Excavation & grading in Vancouver, WA and Clark County

Excavation to the right depth

For a driveway, patio or walkway, the topsoil and soft ground come out so the concrete and its gravel base sit on firm soil. Footings and foundations go deeper, down to undisturbed soil below the frost line. Roots, old fill and buried debris come out too, since they rot or settle under a slab.

Grading and slope before a pour

Grading sets the shape of the ground before the forms go in. A driveway needs to run toward the street or a drain, a patio needs to fall away from the house, and the ground around a foundation should drop away from the walls. Getting that slope right in the dirt is what makes the finished concrete shed water.

Gravel base and compaction

Flatwork usually sits on a layer of crushed gravel, compacted in layers until it’s firm. A loose base settles over time and takes the concrete with it, so this step matters as much as the pour. Before any digging, 811 is called so buried utility lines get marked, as Washington law requires.