Property Grading
Final grading to prepare for lawn, landscape, and drainage
We Specialize In Property Grading Services
We'll get your property ready for a lawn and landscape
Final grading is one of the most critical steps in preparing your property for a new landscape, lawn, patio, driveway, or other outdoor project. Proper property grading involves shaping and sloping the land to create a level base, manage water flow, and enhance the overall functionality and appearance of your space. This essential process ensures that your property is not only visually appealing but also well-protected against common issues like drainage problems and soil erosion.
Why is final grading so important? By directing water away from buildings, patios, and other structures, proper grading prevents water damage, foundation issues, and pooling that can lead to costly repairs. A carefully graded property promotes healthy drainage, preserves the integrity of your landscaping, and helps maintain the long-term stability of your outdoor features.
Whether you’re installing a new lawn, constructing a driveway, or designing a backyard oasis, final grading provides the solid foundation necessary for a successful and sustainable project.
Why Do You Need Your Property Graded?
- Have you just built a new home and need final grading completed?
- Do you have water leaking into your basement?
- Does your driveway or parking area have pooling water when it rains?
- Are your gardens or lawn areas getting muddy when it rains?
- Is erosion taking it's toll on your property?
- Does your property have lots of lumps and bumps you want to smooth out?
Property Docktors is a landscaping contractor based out of Lenoir City, Tennessee and serving Loudon County, including: Farragut, Kahite, Kingston, Knoxville, Loudon, Rarity Bay, and Tellico Village. We specialize in rough property grading and final grading services. Whether you need to repair a drainage issue on your property, you're clearing a section of your backyard to build a new patio, or you want to grade an area for a new lawn, we can help prep and grade your site for the next step.
Property Grading Services We Offer:
New Construction: Before building a home, proper grading ensures that water drains away from the structure, preventing potential water damage to the foundation.
Improving Existing Drainage Issues: Properties experiencing standing water, soggy yards, or water pooling near foundations after rainfalls may need re-grading to correct these issues.
Landscaping Renovations: Redesigning a landscape, including installing gardens, patios, or other hardscapes, often requires re-grading to ensure water flows properly throughout the property.
Erosion Control: Sloped properties or those with erosion issues can benefit from grading solutions that stabilize the soil and prevent further erosion.
Preparation for Lawn Installation or Revival: Ensuring a level and properly graded surface is crucial for new lawn installations or revitalizing an existing lawn to promote even growth and drainage.
Addressing Foundation Issues: Homes with foundational water damage may require re-grading to divert water away from the structure and mitigate future damage.
What To Know About Final Grading Your Property
#1. Grading For Proper Drainage
The primary reason for property grading isn't just to make everything level and uniform. The real purpose for property grading is to provide proper drainage by sloping the grade away from your home or other out-buildings and landscape elements. This is called "positive" grading and it works to direct water away from your structure. If the grade is sloping towards your home this would be considered a "negative" grade and would lead to water pooling up around your structure which is not a good thing.
#2. Soil Conditions
The condition of your soil can make an impact on how your property is graded. Usually the layer of topsoil will need to come off to expose the soil underneath. This is where we use a machine to actually level and "shape" your property with the desired slope. If you have very hard clay-based soil (hardpan condition) then this will need to be addressed.
#3. Matching Existing Fixtures With The Final Grade
This is where it takes a little finesse and a lot of experience with property grading! You want to make sure your final grade matches your existing landscape fixtures. You don't want to step off your back patio and drop down a foot onto your lawn. Ideally your property is graded so the final grade can match up with your existing fixtures but at the same time allowing for the proper slope to prevent water from pooling up and directing into a drainage ditch, swale, or other drainage system.
If you'd like to schedule a consultation with us to discuss property grading we'd be happy to meet with you. Please call (865) 816-7505 or fill out our online form and we'll get right back to you.
Questions About Property Grading?
Final grading is the process of shaping and leveling the land around your property to direct water flow, prevent erosion, and create a stable foundation for landscaping or construction. Proper grading is essential to protect structures from water damage, ensure effective drainage, and maintain the integrity of your landscape.
