
A new build starts with bare, compacted soil. Here is how to plan grading, drainage, sod and planting in the right order.
A new home sits on ground that has been scraped, filled and packed down by heavy equipment. The topsoil is thin or gone, the drainage is untested and nothing shades the house. Planting straight into that ground often leads to dead shrubs and a thin lawn. The order of work matters: grading and drainage first, then soil, then sod, trees and beds, with hardscape planned before anything is planted.
Good planning starts with the builder’s plans and the final grade. We correct low spots, bring in topsoil, loosen compacted clay and set the lawn and beds to the finished grade of walks and patios. We pick trees for the long run, place them where they will not crowd the house and plan irrigation and lighting before sod goes down. Because new yards settle, we plan a follow-up visit in the first season to adjust any low spots that appear.
Grade, soil, then plants.
Away from the house.
Loosened and amended.
Place for mature size.
After heavy work.
Low spots corrected.
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Which Landscaping Service Do I Need? QuizAnswer five questions about your yard, your lawn and your goals to see whether you need design, lawn care, hardscape, drainage or tree work.Try it
Lawn and Yard Problem CheckerCheck the signs you see in your lawn, beds and drainage and get a likely cause with the next step.Try it
Landscaping Budget PlannerPick a project, a size and a few options and get a ballpark planning range.Try it After heavy construction is done and before final inspection or closing.
Topsoil is often removed or buried, and heavy machines compact the clay left behind.
Yes, once grading and soil preparation are finished and utilities are marked.
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