Unsightly mounds in your lawn? Banks too steep? Water pooling in your yard? We can find a way to smooth out those problems for you.

Grading and excavating are services we provide to help alleviate drainage/erosion issues OR to help create more usable outdoor living space.

We’re very fortunate here in Roanoke, VA and the surrounding area to be able to enjoy the scenery with its rambling hills and valleys. Lovely to gaze upon but if you have those same sloping terrains in your yard you might find it quite difficult to get around or to garden, enjoy lawn games, or entertain guests because you just don’t have enough reasonably level areas to accommodate those activities. Grading/excavating is often required to install features that can make it much easier for you to access all parts of your yard or to create enough space for you to enjoy outdoor activities. These features include: DECKS /PATIOS, STEPS AND TERRACES, PAVER DRIVEWAYS/SIDEWALKS, RETAINING WALLS, etc.

To address drainage/erosion issues, grading/excavating can be used in conjunction with swales and rain gardens – with or without plantings – to allow rainwater to gradually seep into the ground.

Swales are generally shallow, sloped depressions designed with the topography of a site to channel and collect rainwater. These depressions help slow the flow of rainwater to give it time to seep into the ground. Swales are usually planted in grasses that will not perish if rainwater stands for several days and won't wash away if the rainfall occasionally exceeds the capacity of the swale. Swales can also be planted with other ornamental plants (trees, shrubs, perennials) suited to the wet or dry conditions.

For more information on swales, see the “Virginia Cooperative Extension Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 10: Dry Swale.” Citation: Sample, David J. and Doumar, Lia. 2009. “Virginia Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 10: Dry Swale.” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426-129.): pp. 1-3. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Accessed date: 30 March 2014. < http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-129/426-129.html>.)

Rain gardens usually consist of layers of rock or planting media and can be planted or unplanted. Like swales, they are located and designed with the topography of the site to collect rainwater or stormwater runoff and give it time to gradually seep into the ground. If planted, the plants are selected to withstand periods of standing water or drought.

See our DRAINAGE/EROSION SOLUTIONS webpage for more information on correcting drainage and erosion issues.

Excavating is necessary when slopes are too steep to be remedied by grading. Excavating is also needed when installing retaining walls, steps, walks or driveways in sloped or uneven terrain. Adding features such as steps and walks can make it easier for you to access all parts of your yard so you can get more enjoyment out of your outdoor living space. If you've ever tried to climb a steep slope with your garden tools or tried to mow a steep bank, you know what we're talking about.

Let us help you with your grading or excavating needs.
Call or click here to contact Ground Up for a free consultation.

We Provide Services to the Following Cities, Towns and surrounding areas in VA:

• Blue Ridge, VA
• Boones Mill, VA
• Botetourt County, VA
• Cave Spring, VA
• Cloverdale, VA
• Daleville, VA

• Fincastle, VA
• Franklin County, VA
• Garden City, VA
• Hardy, VA
• Hollins, VA
• Moneta, VA

• Roanoke, VA
• Rocky Mount, VA
• Salem, VA
• Smith Mountain Lake, VA
• Troutville, VA
• Vinton, VA