Access planned
Water Pooling Near Your Foundation
Your yard slopes toward your house instead of away from it, and water pools against the foundation after every rain.
Residential
Grading & Leveling
The right grade makes the whole property work better.
Yard regrading, slope correction, and pad preparation for patios, sheds, pools, and garages.
Licensed & Insured
Same-Week Scheduling
Free Quotes
The Liteworks standard
Not just dirt work. Outcome work.
You get usable ground instead of a yard that fights every rainstorm.
What goes wrong
Cheap work gets expensive fast
Pretty dirt work that ignores runoff can send water toward the house, create soggy spots, or ruin the next phase of work.
What we leave behind
A site that is actually ready
A shaped surface that drains, supports the final use, and is ready for lawn, gravel, concrete, or construction.
01
Walk the site and find the constraint.
02
Plan access, water, spoil, and cleanup.
03
Do the work and leave it ready.
Residential grading paths
Different problem. Same standard.
Homeowners are not buying “grading.” They are buying a property that works better afterward. We separate the work by outcome so access, water, grade, cleanup, and the next phase are handled before equipment shows up.
Water managed
Building a Patio or Shed
You need a level pad prepared for a concrete patio, deck, prefab shed, or detached garage on your property.
Site protected
Backyard Won't Drain
Standing water sits in your yard for days after rain because the grade is flat or bowled — you need proper drainage slope established.
Clean handoff
New Construction Finish Grading
Your builder finished the house but the yard is rough — you need finish grading before sod, seed, or landscaping.
The part homeowners do not see
The machine is easy. The plan is where the money is.
Before work starts, Liteworks is thinking through access, utilities, drainage, materials, cleanup, and how the site gets handed off. That is what keeps a straightforward grading project from becoming an expensive mess.
High/low points and water flow
Cut, fill, and compaction needs
Tie-ins to existing grade
Seed, sod, gravel, or concrete prep
Drainage and erosion risk
Site plan
Every job has constraints.
01 High/low points and water flow
02 Cut, fill, and compaction needs
03 Tie-ins to existing grade
04 Seed, sod, gravel, or concrete prep
05 Drainage and erosion risk
We price the work around the constraints, not a generic menu item.
Before we quote it
Send photos, plans, or the problem. We will find the constraints.
The best quote comes from knowing what can go wrong before work starts. For some projects, plans help. For others, photos and a site visit tell the real story. Either way, the goal is a clear scope before equipment shows up.
Good quote inputs
- ✓ Address and access photos
- ✓ What you want the property to do afterward
- ✓ Any plans, dimensions, or known problem areas
- ✓ Where material can stay or whether it needs hauled
- ✓ Timeline for builders, trades, weather, or access needs
Sound Like Your Situation?
Here are some common reasons Cincinnati homeowners call us for grading
Water Pooling Near Your Foundation
Your yard slopes toward your house instead of away from it, and water pools against the foundation after every rain.
Building a Patio or Shed
You need a level pad prepared for a concrete patio, deck, prefab shed, or detached garage on your property.
Backyard Won't Drain
Standing water sits in your yard for days after rain because the grade is flat or bowled — you need proper drainage slope established.
New Construction Finish Grading
Your builder finished the house but the yard is rough — you need finish grading before sod, seed, or landscaping.
Field proof
Grading work should look controlled.
Good grading is visible after the rain: water moves where it should, surfaces are usable, and the next phase is easier.
View More Projects → Grading handled cleanly, controlled, and ready for the next phase.
Grading handled cleanly, controlled, and ready for the next phase.
Grading handled cleanly, controlled, and ready for the next phase.
Cincinnati clay, tight yards, real constraints
Grading & Leveling that does not create the next problem.
Water pooling against your foundation. A backyard that slopes the wrong way. A spot where you want to put a patio or shed but the ground isn't level. These are grading problems, and they're some of the most common — and most fixable — issues homeowners deal with across Greater Cincinnati.
Grading is one of those jobs that looks simple but requires experience to do right. It's not just pushing dirt around — it's understanding where water needs to go, how much slope is enough, and what the soil conditions will do after the first heavy rain. Cincinnati's clay soils hold water and shift more than most homeowners expect, which means proper grading is even more critical here than in areas with sandier, more forgiving ground.
