Few residential upgrades protect a home as decisively as proper yard grading. When soil slopes toward the house, rainwater hugs the foundation, saturates footings and eventually seeps into basements or crawl spaces. Regrading—reshaping the top 6-12 inches of soil so it pitches away from the structure—solves that threat. But how much should a homeowner budget for regrading around foundation cost? CountBricks has analyzed thousands of jobs through our AI estimate engine, and this guide distills the key numbers, drivers and money-saving strategies every residential contractor or property owner should know.
• Extends foundation lifespan by reducing hydrostatic pressure
• Prevents mold-friendly moisture in basements
• Eliminates pooling that attracts insects and undermines patios and decks
• Boosts curb appeal and resale value with a crisp, intentional grade
Ignored drainage issues translate to costly structural repairs: bowed walls, cracked slabs and rotted sill plates can easily surpass $25,000. Compared with that, a one-time regrading project is a fraction of the price.
1. Access & Site Complexity
Narrow side yards, fencing and mature landscaping make it harder to bring in skid steers or mini excavators. Expect labor premiums when crews must hand-grade around HVAC units or utilities.
2. Soil Conditions
• Dense clay requires heavier equipment and more passes
• Sandy loam may need supplemental topsoil to maintain slope
• Compaction testing can add small laboratory fees
3. Linear Footage & Depth
Most residential lots call for 50-120 linear feet of regrade on one or more sides. A typical profile removes 4-8 inches at the foundation wall and feathers that soil out six feet. More material moved equals higher cost.
4. Haul-Off or Re-Use
Clean fill can sometimes be reused elsewhere on site, reducing disposal charges. Contaminated or rocky spoils must be hauled to an approved facility, increasing trucking and tipping.
5. Finish Surface
Seeding, sod, or decorative rock over the new grade drives both material and labor totals.
According to live pricing flowing through CountBricks.com/projects, most homeowners in the Southeast see:
• Low end: $1,800 for a simple 40' run with minimal obstacles
• Mid range: $3,500–$4,200 for full-perimeter grading, new topsoil and seed
• High end: $6,000+ when hardscape removal, tight access or imported fill is required
Those figures include equipment, labor, soil, seed and light cleanup. They exclude gutter extensions or French drains, which can be bundled into a single CountBricks scope.
Traditional estimating forces crews to pace yard edges with a tape and punch numbers into spreadsheets. CountBricks replaces all of that with:
• Realtime voice capture—describe the yard during a site walk, and our mobile app converts speech to quantified tasks instantly
• AI blueprint takeoffs—upload your survey or as-built plan and let the engine detect foundation lines, setback distances and slope percentages
• Live material pricing—our nationwide cost database refreshes nightly, so topsoil, seed and machine rental rates are always current
• Auto-generated quote PDFs—signed on the spot, complete with payment schedules and digital signatures
Learn more at CountBricks.com/services.
1. Capture scope verbally or by plan upload
2. AI suggests optimal slope (minimum 5% for the first six feet)
3. Review auto-calculated cubic yards of cut or fill
4. Select finish surface—seed, sod or rock
5. Send branded proposal to client within minutes
6. Convert quote to invoice once the homeowner approves
• Bundle gutter extensions and regrading under one mobilization to share equipment time
• Reuse clean excavated soil for landscaping mounds elsewhere onsite
• Schedule work during dry weeks; wet soil slows production and may require plywood protection
• Ask CountBricks to run “good-better-best” scenarios so homeowners see the ROI of each finish surface
A typical perimeter regrade finishes in one to two crew days with a skid steer and two laborers. Add extra time for dense clay or multiple hauls.
Most municipalities classify minor grading under general landscaping, but check local ordinances for erosion control thresholds. CountBricks flag potential permit triggers during estimate creation.
Shrubs within two feet of the foundation often need temporary relocation. CountBricks schedules this into your labor breakout so surprises disappear.
Regrading delivers one of the highest returns in residential construction: lower moisture risk, healthier foundations and improved exterior aesthetics—typically for less than 5% of the cost of structural repair. When accuracy, speed and transparency matter, CountBricks is your grading partner. Start a voice-driven estimate or request a blueprint takeoff at CountBricks.com/contact and see how effortless safeguarding a foundation can be.
When the Johnson family noticed musty odors in their basement, an inspection revealed negative slope on three sides of their 2,400 sq ft ranch. They contacted CountBricks through our instant voice line, describing soft spots near the back patio.
• The field tech walked the perimeter while narrating distances and obstacles. Our app translated the speech into 112 linear feet of cut, 18 cubic yards of fill and 2,000 sq ft of seed.
• Live pricing populated: equipment $620, topsoil $38/yd, seed and straw $0.19/sq ft, labor 16 crew-hours.
• Total regrading around foundation cost: $3,740—emailed to the homeowner before the truck left the driveway.
1. Day one: Skid steer stripped sod, established a 6-inch drop over six feet, and compacted soil in two passes.
2. Day two: Imported topsoil feathered the slope, seed and straw blanket applied, gutter downspouts extended four feet.
3. Post-project: Vapor readings inside the basement fell 40% within two weeks and a spring storm showed zero puddling at the foundation line.
• Early detection and swift action saved the Johnsons an estimated $12,000 in future wall repairs.
• Voice-generated estimates removed the lag between site visit and proposal, increasing close rate to 88%.
• The project demonstrates how transparent unit pricing builds homeowner trust and speeds approvals.
Ready for similar results? Upload your site plan or start a voice call today at CountBricks.com/consultation and let our residential specialists protect your foundation with precision, speed and cost certainty.
