How much does yard grading cost in Virginia?

There is no reliable statewide price for yard grading, and we found no Virginia source that publishes one with a date, so any single per-square-foot or per-yard figure would be a guess. What sets the price is knowable: how much soil has to move, whether fill must be brought in, how a machine gets into the yard, what has to be cleared first, where the water ends up and what permits apply. The way to a real number is two or three itemized written quotes for the same scope.

What drives the cost

The goal. A light regrade to correct a negative grade beside the house is a smaller job than reshaping a whole lot. The target the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District sets for the ground around a house is ideally at least a 5% grade for ten feet, a drop of at least six inches over those ten feet.^[1] How far the ground is from that today decides how much soil moves.

Fill. Raising low ground next to a foundation takes soil. The district says fill soil used to fill depressions near a foundation should have high clay content and not too much sand.^[1] Fill that is hauled in, spread and compacted is a line item of its own. Fairfax County's flood program says regraded soil must be mechanically compacted to prevent settling,^[5] and compaction takes machine time.

Access. A narrow gate, a steep lot, soft ground or a back yard behind the house can mean smaller machines, hand work or wheelbarrow hauling, all of which cost more than a loader with a clear path.

What is in the way. Trees, stumps, fences, patios, landscaping and old downspout pipes may have to be removed and put back. Reseeding, sod and mulch to hold the new soil are normally part of the finished price, so ask whether they are included.

The water's destination. Regrading alone does not drain a yard unless the water has somewhere to go. The district says: "Whenever you are redirecting runoff, you must send it to a suitable outlet."^[2] A swale, rain garden, dry well or buried drain pipe adds work and materials on top of the grading itself; see how much a French drain costs in Virginia.

Gutters and downspouts. When it rains hard, an average sized home can experience hundreds of gallons of runoff coming from the roof.^[3] A regrade that leaves downspouts dumping at the foundation will not hold up, so extending them is often part of the job.

Permits and fees

Whether a regrade needs a permit depends on its size and your locality. Virginia's erosion control requirements apply to any activity that disturbs 10,000 square feet or more, and the locality may reduce that threshold to a smaller area.^[7] In a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, the threshold drops to 2,500 square feet.^[7] The law also exempts minor land-disturbing activities, including home gardens and individual home landscaping, repairs and maintenance work,^[7] so ask your locality whether your job is covered.

Where a permit applies, the paperwork has a price. Montgomery County, for example, requires a land disturbing permit when disturbing more than 10,000 square feet of land, including clearing, grading, excavation, transporting and filling,^[8] and says that the permit fees are calculated by the disturbed area shown on the approved plans, with a plan review fee and a bond, cash escrow or letter of credit to cover the completion of the plan.^[8] Other localities charge differently, so ask your county or city. See do I need a permit to clear land in Virginia.

Regrading is also digging. Virginia's utility damage prevention law defines excavation to include grading, trenching and digging,^[9] and Virginia 811 locate requests are free,^[10] so there should be no charge for the markings themselves; see do I need to call 811 before digging in Virginia.

Ways to pay less

If your house is in a newer development, ask before you hire anyone: in a new development under bond, the builder may be responsible for fixing drainage problems that arise as a result of inadequate grading.^[6]

In Fairfax County, a flood program may cover part of the bill. When we checked on October 26, 2026, the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program offered 50% reimbursement, up to a maximum of $5,000, for the costs of projects that protect a property from flood damage,^[4] and surface regrading is among the practices on its approved list.^[5] Applicants are responsible for any required approvals and permits.^[4] Other localities and soil and water conservation districts run their own programs, so ask yours.

Getting a quote you can compare

Ask each contractor to price the same scope in writing: the areas to be regraded, the finished slope, the amount and type of fill, compaction, what is removed and restored, where the water ends up, who calls 811 and who pulls any permit. Virginia's Board for Contractors requires a written residential contract that states the total cost of the project, the amounts and schedule for progress payments including a specific statement on the amount of the down payment, and the contractor's license number and class.^[11] Agree on a modest deposit and tie further payments to finished work.

When to call a licensed pro

For the job itself. Virginia's Board for Contractors defines a landscape service contracting specialty that covers altering a land area by excavation, clearing and grading, including removing stumps and roots below grade.^[12] Check the licence before you pay a deposit, and read how a yard is regraded so water drains away from the house so you know what a complete quote covers.

Loclis lists licensed Virginia businesses by category. Browse excavation and grading services or read more excavation answers. To get quotes for your own yard, describe the job once.