Grading and levelling
Yard Grading & Lawn Levelling in Toronto
Puddles that sit for days, bumps the mower scalps or ground tilting back toward the house: we reshape the ground so rain heads away from the foundation, and the new lawn goes down on a grade that lasts.
Serving Toronto, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Pickering and Ajax
- WSIB-covered
- Fully insured
- Fresh-cut Ontario sod
- Free on-site quotes
- Prices shown up front
Sod Only Lasts on a Good Grade
New sod follows every dip and hump below it. Lay it on a bad grade and the puddles, scalped ridges and water heading for the basement wall all come back, under a lawn you just paid for.
So we fix the shape of the yard first. Toronto's downspout rules already ask that roof water flow away from the foundation without damaging a neighbour's property, and a proper grade is what carries it there. Once the grade is set, our sod installation crew lays the lawn on top.
WHAT YOU GET
What Grading & Levelling Includes
Site Check
We watch how water moves across the yard, find where it pools and measure which way the ground falls from the house. We also flag trees, ravine edges and anything that may need approval first.
Slope Correction
We cut high ground and fill low ground to give a steady fall away from the foundation, keeping water on your lot instead of steering it at the house next door.
Low-Spot Filling
Hollows over settled backfill, rotted stumps or sunken trenches are filled with soil and firmed in layers so they don't sink again.
Top Dressing
For shallow dips in a lawn worth keeping, a thin layer of screened soil raked into the grass evens the surface without lifting the turf.
Insured work
Insured Grading Work You Can Check
- WSIB-covered
- Fully insured
- Free on-site visit before any work
THE PROCESS
Grading a Yard, Step by Step
Instant Quote
Add grading to a sod job in the calculator for an estimate, or call and tell us what the yard is doing.
Site Check
On site we measure the falls, mark the high and low ground and confirm whether ravine, conservation or tree rules apply before we quote.
Cut and Fill
Where needed, the turf comes up first. Then soil moves from high spots to low ones, with fill or topsoil brought in to finish the shape.
Final Level
The surface is raked and rolled smooth, with a steady fall away from the house, and left ready for sod.
SEE OUR WORK
Recent Work by Our Right On Sod Crews
Lawns finished by Right On Sod crews in Lawrence Park South and Bedford Park-Nortown, Toronto. Every photo is our own work, taken on site, not stock photography.
CLIENT REVIEWS
What Right On Sod Clients Say
These are real reviews from clients of our main Right On Sod operation in the Waterloo Region. Toronto reviews will join them as those lawns are finished.
Evan is reasonably priced ,thoroughly explained everything, his crew Emanuel and Kevin are professional, polite and ensure you are satisfied.
Evan and team were exceptional in their job. The whole process was made so simple and easy. It is really a pleasure to work with you guys. I recommend them highly.
Evan and his team are punctual, professional, friendly and they are experts! Before n after pictures, for you to see. I haven't had lawn in over 20 years, too many trees no sun, and now it's beautiful, thank to Rightonsod.
Yards That Need Grading
Low Spots
Water that sits for a day after rain drowns grass roots and turns the spot to mud. Backfill that settled along the foundation or over an old trench is a frequent culprit.
Bumpy, Uneven Lawns
Ridges and hollows make mowing rough and walking awkward. Frost heave, old roots and years of patching all leave a lawn lumpy.
Slopes Toward the House
Ground that falls back toward the walls sends rain and snowmelt at the foundation. If your downspouts were disconnected, the City lists correcting the slope or grading among the fixes to try before applying for an exemption.
After a Rebuild or Addition
New foundations and additions leave disturbed ground that keeps settling. On an infill house, the Grading Consultant's plan sets the grades, so we work to that plan rather than around it.
Signs of an Uneven Yard
- Your mower scalps the high spots
- Puddles sit after rain
- Walking across it feels lumpy
- The yard slopes toward the house
- Soil has settled after construction
Not sure yet?
Book a free yard check and we will tell you whether top dressing is enough or the ground needs regrading.
Get a Free Instant QuoteWHY RIGHT ON SOD
Why Let Our Crew Do the Grading
Grade First, Every Time
We set the grade before anything else goes down, because fixing it later means lifting a brand-new lawn.
Shaped for the Sod Above
We finish the soil just low enough for the sod to sit flush with walks and driveway edges, and loose enough for roots to grow in.
A Careful, Insured Crew
WSIB-covered and fully insured. We keep cuts and fill out of tree protection zones: the City's example for a 30–40 cm private tree is 2.4 m, or the dripline if larger.
A Clear Price
Grading appears on the written quote as its own line, so you can see what the reshaping costs next to the sod.
What it costs
Grading is quoted job by job, roughly $1.00 per sq ft added to sod work, plus 13% HST. Toronto jobs have a $1,750 minimum, and the free on-site visit sets the final price. See full pricing →
FREE QUOTE
Book a Free Grade Check
Tell us what the yard is doing: puddles, bumps or a slope toward the house. We will phone within one business day to set a time.
- A free yard check on site
- A written price for the grading
- WSIB-covered and fully insured
- A level base before the sod goes down
WHERE WE WORK
Grading and Levelling Across Our Service Area
We grade and level yards across the City of Toronto and in Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Pickering and Ajax. Each area page notes what is typical there.
General levelling tips are on our sod questions page, and finished lawns are on our work page.
Grading & Levelling Questions
How much should a yard slope away from the house?
Enough that water never runs back toward the walls, without sending it onto the neighbour's lot. For scale, Toronto's rules for new infill houses ask for side yards of at least 1.5% (1.5 cm of drop per metre) toward an outlet and rear yards no steeper than 10% unless existing grades are kept. We set your fall at the site check.
Can a bumpy lawn be levelled without removing it?
Yes, if the bumps are shallow. Thin layers of top dressing raked into the turf let the grass grow up through them. Deep hollows, high ridges or a slope toward the house need the turf lifted, the soil regraded and new sod laid.
What is top dressing, and when is it enough?
It is a thin layer of screened soil, or soil mixed with sand, spread over a lawn and worked in. It handles shallow unevenness in a healthy lawn. It won't fix a slope toward the house, a deep settled trench or a lawn that is mostly weeds; those need regrading or lawn replacement.
How much time does grading add to a sod job?
Light levelling fits inside the usual day or two for the sod. Heavy cut-and-fill, a lot of imported soil or a carry-in yard stretches the job, and the quote gives you the schedule.
Do I need a permit to regrade my yard?
It depends on the lot. In a Toronto ravine protection area, excavating or adding soil on slopes needs a City permit, and in a TRCA-regulated area, landscaping can count as development that needs a TRCA permit; TRCA's Regulated Area Search tool shows whether your lot is affected. We check what applies before we quote.
Want a Level Yard Before the Sod?
Book a free yard check, or call and tell us where the water goes after rain.