The order site work actually happens in, from clearing through final grade, before a foundation ever gets poured.
Why Site Prep Comes First
A foundation crew can only build on what the ground already is. Before anyone pours concrete or frames a wall, the lot has to be cleared, cut to grade, and compacted enough to hold weight. Skip that step or rush it, and the problems show up later as cracked slabs, settling corners, or water pooling against the house.
Every lot is different, so the scope changes job to job. A wooded parcel might need trees cleared and stumps grubbed before anything else can happen. A lot that’s already open might just need topsoil stripped and the pad cut to grade. D&D Land Works walks the site first and scopes it based on what’s actually there, not a generic checklist.
What Site Prep Actually Covers
Typical work includes clearing brush, trees, and debris from the build envelope; stripping and stockpiling topsoil for reuse in landscaping; cutting and filling to bring the pad to design grade; compacting subgrade to the density a foundation or driveway needs; staking corners and elevations so the build crew has reference points; and rough grading for drainage so water moves away from the structure instead of toward it.
Equipment on the Job
Excavators handle clearing, cutting, and trenching. Dozers push and shape bulk material. Compactors run the subgrade down to spec before anything gets built on top of it. Which machines show up depends on lot size and terrain – a tight urban lot in Eugene needs different equipment than an acreage parcel outside Veneta with a steep approach.
What Usually Comes Next
Site prep rarely happens alone. Most jobs roll straight into grading and leveling, and if the build includes a foundation, foundation excavation follows right after. Planning all three as one sequence, instead of three separate hires, is usually what keeps a project on schedule.
