Ground Leveling/Grading

[Deere Dude]

Hello,

I'm building a garage on my property and currently working on preparing the site. I removed an existing concrete slab, and now I need to level and grade, as well as spread gravel. I was thinking of hiring someone to do this for me, but then I found out that my future mother-in-law has a small Ford 1510 (22hp) tractor with a rear 48-inch blade attachment. Since I've never leveled this large of a site (approx 40'x50'), I'm wondering if this tractor/blade combination will be able to get the job done?

Second, I would like to get any advise on how to level the ground. I've watched YouTube videos, but they pretty much just show you how to spread gravel. My thoughts is that I just progressively keep setting the blade depth lower and lower, and just keep scraping until it seems level. Then use stakes and string to see how levels it is, and fill in low spots until it's level. Probably a lot easier said than done.

Thanks!

This works for me but I am a die hard DIY animal, and I am assuming you personally are building the thing.

Depending how much existing soil has top be moved will determine if you can do it with what you have. If you just need to scrape a little topsoil off and spread gravel around, I would try it. You need to get down to the subsoil for a good floor to hold up. You might need a 3 point dirt scoop to dig down and haul away if you need to go down far at all or if you need to dig out some mounds. To level the gravel, you can do that with what you have. I use small clear stone because it doesn't settle out much but whatever they use by you, go with that.

If it doesn't work with your tractor then call someone in to help.

I would find a cheap transit for ease operation, and that will get you real close to the correct floor height. Find, square, and mark your corners and go to it. I have used a string and a string level, but that is a tough way to do it. I put the transit pole on a platform and set it on the dirt or the gravel base, then take a reading to see if I need to go up or down. It is easy that way.

 

[Fergie13]

Well I am very much a DIY person, but this is a project that is on a tight time line. Getting hitched in Oct, selling my place, and moving into hers, and I need a place to put all my toys. While removing the broken up concrete slab this weekend, we found a concrete footer, and some odd concrete block that is about 3' x 3' and sunk pretty deep in the ground. There's a neighbor down the road that does excavation, and said he can do the whole job for around $1500, so it looks like this time we're just going to throw money at it. There's always next time for me to play in the dirt!

 

[Wagtail]

What was the correct term?

And that depends on where in the world you are... I read 'skip loader' and thought, "Why do you need a lorry that picks up/drops off a skip?" (a 'skip' is a big metal industrial trash bin)

 

[Sysop]

40x50? Not really worth bringing in bigger equipment unless you hit a snag or are in some big rush. I agree with the above that a box scraper would do better than just a rear blade. Having had a concrete pad already removed from that location, I would think it can't be too far off from level or have massive amounts of stuff in the way. Nothing you've explained has made me think it would take longer than a day to complete.

 

[flusher]

Well I am very much a DIY person, but this is a project that is on a tight time line. Getting hitched in Oct, selling my place, and moving into hers, and I need a place to put all my toys. While removing the broken up concrete slab this weekend, we found a concrete footer, and some odd concrete block that is about 3' x 3' and sunk pretty deep in the ground. There's a neighbor down the road that does excavation, and said he can do the whole job for around $1500, so it looks like this time we're just going to throw money at it. There's always next time for me to play in the dirt!

Concrete footer--I had a similar problem on my place. Parts of the foundation from an old dairy barn was in the way and needed to be removed.

A local guy with a TLB charged me $150 to bury two of the concrete stub walls like the one in the photos.

View attachment 427534

He dug a grave, busted up the concrete with the back hoe, pushed the stuff into the grave and backfilled. Job took about 2 hours.

Good luck

 

[Sysop]

Flusher, your attachment has failed.

 

[AaronS]

Fergie, first, welcome "neighbor".

As stated above, you can do it with small equipment if you have time and patience on your side. Since you've stated that time is of the essence, hire it done. I would get a second and maybe even third quote. $1500 seems very high for a 40x50 space. I have a dozer coming in soon to build a road on my farm in northern Crawford County and the quote was $450 to $600 (6 to 8 hours) to build a 600 foot road through woods.

 

[flusher]

Flusher, your attachment has failed.

Working on it. Something is funny with this image file.

 

[Sysop]

Working on it. Something is funny with this image file.

I'm going to assume you are on a Windows system. Open it in Paint, go to File, Save As, and give it a new name. Upload the new copy.