Excavation & Grading
Building Pad Construction for Barns, Shops & Homes in Ohio
A building pad is the part nobody sees and everybody feels. A pad that was not stripped of topsoil, not compacted in lifts, or not raised above the surrounding grade will settle, crack a slab, and let water run into the building.
We build pads for pole barns, shops, garages, machine sheds, and homes: topsoil stripped, structural fill placed and compacted in lifts, elevation set above surrounding grade, and the surface crowned so water sheds away from the building line.
Scope of work
What this service covers
- Topsoil stripping and stockpiling
- Structural fill placement and compaction in lifts
- Pole barn and machine shed pads
- Shop, garage, and outbuilding pads
- Residential and modular home pads
- Commercial building pads
- Pad elevation set above surrounding grade
- Stone base and crowning
- Perimeter drainage and swales
How it goes
The sequence, step by step.
You should know what happens next at every stage. Here is how we run this job.
- 01
Strip the topsoil
Organic topsoil will not compact and will keep breaking down under the building. It comes off first and gets stockpiled for final grade.
- 02
Place fill in lifts
Structural fill placed in controlled lifts and compacted at each layer. This is the step that gets skipped and the step that causes settlement.
- 03
Set elevation and crown
Pad built above the surrounding grade with a crown so water runs off rather than into the building.
- 04
Stone and finish
Compacted stone base placed and finished flat and true, ready for the builder to set posts or forms.
Where we do this work
Building Pad Construction across five Ohio counties.
Every county has its own health district, permit process, and soil profile. Pick yours for the local detail.
Champaign County
Champaign Health District
Logan County
Logan County Health District
Miami County
Miami County Public Health
Clark County
Clark County Combined Health District
Union County
Union County Health Department
Also serving Urbana, Springfield, Bellefontaine, Marysville, Troy, Piqua, St. Paris, Mechanicsburg, West Liberty, Tipp City, Plain City, Russells Point & Indian Lake.
Common questions
Building Pad Construction FAQ
Real answers, including the numbers people actually want.
It depends on size, how much fill has to be imported, and how far off level the existing ground sits. Sites that need significant fill hauled in cost more than ground that is already close to grade. Call for a free estimate based on your site.
As a rule of thumb, at least six to twelve inches above the surrounding finished grade, with the surface crowned. The exact number depends on how the site drains. The goal is that water never has a path into the building.
If the fill is placed and compacted in proper lifts, you can build on it right away. That is the whole point of compacting in lifts. A pad dumped in one pile and pushed flat is the one that needs to sit through a winter, and even then it will settle unevenly.
Yes. We place and compact the stone base and finish it flat and to grade so your builder can start immediately.
Related
Often booked with this.
Grading Services
Leveling and slope correction that moves water where it should go, for construction, yards, and drainage fixes.
View serviceGeneral Excavation
Site prep, trenching, drainage work, ponds, and general dirt work with our own machines and trucks.
View serviceGravel & Dirt Delivery
Bulk stone, sand, fill dirt, and topsoil delivered by the load, dumped where you want it or spread.
View serviceFree Estimates
Need building pad construction?
Free site visit, written estimate, and a straight answer on whether you need the full job or a smaller fix.