When you're planning a project that involves the ground, you'll hear three terms: dirt work, grading, and excavation. They're related — but not the same thing. Here's what each one means.
Dirt Work
"Dirt work" is the broadest term — it refers to any work that involves moving, placing, or shaping soil. It's a catch-all that encompasses grading, filling, and sometimes excavation.
Grading
Grading is a specific type of dirt work focused on shaping the surface of the ground to a desired slope or level. Grading is what makes water flow the right direction, gives driveways their crown, and levels building pads.
Excavation
Excavation means digging below the existing grade — typically for foundations, basements, pools, utility lines, or drainage structures. It removes material from a site rather than reshaping it.
Which Do You Need?
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