Site Prep for New Construction

Completed Unilock paver patio with custom fire pit, seat wall, dining area, landscape lighting, and professionally landscaped backyard.
Site Preparation & Rough Grading

Get the Ground Right Before Anything Gets Built On It

Every structure, slab, and paver surface is only as good as the ground under it. Site prep is the unglamorous phase where clearing, excavation, grading, and compaction happen, and it is where most of the problems that show up years later are either created or prevented.

We handle site work for patios, additions, garages, sheds, pools, and driveways. That means clearing vegetation, stripping and stockpiling topsoil, excavating to the required depth, establishing rough grade and drainage, and compacting subgrade to a standard your builder or your slab can rely on. Then we finish grade and restore the surrounding property when the build is done.

Professional spring cleanup and new landscape installation featuring freshly mulched garden beds, newly planted shrubs, and a revitalized front yard in Barrington, IL.
Built From the Subgrade Up

Excavation and Compaction Done to Spec

Subgrade you cannot see is what determines whether the finished surface stays where you put it.

Clearing and Demolition

Vegetation, old concrete, asphalt, and existing hardscape removed and hauled off.

Topsoil Stripping

Organic topsoil removed from the build footprint and stockpiled for final restoration.

Excavation to Depth

Dig-out to the elevation your slab, base, or footing detail requires.

Subgrade Compaction

Subgrade compacted in lifts so what gets built on top does not settle later.

Luxury backyard landscape featuring a custom paver patio, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, pergola, retaining walls, landscape lighting, and lush gardens with the BlackRock Outdoor Living logo.
Residential and Commercial Applications

Projects We Prep

Patios and Outdoor Living Areas

Full excavation and base prep for paver patios, kitchens, and fire features.

Additions, Garages, and Sheds

Building pads excavated, graded, and compacted ahead of concrete.

Pool Areas

Excavation support, spoil handling, and surrounding grade prep for pool installations.

Driveways and Parking Areas

Deep dig-outs and load-bearing base preparation for vehicle surfaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Regularly. We are often brought in specifically to handle site work and finish grading around another contractor’s scope, and we work to the elevations and compaction requirements they specify.

We always call in utility locates before digging. Permits depend on the municipality and the scope, and we will tell you what your project requires and who is responsible for pulling it.

Where possible we balance cut and fill on site to save hauling costs. Excess material and unsuitable soil get hauled off, and we stockpile usable topsoil for final restoration.

Usually. We size equipment to the access available, and we will assess gates, side yards, and overhead clearance during the estimate so there are no surprises on day one.

Yes. Final grading, topsoil replacement, and sod or seed restoration are part of how we close out a site.