire sloped area with about two inches of topsoil. If you have invested the time and money to reslope your yard, you should also protect it from erosion. Leveling a yard for a patio, deck, fence, or playset. Theres no way around it: Leveling will do a number on your lawn. Does the estimate include fill dirt, topsoil, and dirt delivery fees? Land grading, also known as yard grading or yard leveling, reshapes the ground's surface. Get free custom quotes from qualified pros in your area. Once your land is graded, you're going to have bare dirt. The cost to level a yard will fluctuate depending on the slope, how much dirt you need, and whether or not you need a retaining wall. Most residential projects do not require a grading plan. yard with a 2-foot slope that needs 5 cubic yards of fill dirt and 10 cubic yards of topsoil added. The prices below are based on resloping a 1,000 sq.ft. You also need to call your underground utility company before you proceed so they can mark out the lines, Dudley advises. Grading companies with a mini excavator, bobcat, backhoe, or skid-steer charge $100 to $300 per hour for labor. Compare prices from land levelers near you. The cost of resloping for landscaping depends on the size of your yard, existing damage, and the type of soil currently on your property. It does not contain organic material, so it is composed of stones, sand, rocks, and earth. Photo: Jacky Parker Photography / Moment / Getty Images. Install sod, mulch, ground cover, a retaining wall, or an erosion control grid to prevent soil from shifting or running off the slope. Balance of 3 hr(s) minimum labor charge that can be applied to other tasks. When choosing to do this, the lawn grading cost increases by the amount for the retaining wall. Grading for steeply sloped sites is priced at the higher end. If the low areas of a yard do not require as much fill dirt as the amount excavated from the high points, that dirt needs to be removed completely. Avoid grading during the rainy season as the loose topsoil may wash away. Get a detailed estimate, contract, and warranty in writing before the work begins. Updated the Lawn Leveling Service Cost section. This type of dirt is located beneath topsoil. Costs for testing and remediation of hazardous materials (asbestos, lead, etc.). Grading around a house fixes drainage issues and prevents basement leaks and erosion around the foundation. It requires less water initially and is easier to establish. They mark your propertys high and low points to determine the slope (also called the rise), the vertical difference between them. Leveling a yard is excellent when you think about itno more pushing uphill with the lawnmower, no more tripping and stumbling, and youre likely saving your foundation down the road. How much dirt you need is determined by the slope of the lawn. Will you flag any buried pipes and utility lines before work begins? Get free estimates from trusted grading contractors near you. It tends to be darker than other soil due to being made up of air, minerals, water, and organic matter. The lawn leveling cost is around $1,500 to $2,600 to make the total $5,000 to $12,600. Fill dirt costs $5 to $25 per cubic yard, depending on the type and quality. Your comments and sharing are greatly appreciated! The cost of landscaping sits at around $4,000, depending on how big of a project youre looking to do. The final cost to regrade the yard includes hourly labor, materials (e.g., fill dirt), and equipment (e.g., backhoe). Updated the Cost of Fill Dirt per Yard section. Land grading costs generally $5-$10 per square foot. Get free estimates from landscapers near you, Regrading a 500 sq. You'll pay for bigger equipment and more labor to level an acre lot than you will for a quarter acre lot. The price ranges from $3,000 for a 1/5 acre up to $45,000 for a full acre. Updated the Cost to Level a Yard by Inclination Degree section. So, let us know - did we meet your needs? Labor setup time, mobilization time and minimum hourly charges that are commonly included for small Landscape Grading jobs. Identify the nearest drainage area that won't adversely affect the environment or neighboring properties. ft. yard with a 2 foot slope with 5 cubic yards of fill dirt and 10 cubic yards of topsoil, 2,500 sq. NOTE: *Input the total of the finished surface area AND the area of any openings enclosed by the finished area.