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
Amazing finished project, and the stone crafter that he used… Joshua was above expectations. He addressed my wants with regard to color and symmetry to match up to existing stone. The connection was flawless. I only wish I had more projects for them to do! I cannot recommend the professionalism and the quality of work enough. You will not be disappointed!!
Property Docktors is GREAT! Sam was friendly and arrived with his team on time. They did a great job and will definitely use them again.
Our experience working with Property Docktors and Sam was fantastic. Sam has great communication skills; he’s quick to respond to questions, quote requests, and contract changes. We shared with him the priorities we set with our plantings – things like low maintenance, deer resistant, drought resistant, flowering, a mix of colors, etc. - and then he used his experience and expertise to recommend the right plants that would thrive in the various light and moisture conditions of our yard. He and his crew showed up when scheduled, first thing in the morning, ready to work quickly and efficiently, and they planted about 140 plants in one day! Of course, this is everything you’d expect from a contractor, but it is not necessarily something others provide. We are very happy with the job Property Docktors did on our yard and would not hesitate to recommend him to our neighbors and friends.
Sam Sparks was a good communicator, always answered us either by text or email and followed up with our requests. He was willing to work with us on the modification of our project to save money. He also suggested better alternatives for the project that we never thought about. Sam was the curliest blonde hair contractor we ever met:)
We just bought a new home and our neighbor was having landscaping work done. We stopped by to see the beautiful stone steps and retaining walls that Property Docktors had installed. We saw that the work was being done with care and the project was finished on time. My husband and I were so impressed we asked for a quote for our yard. We had retaining walls that were not installed correctly, we were in need of stone steps to replace some treacherous railroad tie steps and the yard needed lots of TLC. Sam came to see us and listened to what we needed. He was very helpful in explaining the best way to approach the project. He gave us a proposal within a day and started the project promptly. They started the day they promised and finished the project a day early. The final outcome exceeded our expectations! The retaining walls around our driveway are gorgeous. What a difference it has made to the curb appeal of our home. It went from decent to fabulous. I was expecting it to be great and it was better! When I saw how hard the guys worked to put in the foundations of the walls and dig the steps (as well as planting the shrubs) I knew we had gotten a great deal for the money we spent. I also know that the walls are there to stay with all the work they did with the foundation area. Sam is very easy and wonderful to work with and his crew are lovely. I would recommend these guys to anyone, anytime.
Sam was awesome. He said what he was going to do, and did much faster than I expected. Would hire Property Docktors again, and recommend Sam highly to everyone.