In brief
Earthworks is all the ground work that prepares a lot before landscaping: excavation, levelling, shaping the right slopes and managing soil volumes. It's the step you don't "see" in the final result — but a paver driveway, a patio, a wall or plantings set on poorly prepared ground eventually shift, crack, or fail to drain properly.
We distinguish two very different situations. Levelling a new lot: recent residential construction, soil left raw by the general contractor, often with mounds and grade differences to correct before even thinking about the driveway. Regrading an existing lot: after a demolition, or to correct a slope that directs water toward the house's foundation instead of away from it. Both call for a different read of the site and a tailored work plan.
It's the question almost everyone forgets when starting a project. Well-planned earthworks first balance cut and fill directly on site when possible — reducing truck trips and cost — and plan for hauling away the surplus when that's not possible. We assess the volume of soil to move right at the estimate visit, not once the excavator has already arrived on site.
For new residential construction: correcting mounds and grade differences left by the general contractor, levelling before landscaping or driveway work.
Correcting a problem slope after demolition, or to direct water away from the foundation, without redoing everything from scratch.
Balancing cut and fill on site when possible, planned hauling of the surplus when it is not.
Excavation and compaction to receive interlock paving, a retaining wall or a patio — the base that determines how long what sits on it lasts.
Redirecting surface water away from the house through proper grading, paired with underground drainage where needed.
Targeted excavation for wall foundations, in-ground pools or soil relocation, with equipment suited to residential access.
We first identify which situation you're in — the two aren't handled the same way — before proposing a work plan.
We look to reuse soil on site before defaulting to billing hauling trucks.
Earthworks is priced into the overall quote at the estimate stage, not added mid-project once the excavator has arrived.
Well-done earthworks means paving, a wall and plantings that stay put — the work you never see protects the work you do.
New-lot levelling applies to recent residential construction where the soil is left raw by the general contractor: mounds need correcting and the site needs levelling before landscaping. Existing-lot regrading comes after a demolition, or to correct a slope that directs water toward the house instead of away from it. Both require a different assessment and a work plan tailored to the site's actual condition.
It's a question often forgotten when planning a project. Well-planned earthworks first balance cut and fill directly on site, reducing truck trips and cost. When that isn't possible — too much volume, poor soil quality — we plan the surplus haul-away at the estimate stage, not mid-project.
Almost always, yes — it's the first step of durable landscaping, even if the client doesn't "see" it in the final result. Excavating, levelling and shaping the right slopes determines how well the paving, patio, wall or plantings that follow will hold up. We build it into the overall quote rather than billing it as a mid-project surprise.
For a simple slope correction or sub-base prep, expect a few days. For full levelling of a large new lot, or regrading involving a significant volume of excess soil to haul away, plan for one to two weeks. We give a precise schedule after assessing the volume of soil to move on your site.
Often, yes. A misdirected slope that sends water toward the foundation is corrected through surface regrading that recreates a proper drainage slope. In more complex cases (clay soil, flat lot, large water volume), we complement grading with underground drainage — a French drain or soakaway pit. We assess both options together during the site visit.
