2025 Guide to Lawn Leveling and Yard Grading Costs

What Does It Mean to Level and Grade a Lawn?

Lawn leveling and yard grading are related but slightly different processes that help improve the usability and health of your yard.

What Is Lawn Leveling?

Lawn leveling focuses on smoothing out the surface of your yard by filling in low spots and removing high spots to create an even area. This is typically done to fix bumps, dips, or uneven areas that affect mowing or water drainage.

What Is Yard Grading?

Yard grading involves reshaping the slope of your yard to direct water away from your home’s foundation and prevent pooling or erosion. Grading is more structural and often done on a larger scale, especially when water control or major landscaping projects are involved.

Both processes may use similar tools and materials, and many yard improvement projects involve a combination of both leveling and grading. Here’s what you need to know about leveling your lawn.

Average Cost to Level a Lawn

The national average cost to level or regrade a lawn runs around $2,180, with an average range of $1,000 to $3,330. Large projects — such as those that require French drains or a retaining wall — can reach into the $10,000 range or higher. Smaller projects, such as leveling a small area for a pool or patio, can come in well under that $1,000 mark.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Lawn Leveling

When it’s time to level your lawn, you might be surprised by the variety of factors that go into the job. For instance, fill dirt is rather inexpensive, but topsoil is necessary to go above that, allowing grass to grow. You can also choose to lay sod, which is often much more expensive but leads to a nicer-looking lawn soon after the work is complete.

Some steps require the use of heavy machinery, which increases the cost and time it takes to complete the job. Some might require construction elements, such as building a retaining wall, which can drive the cost up significantly.

Cost Factors for Lawn Leveling

Size of the Lawn

Many contractors will base their quotes on the size of the lawn, as well as any features that must be removed or altered — for instance, removing a tree is going to add to the price tag. When contractors go by size, they choose either square footage or acreage, depending on the extent of the project. Here are the averages:

Labor and Equipment

Labor costs will be one of the biggest factors in the overall cost, with most labor ranging from $50 to $100 per hour. Since most of this work will need a team effort, expect that price for each person doing the work. Expect around 12 to 24 hours of labor in total for a typical lawn leveling project.

There is also the cost of equipment, which can run anything from lawn aerators to heavy equipment designed to remove trees and soil. The cost of that equipment rental or use is rolled into your final quote but can add several thousand to the total.

Land Clearing or Obstruction Removal

If you need landscaping features removed from the area, such as trees or boulders, those must be cleared before the leveling can take place. In addition to removing the features, the debris will also need to be cleared. Most homeowners find that the cost runs from $1,300 to $5,700, with more trees and other obstructions leaning toward the higher end of that range.

Soil Condition and Fill Material

Fill dirt is perfect for doing what it sounds like — filling in the pockets where obstructions and other dirt have been removed. Fill material is rather affordable at between $5 and $30 per cubic yard. Because topsoil has so many nutrients in it, you will pay more for that, at $12 to $55 per cubic yard.

Land Surveying

A land survey is a must if you aren’t absolutely sure the land you are leveling belongs to you. You might not need a survey if you are simply leveling for a patio right outside your door, but you certainly need one if you are doing a larger landscaping project. This is good insurance that you won’t be encroaching on a neighbor’s property.

Slope Severity

As a general rule of thumb, most contractors will charge based on elevation — the greater the change, the more expensive it will be. A very steep slope will cost more and likely take much more time than remedying a slight slope, especially if you are installing drains or retaining walls as you go.

Access and Yard Layout

Lawn leveling can require some heavy equipment. The easier it is to access the area, the less costly it will be. This doesn’t just pertain to tight spaces or getting that big equipment through a gate; it can also pertain to low-hanging power lines, in-ground pools that must be avoided, and other obstructions that can make it harder to do the job.

Permits and Local Requirements

Some areas require permits before you can level your lawn — check with your local municipality for the cost and other requirements. Your contractor will often roll this cost into the quote.

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Cost to Level a Lawn by Project Type

Regrading Around the Home Foundation

Water that flows toward your home’s foundation slowly builds into a nightmare scenario, where you must have the entire foundation repaired due to water damage. That’s much more costly than grading around the foundation to divert the flow of water. Regrading around the home might also include French drains if the overall slope is rather steep.

