You’re not just getting grass laid down. You’re getting proper grading that moves water away from your foundation, soil that’s been compacted correctly so it doesn’t settle unevenly in six months, and site preparation that accounts for Galway’s clay-heavy soil and seasonal freeze-thaw cycles.
Most landscaping companies don’t own the equipment to handle serious grading work. They’ll lay sod on whatever surface you’ve got and hope for the best. That’s how you end up with drainage issues, low spots that turn into mud pits every spring, and a lawn that looks great for one season before the problems start showing.
We handle the excavation work first. That means if your yard needs fill brought in, if there’s a slope that needs to be corrected, or if the topsoil needs to be stripped and replaced, we’ve got the equipment and experience to do it right. Your backyard lawn installation in Galway, NY starts with a site that’s actually ready for grass, not just covered with it.
Emerson Excavating and Trucking has been working in Saratoga County since 1997. We started as a logging operation, moved into full-time excavation in 2020, and became a family business when Josh’s son joined in 2022. Josh is on almost every job, which means you’re getting someone who’s seen what happens when site work gets skipped or rushed.
We’re not a landscaping company that rents equipment when we need it. We own excavators, trucks, and grading equipment because that’s what we do every day. When you need front yard lawn installation in Galway, NY, you’re working with people who know how to move dirt, manage drainage, and prepare a site that won’t cause problems down the road.
Galway sits in an area where soil conditions vary significantly from property to property. We’ve worked enough sites in this area to know what to expect and how to handle it.
We start by looking at your property’s current grade and drainage. If water’s pooling anywhere, if there’s a slope toward your foundation, or if the soil quality isn’t where it needs to be, we’ll tell you what needs to happen before any grass goes down.
Next comes the excavation work. Depending on your site, that might mean stripping poor topsoil, bringing in quality fill, regrading to correct drainage issues, or compacting soil so it doesn’t settle unevenly later. This is where having actual excavation equipment matters. We’re not trying to fix grade problems with a bobcat and a rake.
Once the site is properly graded and compacted, we bring in topsoil and prepare the surface for sod installation in Galway, NY. The sod gets laid, edges get trimmed, and you’re left with a yard that’s ready to establish roots in soil that’s actually prepared to support them. We clean up completely when we’re done. That’s part of the job, not an extra.
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A new lawn installation in Galway, NY often means you’re also thinking about flower beds, tree placement, and how the whole property comes together. We handle the excavation side of that work too.
Flower bed installation requires proper depth, drainage considerations, and sometimes retaining walls or borders that need equipment to install correctly. If you’re planting trees, the hole needs to be the right size and depth, and the surrounding soil needs to support growth. These aren’t things you want done halfway.
Galway properties often have rocky soil or areas where drainage needs to be managed carefully. We’ve dealt with enough local sites to know what works here. If you’re building a new home and need complete site preparation, or if you’re renovating an existing yard that’s never drained properly, we can handle the heavy work that makes everything else possible.
The tree planting service in Galway, NY that we provide isn’t just digging a hole. It’s understanding soil conditions, making sure drainage won’t drown roots, and giving trees the best chance to establish. Same goes for any hardscaping or grading work that needs to happen around your new lawn.
Spring and early fall are your best windows. Spring installation gives grass the whole growing season to establish roots before winter, while early fall takes advantage of cooler temperatures and usually more consistent rainfall. The grass has time to root in before the ground freezes.
Late fall is risky in Galway because the ground can freeze before roots establish. Summer installation is possible but requires more intensive watering, and you’re fighting heat stress. If you’re planning a new lawn, spring gives you the longest runway for success.
That said, the site prep work can happen almost any time the ground isn’t frozen. If your property needs significant grading or drainage correction, we can handle that in winter and be ready to lay sod as soon as conditions are right in spring.
You can walk on it lightly after about two weeks, but you’ll want to stay off it as much as possible for the first month. The sod needs time to root into the soil below, and foot traffic disrupts that process. If you’ve got kids or dogs, plan for keeping them off the new grass for at least three weeks.
Mowing can start once the grass reaches about three inches, usually around two to three weeks after installation. Keep the mower blade high for the first few cuts. You’re not trying to scalp it, just keep it from getting too tall while the roots establish.
Heavy use like setting up lawn furniture, playing sports, or letting dogs run should wait until the lawn’s been down for at least six weeks. By then, the roots should be established enough to handle normal activity. If you pull up a corner of sod and it resists, roots are doing their job.
Yes, and this is where a lot of DIY projects go wrong. You can’t just lay new sod over old grass and expect good results. The old lawn creates a barrier that prevents new roots from reaching soil, traps moisture in ways that cause rot, and leaves you with an uneven surface that settles poorly.
We strip the existing grass and a few inches of soil if needed, then regrade to ensure proper drainage. If the soil quality underneath is poor, we bring in new topsoil. This gives the new sod direct contact with soil that can support root growth.
Some properties in Galway have soil that’s more rock than dirt once you get below the grass. In those cases, we’re not just removing old lawn, we’re creating an actual growing environment. That’s excavation work, not landscaping work, and it’s why having the right equipment matters.
It depends entirely on what your site needs. A simple sod installation on a property that’s already graded properly costs less than a project that requires significant excavation, fill material, or drainage correction. We can’t give you an accurate number without seeing your property.
What we can tell you is that cutting corners on site prep costs more in the long run. If your yard has drainage issues, if the soil is poor quality, or if the grade isn’t right, those problems don’t go away just because you put grass over them. They get worse, and you end up paying to fix them later after the lawn fails.
We give clear estimates with no hidden fees. You’ll know what the site prep involves, what materials we’re bringing in, and what the timeline looks like before we start. If we run into unexpected conditions, we explain your options and costs before proceeding. No surprises.
Yes, but it depends on how steep the slope is and what you’re trying to accomplish. Moderate slopes can be sodded directly if the grade is stable and erosion isn’t a major concern. Steep slopes might need terracing, retaining walls, or erosion control measures before grass goes down.
Galway properties often have natural slopes that need to be managed for drainage. Sometimes that means working with the existing grade, sometimes it means regrading to create a more usable space. We’ll look at your property and tell you what’s realistic.
Sod on slopes needs to be secured properly while roots establish, usually with stakes or biodegradable netting. Watering is trickier because water runs downhill before it can soak in. These are solvable problems, but they require planning. If your yard has significant slope, we’ll walk you through what needs to happen to make a lawn work there.
Sod gives you an instant lawn that’s usable in weeks instead of months. Seeding is cheaper upfront but takes longer to establish, requires more intensive watering, and gives weeds more opportunity to move in while grass is filling in. For most homeowners in Galway, NY, sod is worth the investment.
Seeding makes sense in some situations, like very large areas where cost is a major factor, or when you’re trying to establish grass in wooded areas where sod installation is difficult. But for a typical front yard or backyard lawn installation in Galway, NY, sod gives you better results faster.
The site prep is the same either way. You still need proper grading, good soil, and correct drainage. The difference is what happens after that work is done. Sod gives you a finished lawn that starts rooting immediately. Seed gives you bare dirt that needs consistent moisture and protection until grass fills in, which can take months depending on conditions.
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