Elevated Dirt Works · Free On-Site Estimates

Site Prep & Grading in Missoula, MT

Site grading, building pads, concrete slab prep and asphalt prep, built on a compacted base that drains the right way.

Call (406) 239-1799 Free On-Site Estimate

Site Prep and Grading Around Missoula and the Bitterroot

Most problems with slabs, driveways and yards start in the ground underneath them. A slab cracks because the base settled. A garage floods because the grade slopes toward it. Asphalt breaks up because the gravel under it was too thin or never compacted.

Site prep is the unglamorous part of a project that decides how the finished work holds up. Elevated Dirt Works grades sites, builds pads and preps the base for concrete and asphalt for homeowners and contractors across Missoula, Lolo and the Bitterroot Valley.

The work covers new home sites, shop and garage pads, patios, sidewalks, parking areas and driveways that are getting paved. On a raw lot we often start with lot clearing and move straight into grading. Our compact excavators and tracked skid steer handle both open sites and tight residential yards.

Compact excavator and skid steer working a site of rocky fill

What's Included

Stripping topsoil and stockpiling it for later
Cut and fill to bring the site to grade
Building pads for homes, shops and garages
Subgrade prep and compaction
Base gravel placed and compacted for slabs
Asphalt prep for paving contractors
Grading for drainage away from structures
Final rough grade ready for landscaping

How It Works

Free on-site estimate
We look at the site, the finished elevations you need and where water goes today.
Strip and rough grade
Topsoil comes off and is saved. We cut high spots and fill low ones.
Subgrade and compaction
We shape and compact the native ground under the pad or slab area.
Base
Gravel goes down in lifts, each one compacted to a firm, flat surface at the right elevation.
Hand-off
The concrete or paving crew gets a base that's ready to form or pave.

Concrete Slab Prep and Asphalt Prep

Subgrade. This is the native ground under everything. Soft spots, organic material and loose fill need to come out or be compacted. If the subgrade moves, whatever's on top of it moves too.

Base gravel. For concrete slabs, a compacted gravel base spreads the load and gives a flat, even surface to pour on. For asphalt, the base carries the traffic. The paving itself is thin, and the gravel does most of the work. The thickness depends on the use, so check with your concrete or paving contractor and we'll build to it.

Compaction. Gravel dumped and leveled isn't done. It has to be placed in lifts and compacted, or it will settle under the slab or pavement. That's where most cracking and dips come from.

Grade for drainage. Every slab, driveway and pad should shed water. We set the base so the finished surface drains away from the house, garage or shop, not toward it. On a sloped lot that can mean shaping swales or ditches to carry water around the building.

If you're pouring a shop floor, paving a driveway or setting up for a new house, the base is the part you can't fix later without tearing it all out.

What Affects the Cost

Area
Bigger pads and slabs take more base material and machine time.
Cut and fill
Moving a lot of dirt to reach grade adds hours.
Base thickness
Heavier use calls for more gravel and more compaction.
Material hauling
Importing gravel or hauling off extra dirt adds trucking.
Access
Backyards and slopes can limit machine size and speed.
Soft ground
Poor subgrade may need to be dug out and replaced.

The on-site estimate is free. Call (406) 239-1799

Elevated Dirt Works has been my go to for all excavation needs. EDW is always a pleasure to work with in the busy and challenging world of building and construction. EDW is truly elevated above the rest when it comes to scheduling and communication. Confident, patient and trustworthy is what you can expect from EDW. Doing business with EDW is a pleasure from start to finish.