Flattening Hills or Slopes

Sometimes you simply want to flatten out a hill or rise in your lawn to make it easier to mow or make it safer for the kids to play. Flattening out a hill tends to be a straightforward job, so expect to see a lower price tag and a faster turnaround time.

Leveling for a New Pool or Spa

Leveling the ground before installing a pool or spa is a good idea — you never want to install a pool on uneven ground, as that will eventually lead to damage. Worst case scenario is catastrophic failure of the pool as the weight of the water slowly wears down the lower side. Fortunately, leveling only the area for the pool can save you a significant amount in labor costs.

Lawn Leveling for Driveways and Walkways

While a gentle slope is great for drainage, the ground needs to be level throughout to allow for pouring the concrete or asphalt necessary for a lovely driveway or walkway. If water is currently pooling on your driveway, it’s time for leveling — that water can leave cracks in the driveway, which means you must have it resurfaced much more often.

Lawn Prep for Decks, Patios, or Playsets

Level ground can help ensure fewer trips and falls, which is vitally important for home playgrounds. Patios and decks need leveled ground to create a firm foundation that won’t sink or crack. While you can opt for the materials necessary for a raised deck or patio, you might find that leveling the ground is much cheaper.

Leveling for Fencing Installation

While many fences can be built on gentle slopes, it’s not as appealing to the eye and leaves more opportunity for damage to the fence during heavy rains or storms. Leveling out the ground for fence installation is often a job that can be done in a day. Some fence companies might offer to do this work themselves as part of the overall project.

DIY Lawn Leveling vs. Hiring a Professional

It might be very tempting to do the yard leveling yourself, but think twice before tossing aside the idea of using a pro. Yard leveling requires heavy equipment, a good amount of time, experience with leveling, and a deep knowledge of how soil and terrain shift over time.

The cost of renting the equipment alone will often come close to the price a professional would charge. However, the most important point to remember is that if the grading isn’t done properly, you can wind up with more trouble than you had to begin with. Unless you are well-versed in this sort of work, hiring a pro is the best move.

Common Add-Ons That Increase Lawn Leveling Costs

These common additions to lawn leveling might increase your bottom line — but in some cases, actually by very little. Here’s what to expect:

• Compost Spreading. If you want to watch your lawn grow quickly, compost can help. Spreading compost can increase your costs a bit but might be worth it as the lawn grows back lush and green. Compost typically costs between $15 and $25 per cubic yard.
• Sod or Seed Installation. Once the lawn is leveled, you’ll need to reseed the area or lay sod. Doing this right after leveling can save you some money in the long run. Sod typically costs up to $1.75 per square foot, while seeding the ground can cost about $0.24 per square foot.
• Irrigation Repair. Installing an irrigation system or repairing an older one can add to the cost of lawn leveling but can provide you with many years of gorgeous lawn and garden areas. An irrigation system can cost between $1,000 and $4,000.
• Drainage Improvements. If you have water pooling in the yard, especially near the foundation, French drains and similar installations can be a saving grace. Drains can cost anywhere from $500 to $18,000.
• Erosion Control Fabrics. If there is any area of the lawn that is prone to erosion, mesh can help prevent that, especially as new vegetation grows in. Basic erosion mesh runs less than $2 per square foot.

How to Save on Lawn Leveling Costs

There are some ways you can save on the costs of lawn leveling. Here are a few:

• Off-Season Scheduling. Many contractors offer a discount if you choose to hire them during the “off season” period, when they aren’t getting as much work.
• Get Multiple Quotes. It’s always a good idea to get three or four quotes for the work. That allows you to compare the contractors, services, and warranties.
• Tackle Partial DIY. Though leveling your lawn isn’t a DIY job, there are some things you can do on your own to make the project more affordable.
• Bundle Services. Irrigation, sod installation, French drains, and other services can be bundled with the leveling, which can result in a nice discount.

Long-Term Value of a Leveled Lawn

There is great value in leveling your lawn. Not only does it allow for easier use of your lawn and improve curb appeal, it also offers the enormous benefit of controlling water intrusion into your home — that alone provides peace of mind and savings over time. If you ever choose to sell your home, the work you do now to level your lawn can boost your sale price.

When you’re ready for a new lawn, Modernize can help. We can match you to local contractors who can provide estimates and get the work done on a reasonable timetable.

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