How to Grade Land for a Building

Grading land for a building involves reshaping ground surfaces for construction of facilities and other types of infrastructure. The practice of land grading helps engineers and other construction workers stabilize uneven surfaces, such as slopes, and reduce the frequency of wastewater and sewage runoff. Engineering surveyors evaluate the topography of a property to determine its suitability and to test the soil for erosion. They also develop a grading plan to establish the degree to which construction workers will finish slopes, remove excess earth, and maintain existing storm water patterns.

• 1

  Hire an engineering surveyor to investigate the site and inspect the soil. Map out the design of existing drainage areas and runoff patterns and outline the current irrigation structure. Determine the areas that need grading, drainage, and runoff stabilization.

• 2

  Prepare a grading plan that includes methods for controlling sediment, managing storm waters, and supervising grading crews. Timeline the land grading process to include phases for grading slopes and removing excess materials.

• 3

  Determine how you will control erosion, reduce sedimentation, and dispose of excess materials offsite. Add steps for removing mulching, vegetation, and surface drainage.

• 4

  Apply lot benching to grade subdivision lots so that runoff materials shift to a secure outlet and not into adjacent lots. Use the procedure to reduce steepness and lengths of slopes, decrease the incidence of soil erosion, and flatten the ground.

• 5

  Apply sequencing to reduce slope breaks, erosion, and gullies. Stabilize channels, runoffs, and floodways and shift them to appropriate outlets.

• 6

  Finish slopes by grading or mowing them so that the steepness does not exceed the recommendations of the grading plan. Use grading equipment to stabilize earth walls, increase permeation, and intercept water seepage for sub-surfaces.

• 7

  Secure graded areas with mulching until the end of the process. Roughen other slope surfaces so that the surfaces can hold water and support vegetation.

• 8

  Maintain areas by removing sedimentation and repairing incidences of erosion. Use grading equipment to prevent gullies from forming. Mow and spray for weeds.