Precision Excavation & Grading.

Every Great Project Starts Below Grade

Excavation and grading is the invisible foundation of every outdoor construction project. A paver patio, retaining wall, driveway, or building pad is only as good as the ground it sits on. Improper excavation leads to settling. Poor grading causes drainage problems. Inadequate compaction results in structural failure. At Trueform, we treat excavation and grading as precision work, not just digging and moving dirt.

Our excavation services cover everything from small scale hand excavation for garden features to full scale machine excavation for driveways, building pads, and site clearing. We operate compact excavators and skid steers that can access tight residential sites while delivering the power needed for heavy clay soils and rock. All excavated material is either reused onsite for grading or hauled away and disposed of properly.

Grading is the art and science of shaping the ground surface to achieve specific elevations and slopes. Every hardscape project requires precise grading: patios need a minimum 2 percent slope away from foundations, driveways need grade transitions that vehicles can navigate comfortably, retaining walls need level base pads at exact elevation, and lawns need positive drainage that prevents ponding.

For full yard regrading projects, we establish a comprehensive grading plan that addresses the entire property as a system. We identify where water enters the property, how it flows across the surface, and where it exits. We then regrade the entire area to create positive drainage in all zones, eliminate low spots, and direct water to appropriate discharge points. This systemic approach prevents the common problem of fixing drainage in one area only to create a new problem in another.

Compaction is the final critical step. Fraser Valley's clay soils are prone to settling when disturbed, and inadequate compaction is the leading cause of hardscape failure in our region. We compact all excavated and filled areas in lifts using vibratory plate compactors or rollers, testing density to ensure we achieve the 95 percent standard Proctor specification required for hardscape construction.