Louisville dirt work & site prep questions, answered.

Lot clearing + light grading: $3K-$8K. Full site prep for new home or addition: $10K-$30K. Excavation for basement or foundation: $8K-$25K. Driveway/grading (½-acre): $5K-$12K. Drainage improvements: $3K-$15K depending on scope.

Lot clearing + rough grading: 1-3 days. Full site prep for new home: 1-2 weeks. Driveway installation: 2-5 days. Drainage system: 3-7 days. We can compress the timeline for tight construction schedules.

Yes, we pull grading permits as part of the contract. Louisville Metro requires grading permits for any disturbance over 5,000 sq ft. Jefferson County requires erosion control plans for development over 1 acre.

Mini excavators (up to 5 ton), skid steers, compact track loaders, ride-on compaction rollers. For larger jobs (new home sites), we bring in full-size excavators and articulated dump trucks via partner operators.

Yes. Lot clearing includes tree removal, brush mulching, stump grinding, and debris haul-off. We handle selective clearing (keep specimen trees you want) or full clearing. Send us a drone photo or property survey and we will quote site unseen.

Yes — this is a standard part of any site prep over 1 acre. French drains, curtain drains, swales, catch basins, and sediment fencing. We also do full stormwater management systems for new-build sites.

Louisville soils vary significantly: west of I-65 is typically alluvial clay (Mississippi River plain), east of I-65 is limestone shelf — you hit rock at 3-8 ft. Shelby/Oldham counties are more clay-heavy with some limestone ledge. Southern Indiana has deeper topsoil with sand-gravel lenses. We adjust the prep plan based on soil test.

Yes — most site prep is on occupied lots. We coordinate access, hours, and staging with homeowners. Typical hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Saturday half-day. We are careful with existing landscaping, driveways, and structures.