Grading in Galway, NY

Get Your Site Ready Right

Professional grading that prevents water problems and sets your project up for success from day one.

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A yellow bulldozer is clearing a dirt path in a forested area, surrounded by tall green trees on both sides under a cloudy sky.

Site Preparation Galway NY

No Water Problems, No Delays

When your land is graded properly, water flows where it should. Your foundation stays dry and stable. Your driveway doesn’t turn into a pond every spring.

You avoid the headaches that come with poor drainage. No standing water around your house. No erosion washing away your landscaping. No expensive fixes down the road because someone cut corners on the site prep.

Good grading work means your project moves forward on schedule. The concrete crew shows up to a site that’s ready. The builders can focus on building instead of dealing with water issues that should have been handled from the start.

Excavation Contractor Galway NY

We Know Galway Dirt

We’ve been handling grading projects throughout Galway and Saratoga County for years. We know how the soil behaves here. We know where water wants to go when the snow melts.

That local knowledge matters when you’re moving dirt around. The clay layers, the seasonal water table changes, the way different areas drain – it all affects how your grading work performs over time.

We’re not learning on your job. We’ve seen what works in this area and what doesn’t.

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Professional Grading Process Galway

Here's How We Handle It

First, we look at your site and figure out where the water needs to go. Every property is different, and the grading plan has to work with your specific situation – your neighbors, the natural slope, where the road sits.

Then we bring in the right equipment and start moving dirt. We’re creating the slopes and drainage patterns that will keep water moving away from buildings and toward appropriate outlets. This isn’t just pushing dirt around – it’s engineering water flow.

Finally, we make sure everything is compacted properly and ready for whatever comes next. Whether that’s concrete, landscaping, or just letting it settle, the surface is prepared correctly for the next phase of your project.

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Land Grading Services Galway

What's Included in Grading Work

Our grading service covers the complete site preparation process. We handle the initial site evaluation, develop the drainage plan, and execute the earthwork to create proper slopes and water management.

You get professional equipment operation – not someone learning how to run an excavator on your property. We bring dozers, excavators, and compaction equipment sized for your specific job.

The work includes final grading to the specifications your project needs. Whether you’re preparing for a foundation, a septic system, or improving drainage around an existing building, we grade to the tolerances required for the next step in your project.

A yellow bulldozer with a large metal blade is parked on a dirt path in a forest clearing, surrounded by green trees and a clear sky in the background.

How do you determine the right slope for proper drainage?

We start by looking at where water naturally wants to go on your property and where it needs to end up. The general rule is a minimum 2% slope away from buildings, but every site is different. We consider your soil type, the surrounding properties, existing drainage systems, and local regulations. In Galway, we also factor in seasonal water table changes and how different soil layers handle water flow. The goal is creating a grade that moves water efficiently without causing erosion or drainage problems for your neighbors.
Rough grading is the initial earthwork where we move larger amounts of dirt to create the basic shape and drainage patterns for your site. This establishes the major slopes and gets the site ready for construction activities. Finish grading comes later – it’s the precise work that creates the final surface elevations and smooth transitions. Finish grading typically happens after utilities are installed and before final surfacing like concrete, asphalt, or landscaping. Most construction projects need both phases, but the timing depends on your specific project schedule.
It depends on the size of your site and the complexity of the drainage issues we’re solving. A simple residential lot might take one to two days, while larger sites or properties with challenging drainage can take a week or more. Weather plays a big role too – we can’t do quality grading work in muddy conditions. We’ll give you a realistic timeline upfront based on your specific situation. The key is not rushing the work, because proper compaction and drainage setup can’t be hurried without creating problems later.
We know what permits are typically required in Galway and Saratoga County, and we can guide you through the process. Some grading work requires permits, especially if you’re changing drainage patterns or moving significant amounts of earth. We work with local inspectors regularly and understand what they’re looking for. However, permit responsibility usually stays with the property owner or general contractor. We make sure our work meets local codes and passes inspections, but we recommend confirming permit requirements with your local building department early in the planning process.
Rock is fairly common in this area, and we’re equipped to handle it. Depending on the situation, we can break it up and remove it, or sometimes incorporate it into the drainage plan if that makes sense for your project. We stop work and discuss options with you before proceeding – no surprises on your bill. Other obstacles like old septic systems, buried debris, or unexpected utilities get handled the same way. We document what we find, explain your options, and get your approval before moving forward. The key is dealing with these issues properly rather than just working around them.
Standing water after rain is the most obvious sign. If you have puddles that stick around for days, or water pooling against buildings, you likely have grading issues. Other signs include erosion problems, water in your basement, or areas where grass won’t grow because it’s too wet or too dry. If you’re planning new construction, proper grading isn’t optional – it’s required for permits and essential for a stable foundation. Even if your property seems fine now, poor drainage often gets worse over time as soil settles and weather patterns change.

Other Services we provide in Galway