Yard Grading & Soil Prep — Jacksonville, FL

Grading is the step most people skip — and the reason most DIY sod jobs fail within a year. If the soil underneath is not level, compacted areas hold water and drown the roots while high spots dry out and die. Proper grading is what separates a lawn that lasts from one that falls apart.

We use a combination of Harley rakes and hand tools to grade residential yards. The goal is a smooth, even surface that slopes gently away from the house for drainage. Low spots get filled, high spots get knocked down, and the whole surface gets loosened so new roots can dig in.

For yards with serious drainage problems — standing water after rain, erosion channels, or soggy areas that never dry out — grading alone might not be enough. In those cases we can install French drains or regrade the entire drainage pattern before the sod goes down.

Soil prep also includes tilling the top 4 to 6 inches to break up compaction and mixing in soil amendments if the existing soil is too sandy or too heavy. This gives the sod roots the best possible start.

Get a Grading Estimate