We handle yard regrading for drainage correction, building pad preparation for patios, sheds, garages, pools, and additions, and finish grading for new construction lots. Whether you're in a hilly Anderson Township neighborhood where water sheets across your yard during storms, or on a flat lot in Mason where poor original grading is sending water toward your house instead of away from it, the solution is the same: move the dirt to where it needs to be.
Our equipment — skid steers with grading attachments and mid-size excavators — lets us work efficiently on residential lots without destroying the rest of your property. For tight access situations in established neighborhoods in Loveland, Milford, or Indian Hill, we use compact equipment that fits through gates and between structures. We laser-check grades on pad prep work so your contractor has a level surface to build on.
Building pad preparation is precise work. If you're pouring a concrete patio, the pad needs to be level, compacted, and at the right elevation relative to your house. If you're setting a prefab shed or garage, the pad needs to drain properly so water doesn't pool under the structure. We establish the grade, compact the subgrade, and leave you with a surface that's ready for the next step — whether that's your concrete contractor, your shed delivery, or your own landscaping work.
Most residential grading jobs are completed in one to two days. We provide a clear scope during quoting so you know exactly what's being regraded, where the dirt is going, and what the finished product will look like. No surprises on job day.
What we control before starting
-
High/low points and water flow -
Cut, fill, and compaction needs -
Tie-ins to existing grade -
Seed, sod, gravel, or concrete prep -
Drainage and erosion risk
Numbers homeowners ask for
Timeline, cost, and what is included
Timeline
1–2 days for most residential grading projects
Typical Cost
$2,000 – $8,000 depending on area size, soil volume, and complexity
Included in clean work
The handoff checklist
- ✓ Grade assessment and drainage plan before work begins
- ✓ Proper slope established away from structures (minimum 2% grade)
- ✓ Subgrade compaction for building pads
- ✓ Laser-verified elevations on pad prep work
- ✓ Topsoil respread or imported as needed
- ✓ Clean site ready for landscaping or construction
How the work actually happens
From site walk to clean handoff, the process should feel boring in the best way.
01
Assessment
We evaluate existing grades, identify drainage issues, and plan the earthwork needed to fix them.
02
Rough Grading
We cut high spots and fill low spots to establish the correct slope and elevation across your yard.
03
Compaction
We compact the subgrade, especially on building pads, to prevent settling after construction.
04
Finish & Cleanup
We fine-grade the surface, spread topsoil where needed, and leave the site ready for your next step.
"Our backyard was a swamp after every storm. They regraded the whole thing in a day and a half, and we haven't had standing water since. Should have done this years ago."
Mike D.
Anderson Township, OH — Backyard regrading for drainage
No surprises
Grading questions worth asking
The answers that separate clean work from an expensive mess.
Most residential grading projects run $2,000–$8,000 depending on the size of the area, how much dirt needs to move, and whether we need to import or export soil. Small pad prep jobs are on the lower end; full-yard regrading with drainage correction is on the higher end. We quote after visiting the site.
If water pools against your foundation, sits in your yard for more than 24 hours after rain, or your yard slopes toward your house instead of away from it, you likely need regrading. We can assess your situation during a free site visit.
In many cases, yes — improper grading is one of the most common causes of wet basements. If the ground around your foundation slopes toward the house, regrading to create proper drainage away from the foundation often solves the problem without expensive interior waterproofing.
Most residential grading projects are done in one to two days. Larger properties or jobs requiring significant soil import/export may take longer. We'll give you a realistic timeline with your quote.
Yes. A concrete patio needs a level, compacted subgrade at the correct elevation. Pouring concrete on unprepped ground leads to cracking and settling. We prepare the pad to your concrete contractor's specifications.
Serving Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky
Loveland • Milford • Anderson Township • Mason • West Chester • Liberty Township • Lebanon • Indian Hill • Hyde Park • Madeira • Blue Ash • Montgomery • Batavia • Goshen • Bethel • Amelia • Florence, KY • Erlanger, KY • Burlington, KY
Ready to shape the ground right?
Tell us what you are trying to fix, build, remove, or reclaim. We will help you figure out the cleanest way to handle the grading work.
No obligation. No pressure. Just a straight answer.
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