Signs that your property may need regrading include standing water after rainfall, erosion or bare patches in your lawn, water pooling near your foundation, or improper drainage in low areas. Regrading can solve these issues and improve the health of your landscape.
For new construction, final grading is critical to ensure the land around your home is properly sloped to prevent water from pooling near the foundation. It also creates the level base needed for landscaping, driveways, and patios. Without final grading, your new property could experience drainage problems or soil erosion.
Grading involves removing or adding soil, shaping the land to create proper slopes, and ensuring water flows away from structures. Specialized equipment, such as skid steers or excavators, is typically used to achieve accurate results.
The standard recommendation is a slope of at least 2% (approximately 2 inches of drop per 10 feet) away from the foundation of your home. This ensures water flows effectively away from structures and reduces the risk of water damage.
Yes! Proper grading is one of the most effective ways to resolve drainage problems. It prevents water from pooling in low areas, directs it away from structures, and ensures it flows toward designated drainage areas or systems.
Final grading enhances the aesthetics of your property by creating smooth, level surfaces for landscaping, lawns, and outdoor features. It also helps prevent unsightly erosion or pooling water that can detract from your yard’s appearance.
Yes, but grading around established landscaping requires careful planning to avoid damaging existing plants, trees, and hardscapes. We assess the site to minimize disruptions while achieving the necessary slopes and drainage improvements.
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the project. For most residential properties, final grading can take one to three days. Larger or more challenging sites may require additional time.
In some areas, permits are required for significant grading or land-moving projects. We can help you determine if a permit is necessary and guide you through the process if required.
Yes! Grading can level uneven terrain, fill in low spots, and create a smoother surface for a more attractive and usable yard.
Yes, final grading ensures the soil is level and properly sloped, providing the ideal foundation for sod, seed, or landscaping. It also improves water distribution, which is essential for healthy plant growth.
Grading is best performed during dry weather when the soil is workable. However, it can be done in most seasons as long as conditions allow for effective soil movement and compaction.
Keep an eye on drainage patterns, watch for erosion or settling, and address issues as they arise. Adding soil to low areas and maintaining proper slopes can help preserve effective grading for years to come.
Our Clients Love Us!
Here's What They Say
My wife and I had the great fortune to utilize the landscaping services of Sam Sparks. His team at Property Docktors tackled my To-Do list like a fine-tuned machine. Sam, along with his foreman Matt, worked directly with us from start to finish. Their professionalism and attention to detail was exceptional. The entire crew is a marvel. The lengths to which they went to get things done per our request is without measure. And as to be expected, our property was transformed from vision to reality. Many, many thanks to Sam, Matt, the crew, and all those working behind the scenes at Property Docktors. I highly recommend them for your landscaping needs!
We highly recommend Property Docktors- Sam Sparks. We began with rough planting plan. He prepared a detailed quote with specific plant recommendations. We reviewed the quote. Sam identified alternate plantings to achieve the colors we wanted. He scheduled a start date and began as planned. He addressed some alternatives as issues were identified. He kept us in the loop throughout the project. The work was done in a timely manner. We get many compliments on the project.
They did what they said. They are a company with great integrity, honesty and a tremendous work ethic. I would recommend them to anyone
Easy to work with, does what he says he’s going to do, and the quote is what I paid. Some people might call this old fashioned but it was a breath of fresh air.
Came with a good plan and executed flawlessly! Great job and it looks beautiful. Thank you Property Doctors!
Sam with Property Docktors is awesome! He went above and beyond for us today. As well as helping us over the phone last month prior to moving here-he provided us with crucial information that we needed regarding concerns w/home inspection during the sales process when purchasing our new house. Sam is extremely knowledgeable & helpful. I would also like to mention we've been homeowners for decades, and have lived in various homes/states over the years and we've met w/contractors for quotes and hired dozens of contactors- Sam is one of the most honest, kind, and customer friendly contractors we have ever had the pleasure of meeting with. And when I say honest, I mean it! He offered us all of his ideas for theses minor things that we could fix inexpensively on our own first and said to contact him if those things didn't fix our issues, but he was pretty confident that it would. Most contractors we have encountered in the past would have easily written up the quote for the work at minimum $2500! We highly, highly recommend Sam with Property Docktors!