Serving San Francisco, CA and surrounding areas. (628) 895-9188
No paved surface is stronger than what is underneath it. We excavate, shape, and compact the base correctly so your driveway holds up for years, not seasons.
Grading and excavation in San Francisco means reshaping and digging out the ground to create a stable, properly pitched base before any asphalt goes down - most residential driveways can be excavated and graded in one to three days, depending on slope, site access, and how much material needs to be removed.
If you are replacing an old driveway, adding a new paved surface, or dealing with pavement that keeps cracking and sinking no matter how many times you patch it, the problem is almost always below the surface. San Francisco's clay soils move with every wet and dry cycle, and if the ground was not excavated and compacted correctly to begin with, the pavement above it will follow.
Grading and excavation is the first step in any new paving project, and it is often the fix for existing surfaces that keep failing. Once the base is right, we connect to our concrete curbing and sidewalks or drainage solutions services to complete the full scope of a project where needed.
If puddles linger on your paved surface long after a storm, the ground beneath is not draining properly. In San Francisco's wet winters, standing water accelerates pavement breakdown and softens the base over time. Regrading the surface and improving subsurface drainage solves the problem at its source.
Uneven pavement - especially areas that feel soft underfoot or show a wavy surface - usually means the base beneath has shifted or settled. San Francisco's clay soils are prone to this kind of movement. Patching the surface without addressing the base is a short-term fix; proper excavation and regrading is the lasting solution.
If rain or irrigation water flows toward your home rather than away from it, the ground is pitched in the wrong direction. This is both a drainage problem and a structural risk. Corrective grading redirects that water away from your building before it causes damage to the structure below.
Whether you are replacing a driveway that has reached the end of its life or paving a previously unpaved area, grading and excavation are the necessary first step. Raw or degraded ground almost never has the right slope, compaction, or base depth to support pavement without preparation.
We start every grading and excavation project with a site visit - because in San Francisco, no two lots are alike. A hillside driveway in Noe Valley requires a completely different approach from a flat back lot in the Sunset, and equipment choices, excavation depth, and drainage design all depend on what we find on-site. Our crew uses excavators, skid steers, and compactors sized for tight urban spaces, and all removed material is hauled away as part of the job. We make sure the finished base is compact, even, and pitched correctly before we consider the work done - and we welcome you to inspect it before paving begins.
Grading and excavation is where concrete curbing and sidewalks projects begin, and it is also the foundation step for any new asphalt paving job. When drainage issues are part of the picture, we coordinate our base work with our drainage solutions service to make sure water goes where it should once the surface is down. We handle the permit question early - if your project requires a city grading permit, we manage the application so you do not have to.
Best for homeowners replacing an existing driveway or adding a new one, where the ground needs to be excavated to the correct depth and properly sloped.
Designed for San Francisco's steep grades, where stabilization, retaining, and drainage design are part of the base preparation scope.
For existing properties where water is flowing toward the structure - corrective grading redirects runoff and protects both the pavement and the building.
San Francisco sits on clay-heavy soils that expand when wet and shrink when dry. That constant movement is the single biggest driver of pavement failure in the city - not freeze-thaw cycles, which are essentially absent in this mild climate. Proper excavation depth and base preparation are critical to keeping soil movement from cracking or heaving the finished surface. A contractor who does not account for clay behavior in their base design is setting up your driveway to fail on the first wet season. The city's rainy season, roughly November through March, is when the consequences of poor base work become visible - pavement that was fine in September starts to crack, sink, and shift by February.
Steep terrain adds another layer that flat-market contractors often underestimate. Many properties in Berkeley and throughout the hillside neighborhoods of Richmond and greater San Francisco sit on grades steep enough to require retaining walls, drainage channels, or tiered cuts before paving can happen. A contractor who prices the job without visiting your property is guessing about all of this. We schedule a site visit before any number is given, because that visit is where we find out what your lot actually needs.
San Francisco also has active stormwater rules around how grading affects runoff from private property. Work that changes how water flows off your site can require review and approval from the city. We factor drainage compliance into the design from the start, which protects you from problems down the road. The best window for this kind of work is late spring through early fall - scheduling during the dry season means the ground is easier to compact and rain delays are unlikely.
We visit your property to evaluate existing ground conditions, measure the area, and identify any complications - steep slopes, drainage issues, buried obstacles, or tight access. This visit is essential in San Francisco, where no two lots are alike. You will receive a written estimate breaking out what the work involves. We respond within one business day.
Depending on how much soil is being moved and whether the work affects drainage, a city grading permit may be required. We determine whether a permit applies and handle the application if one is needed. Permitting typically adds a few weeks to the schedule, so confirming this early matters.
The crew excavates to the required depth, removing soil, old base material, or existing pavement. All removed material is loaded and hauled away. Disposal and hauling costs are included in your quote - there are no surprise charges at the end of the job.
Once the area is excavated, we shape the ground to the correct slope and compact the base layer firmly. You are welcome to inspect the finished base before paving begins - it should feel solid underfoot, slope away from your structure, and show no soft spots or standing water.
Every San Francisco lot is different. We will come out, assess your site, and give you a written quote with no obligation - so you know exactly what the job involves before committing.
(628) 895-9188San Francisco's expansive clay soils and steep lots create base-prep challenges that flat-ground contractors are not always ready for. We have been working on Bay Area hillside lots since 2017 and understand how to design a base that accounts for both the grade and the soil behavior beneath it.
We do not quote grading work over the phone. San Francisco lots vary too much - a visit is the only way to know what your specific site actually requires. Every written estimate comes after we have seen the ground, the slope, the access, and any drainage concerns in person.
We know when a San Francisco grading project requires a city permit and we handle the application. We also design base slopes and drainage to comply with the city's stormwater rules, so you are protected from problems when you sell or when the city does an inspection.
We invite you to inspect the finished base before any asphalt goes down. A contractor who rushes past this step or discourages you from looking is a warning sign. We stand behind our base work and want you to see it - that confidence is part of what you are paying for.
Proper grading and excavation is the step that determines whether your driveway lasts a decade or fails in three years. Our local experience, transparent process, and permit knowledge give you a foundation you can count on. You can verify our state contractor license at cslb.ca.gov, and review stormwater compliance guidance for private property at casqa.org.
Once the base is graded and compacted, concrete curbing and sidewalk work defines edges and borders that contain and protect your paved surface.
Learn MoreWhen grading alone is not enough to manage water, we design and install drainage systems that keep runoff off your pavement and away from your structure.
Learn MoreSan Francisco's dry season is the best window to get this work done right - contact us now and we will come out, assess your site, and give you a clear written quote before the rains return.
