Low spots · Bumps · Water toward the house
Yard Grading & Levelling in Hamilton
We reshape your yard so rain runs away from the house instead of toward it, and so you can mow without the mower bouncing over bumps and ruts.
Serving Hamilton, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown & nearby towns
- WSIB-covered crew
- Fully insured
- Sod guarantee
- Fresh-cut from local farms
An Uneven Yard Is a Drainage Problem Waiting to Happen
Yards don't stay the way the builder left them. Backfill around the foundation settles, old trenches sink, tree roots and animals heave the surface, and years of foot traffic flatten some areas while others hold their shape. The result is a lawn with puddles in the low spots, scalped tops on the high spots and, most importantly, ground that may now slope back toward your house.
That last one matters most. Water that collects against a foundation looks for a way in. Correct grading, with the ground falling away from the house and then carried across the yard to somewhere it can drain, is the cheapest drainage system there is.
What's included
What Our Grading Service Includes
Slope Check
We measure how the ground falls away from your foundation and across the yard, and find where water is collecting.
Cut and Fill
High spots are taken down and low spots built up, so the whole yard drains in the right direction.
Topsoil
Screened topsoil is brought in where the yard needs building up, or as a finishing layer for new sod or seed.
Firm and Final Rake
The surface is firmed and raked smooth, ready for sod or seed and free of humps and hollows.
Our process
Our Grading Process
Assess
We check the existing slope, mark problem areas and agree on where the water should go.
Strip if Needed
If the lawn is being replaced, the old turf comes off first so we're working on real soil, not over it.
Shape the Grade
Cut, fill and topsoil to the planned slope, away from the house and toward a safe drainage point.
Finish
Firmed, raked smooth and ready for fresh sod. Most of our grading jobs end with a new lawn on top.
SEE OUR WORK
Recent Sod Installation by Right On Sod Hamilton
Finished lawns from recent Right On Sod jobs in Hamilton. Every photo is our own work, not stock photography.
When Grading Comes First
Before New Sod
New sod copies the ground under it. Grading first means a level, well-drained lawn from day one.
Water Heading for the Foundation
If the ground slopes toward the house, regrading is the first fix to look at.
After Construction or Excavation
Additions, pool removals and utility work leave backfill that settles unevenly.
A Settled, Bumpy Lawn
Years of settling, roots and animal digging leave a lawn that's hard to mow and holds water.
Signs Your Yard Needs Regrading
- Puddles in the same low spots after every rain
- The ground beside the foundation is level with, or lower than, the yard
- Water stains or dampness on basement walls after storms
- The mower scalps high spots or bounces over ruts
- Soil has settled beside walkways, patios or the driveway
- Downspout water spreads across the lawn instead of draining away
Grade, Drain or Both?
Some yards need regrading, some need a French drain, and many need a bit of each. We'll tell you which, and why.
Get a Free Instant QuoteWhy Right On Sod
Why Choose Right On Sod for Grading
We Check the Grade on Every Job
Checking the grade is the first step of every sod job we do, so grading is everyday work for us.
We Think About Where the Water Goes
Not just "away from the house," but across the yard to a point where it can actually drain.
Sod Over the Finished Grade
Most grading jobs end with fresh-cut Kentucky Bluegrass, so you get a finished lawn, not a field of bare dirt.
Insured and WSIB-Covered
We'll send our WSIB clearance and liability certificate before the job starts.
What it costs
Grading and levelling adds about $1.00 per sq ft (about $10.80 per m²) to a sod installation or replacement, subject to 13% HST. Grading-only jobs are quoted on site. See full pricing →
Service area
Yard Grading Near You
We regrade and level yards across Hamilton and in Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Waterdown & Flamborough, Grimsby, Dundas, Binbrook & Glanbrook and Caledonia. (Area links rendered by the template.)
Grading FAQ
Can you level a lawn without removing the grass?
For shallow dips, a thin layer of topsoil worked into the existing lawn can fill them while the grass grows through. For deeper low spots, a lot of bumps or a slope that needs correcting, the turf has to come off so we can reshape the soil properly, then we re-sod.
Do you bring in topsoil?
Yes, screened topsoil, wherever the yard needs building up or a better layer for new sod to root into.
How much slope should my yard have?
The ground should fall away from your foundation on every side and keep water moving across the yard toward a place it can drain. Many contractors aim for roughly 6 inches of drop over the first 10 feet from the house (about 15 cm over 3 m). We'll measure your yard and tell you what it needs.
How soon can sod go down after grading?
Usually right away. When grading is part of a sod job, we lay the sod as soon as the grade is finished, so the soil isn't left bare to wash out in the next rain.
Get Your Yard Level
Price grading with new sod in the calculator, or call (289) 309-1493 to book a site visit.