Jeff H.Google review
★★★★★
Big #1 Motorsports needed some major lot cleanup and these guys absolutely knocked it out! Showed up early and worked in the rain to get the job done in one day.
Grading & Excavation in Birmingham, AL
Once the trees, stumps, or old structure are gone, the ground still has to be shaped. Grading and leveling to a smooth, even surface, plus excavation and bobcat work, from the same company that cleared the lot.
- Licensed and insured
- Owner-operated
- 4.7 stars, 85 reviews
Clearing a lot or tearing down a structure leaves the ground rough: stump holes, ruts, high spots, and low spots where water will sit. Grading and leveling is the last step that turns it into a smooth, even surface ready for your next project, whether that is a new home, an addition, a lawn, or a garden.
Excavation service, grading work, and bobcat work are all on the K&M list of services, alongside the land clearing, stump grinding, and demolition that usually come first. One company can take the lot from trees to graded. Owner Kenny Malone personally oversees every job and prefers to see the site in person before he gives a price.
What's included
- Grading and leveling to a smooth, even surface
- Excavation service
- Bobcat work for tight spaces and smaller jobs
- Grading after land clearing, stump removal, and demolition
- Site prep for your next project
- Debris removal and a thorough cleanup
How the job goes
- Free on-site estimateKenny looks at the site, what you are planning to do with it, and how equipment gets in, and gives you the price before work starts.
- Clear firstAny trees, stumps, debris, or old structures come out first, if they have not already.
- Grade and levelHigh spots cut down, low spots and holes filled, and the surface smoothed out.
- Clean upDebris hauled off and the site left ready for the next step.
Why people call K&M for this
Hiring one company for the clearing and the grading means nobody shows up to a half-finished lot and blames the last contractor. Jeff H. wrote that K&M handled a major lot cleanup for Big #1 Motorsports in one day, showing up early and working in the rain.
K&M has served the Birmingham area for over 30 years and is licensed, bonded, and insured, with coverage up to $1 million in property damage liability. K&M is not a paving, concrete, or foundation contractor, but can get the ground ready for them.
How much grading costs
Lawn Love's land grading cost guide puts grading and leveling a 1,000 to 2,000 square foot residential area at about $770 to $3,000, with contractors typically charging $40 to $180 an hour for equipment and operator. It lists full-acre grading at $15,800 to $44,535 nationally, though much of that range covers heavy cut-and-fill work for construction.
What moves the price: how much soil has to be moved, whether fill dirt has to be brought in, the slope, access for equipment, and whether the site still needs clearing first. The estimate is free.
Grading vs. excavation
Grading shapes the surface of the ground: leveling it, smoothing it, and setting the slope so water runs away from where you will build or plant instead of toward it.
Excavation digs into the ground: removing soil, rock, roots, or old foundations, or digging out an area for a project.
Most site prep jobs need some of both, and both usually come after the trees, stumps, and debris are cleared.
Grading and excavation across Birmingham and Shelby County
K&M is based in Columbiana and handles grading and excavation across Birmingham, Hoover, Pelham, Alabaster, Helena, Chelsea, Columbiana, Calera, and Lake Logan Martin and Lay Lake, plus the rest of Central Alabama.
What customers say
4.7 stars from 85 Google reviews. Read more reviews.
William C.Google review
★★★★★
Excellent guys, respectful of my property and in and out quick. 5 trees down, three stumps ground.
Road D.Google review
★★★★★
Great guys to work with, showed up when they said they would and cleaned up so well you couldn't tell they were there.
Brad W.Google review
★★★★★
Kenny and his crew showed up on time and did exactly what they said they would do. They left the area spotless like new. Great prices and very dependable.
Wayne B.Google review
★★★★★
I have been using K&M for several years. Prices are good, crew is great and they always clean up. They take care of my property like it's theirs.
Lou E.Google review
★★★★★
We have been doing business with K&M for some 20 years. They have always been responsive, reliable and fair.
Grading and excavation questions
Not always. Excavation is digging into the ground, and grading is shaping and leveling the surface. Most site prep jobs need both, so ask for both on the same estimate.
Lawn Love puts grading and leveling a 1,000 to 2,000 square foot residential area at about $770 to $3,000, and hourly rates at $40 to $180 for equipment and operator. How much dirt has to move and whether fill has to be brought in make the biggest difference.
Lawn Love lists $15,800 to $44,535 per acre nationally, but that range is driven by heavy cut-and-fill work for construction. Leveling an acre that has just been cleared is often far less. An on-site estimate is the only way to know.
A residential yard or a cleared lot is often a day or a few days. Bigger sites, steep ground, wet weather, and a lot of fill dirt all add time. You get a timeframe with the estimate.
A drawing, usually from a civil engineer or surveyor, that shows the existing ground, the finished ground levels, and how water will drain. New construction and larger projects often need one for the permit. Small yard leveling usually does not.
It depends on the size of the site and who draws it. Ask your builder, engineer, or surveyor for a quote, and check with your city whether your project needs one at all.
Ground that slopes toward a house sends water at the foundation. Grading sets the slope so water runs away from where you build or plant, and gives you a level, usable surface.
OSHA requires a safe way out, such as a ladder or ramp, in any trench 4 feet deep or more, within 25 feet of anyone working in it.
Under OSHA rules, trenches 5 feet deep or more need a protective system, such as sloping, shoring, or a trench box, unless they are in stable rock. Shallower trenches can still collapse, so never go into one that looks unstable.
In construction, OSHA generally requires fall protection for anyone working 6 feet or more above a lower level, including the edge of a deep excavation.
Often, when the problem is the slope of the ground. Regrading so water runs away from low spots and the house solves many standing-water problems. Some sites also need drainage work beyond grading. Have it looked at on the estimate.
Yes. Grading and leveling is the last step of most land clearing and demolition jobs. See land clearing and demolition.
Ask when you call. Bobcat work is made for smaller jobs and tighter spaces.
No. K&M can clear and grade the ground, and your concrete, paving, or foundation contractor takes it from there.
Small yard leveling usually does not need one, but larger projects, work near creeks, and projects that disturb an acre or more can. Check with your city or county before work starts.
Yes. Stumps and roots come out before grading so the ground does not settle later. See stump grinding.
Grading & Excavation across Birmingham and Shelby County
K&M works across these towns. Tap yours for local details.
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