Settling & cracked slabs
Fill that was dumped and spread instead of compacted keeps settling for years, and the slab or footings crack with it.
Instant price
Price your building pad online
Find your lot, tap around the corners of the pad (include about 10 feet past the building on each side), and tell us how steep it is and whether there are trees. You'll see a price right away, travel included.
The price is an estimate from your drawing. We confirm it after a free site visit, in writing, before any work starts.
Why it matters
Everything sits on the pad
A building is only as good as the ground under it. Most problems with slabs, crawlspaces and foundations start with the pad.
Water under the building
A pad that sits low or flat holds water. It ends up in the crawlspace, under the slab or against the walls.
Soft spots
Topsoil, roots and stumps left under the fill rot and go soft. They have to come out before anything goes back in.
Slopes that slide
Cuts and fills that are too steep wash out and creep. Banks need the right slope, and sometimes a wall.
How we build it
A pad that stays put
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1
Clear & strip
Clear the trees and brush, pull the stumps and strip the topsoil so the pad sits on firm ground.
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2
Cut & fill
Cut the high side and fill the low side to the grade your plans call for, laser-checked as we go.
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3
Compact in lifts
Fill goes down in thin layers, each one compacted with the track loader, so it does not settle later.
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4
Grade to drain
The pad sits a little high and the ground falls away from it on every side. Stone on top if you need it.
What we do
Pads and site prep for any building
- House pads for new homes
- Garage and shop pads
- Pole barn and barn pads
- Shed and carport pads
- Stone pads for portable buildings
- RV, boat and trailer pads
- Lot clearing for new construction
- Final grading around the building
Pricing
How we price a building pad
Get a ballpark from the instant price tool above, then we confirm it on site and you get a fixed number in writing before we start. Here is what goes into it.
Size
The footprint of the pad, plus room to work around the building.
Slope
A flat lot needs a little leveling. A hillside means a lot more dirt cut and filled.
Trees
Open ground, or trees and stumps that have to come off first.
Stone
Whether you want compacted crusher run on top for a shed, barn or portable building.
Questions
Building pad FAQ
How big should the pad be?
Usually the building plus about 10 feet on every side, so there is room to work and the ground can slope away from the walls. Your builder's plans have the final say, and we build to them.
How long does a building pad take?
Most residential pads take one to three days, depending on the size, the slope and how much clearing there is.
Do you compact the fill?
Yes. Fill goes down in thin lifts and each one is compacted. If your builder or engineer wants a compaction test, we build to that.
Can you put stone on the pad?
Yes. For sheds, barns, carports and portable buildings we top the pad with compacted crusher run (GAB) so it stays firm and dry.
Do I need a permit?
It depends on your county and how much ground gets disturbed. We will tell you what your county asks for. Your builder usually pulls the building permit.
How far do you travel?
We are based in Cumming and work across Forsyth, Dawson, Cherokee, Hall, Lumpkin and Pickens counties, and further for larger jobs.
Get started
Get a free building pad estimate
Tell us where the lot is and what you're building. We'll call you back and set up a time to walk it with you. Rather talk now? Call 770.377.1961.
- Free on-site estimateWe walk the lot with you, check the slope and drainage, and explain what the pad needs.
- Fixed price in writingPriced by size, slope and clearing, not by the hour.
- Owner-operatedThe person who quotes the job is the person running the machine.
Ready to build?
Call and tell us what you're putting up and where. We'll come walk the lot with you.
770.377.1961