CSLB License #752427 · C-12 Earthwork & Paving  ·  Insured & Bonded  ·  Mon–Sun · 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Call or text: (805) 217-3863
HomeServicesHomesite & Pad Grading
From Raw Lot to Ready Pad

Homesite & Building Pad Grading

We take homesites from raw or sloped ground to a compacted, buildable pad — cut and fill to the grading plan, moisture-conditioned and compacted lifts, and coordination with your soils engineer for compaction testing and pad certification. Custom homes, ADUs, garages, barns, and fire rebuilds.

What pad grading involves: stripping and clearing, cut-and-fill to design grade, compaction in lifts with the soils engineer's testing, finish grading for drainage, and the paperwork trail your builder and the county want to see. If your project needs a certified pad, we grade to make that sign-off straightforward.

Grading services

Building pads

Custom home and garage pads cut, filled, compacted, and fine-graded to plan — coordinated with your civil and soils engineers.

ADU site prep

Backyard ADU pads are booming across LA and Ventura counties. We handle access, grading, and trenching for utilities in one mobilization.

Lot clearing & brush

Vegetation removal, demo of old flatwork, and defensible-space clearing to get a parcel construction-ready.

Fire rebuild grading

Re-grading and pad recertification support for rebuild projects across the region's recent burn areas — we understand the debris-removal handoff and county rebuild process.

Drainage grading

Swales, positive drainage away from structures, and rough grading that keeps winter water where it belongs.

Finish grading

Final grades for hardscape, landscape, and flatwork — clean tolerances your concrete and landscape contractors will thank you for.

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Graded building pad with compaction equipment — wide shot, Moorpark

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ADU pad cut into a sloped backyard — before/after

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Water truck and roller compacting engineered fill

Compaction and certified pads

Lenders, builders, and building departments increasingly want engineered fill placed in tested lifts with a soils engineer's certification. We grade with the testing schedule in mind — moisture-conditioning fill, compacting in lifts, and calling the tester at the right stages — so certification is a formality, not a fight.

Homesite & Pad Grading: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a certified building pad?

A pad where engineered fill was placed and compacted in tested lifts, verified by a licensed soils engineer who issues a compaction report the building department accepts. We grade to the engineer's spec and schedule the testing stages with them.

Do I need a grading permit?

It depends on volume, cut/fill depth, and jurisdiction — many Southern California jurisdictions require grading permits above roughly 50 cubic yards of moved earth or beyond certain cut/fill depths, and hillside areas have stricter rules. We flag permit requirements during the free site visit. See our grading permit guide.

Can you grade for an ADU in a backyard with a narrow gate?

Yes — the same compact equipment we use for tight-access pool digs handles backyard ADU pads. One mobilization can cover clearing, pad grading, and utility trenches.

Ready to break ground?

Free site visits and same-week estimates across Ventura & Los Angeles counties. Call, text, or send the job details.

Call (805) 217-3863  Request a Free Estimate