Yard Fixes, Site Prep, or Post-Demolition Restoration
Ruts, Low Spots & Water Pooling
The most common call. Water pools in one corner after every thunderstorm, the mower keeps scalping the same low spot, or ruts from prior work catch tires and feet. Polk Services grades, fills, and compacts so the yard is flat and usable again — the fix that solves the problem rather than a top-dressing that hides it.
Pre-Project Site Prep
Grading has to happen before the next thing goes in — new sod, a new gravel driveway sub-grade, a shed or RV-pad foundation, or new landscape beds. Offered standalone or bundled with the follow-on project, where bundle pricing brings the total below separate contractors.
Post-Demolition Restoration
After a pool demo, shed removal, landscape rip-out, or lot clearing, the site needs a grading pass to bring the footprint back to level with the surrounding yard. Often the last step of a larger Polk Services project — and on demo bundles, frequently included in the original written quote.
Every Kind of Grading & Ground Leveling We Handle
Residential Yard-Level Grading
Site Prep for Follow-On Projects
Drainage & Water Management
Rural Acreage & Restoration
Our Process, Start to Finish
Call, text, or fill out the estimate form
Reach Donny directly at (863) 344-5806. Text a wide shot of the yard or site, close-ups of the ruts, low spots, or drainage issues, and any context showing how bad it gets after rain.
Walk the property with the customer — the whole point
Donny walks the property with you. Not a drive-by. An actual walk, listening to what the specific problem is and where it happens most. That walk is where the real fix gets identified — and the reason grading customers get a solution instead of a generic level that misses the drainage issue.
Verbal quote plus a texted written quote
Every grading job is priced twice — verbal on-site at the end of the walk-through, then written by text. The written quote spells out the specific work: fill volume, grade target, drainage direction, and any bundled scope like new sod or edge containment. No hidden fees.
Fill delivery if the job requires additional dirt
Some grading jobs are cut-and-fill using material already on the property. Others require fill dirt delivered. When fill is needed, Polk Services coordinates delivery as part of the quote, with the fill cost shown as a separate line item.
Grading with the skid steer, compacted in lifts
The Kubota SCL1000 handles most residential yard grading; larger acreage, drainage swales, and bigger dirt volumes bring in the Cat full-size skid steer. Fill goes in and gets compacted in 6-to-8-inch lifts rather than a single dump-and-grade — the discipline that prevents settlement.
Walk the property together at the finish
The last step is a walk-through with you on-site to confirm the fix. Water flow is tested if the job includes drainage, low spots are verified as filled, and the overall grade is confirmed level. If something is off, Polk Services handles it before the truck leaves.
Pricing, Fill Delivery & Bundles
Standard Project Pricing
Standard residential yard grading is quoted per project — most yard fixes fall within a range, with the exact amount on the written quote. Larger site prep (pre-sod, pre-driveway sub-grade, pre-construction rough grading) is quoted per project with an all-inclusive number.
Fill Dirt as a Separate Line Item
Some jobs are cut-and-fill using material already on-site — no added fill. Others need fill dirt delivered to bring the grade to level. When fill is required, Polk Services coordinates delivery and quotes the material separately, so you see exactly what the fill costs apart from the labor.
Rural Acreage & Multi-Acre
Rural corridor and multi-acre grading is quoted per project with the projected fill volume and timeline. The full-size Cat handles the larger dirt volumes — pasture leveling, drainage swales, and rural driveway-approach prep all in scope.
Bundle Pricing
Grading pairs naturally with follow-on work — grading plus new sod, plus a gravel driveway, plus concrete demo of an old feature, or plus a landscape reset. Bundle pricing brings the total below what separate contractors would charge.
Payment Terms
Cash, check, credit/debit, Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App (3.7% fee on card/electronic; cash and check free). Standard yard grading pays on completion; larger site-prep or rural acreage jobs may require 20–50% down before work starts.
Polk Services vs a Landscape Yard Level or Bulldozer-Truck Contractor
Grading & Ground Leveling Questions
How does a grading job actually work?
How much does grading cost?
Do you deliver fill dirt if my yard needs it?
Can you fix my drainage problem or just level the yard?
Will the fix hold up, or will the yard settle back into the original problem?
Can grading be bundled with new sod installation?
How long does grading take?
Do you handle grading on rural corridor properties or just residential lots?
What about after a demolition — does the site need grading?
Verified Google Reviews From Real Jobs
Every review below is a verified Google review with full customer attribution, each showing a competency this work depends on.
“Donnie was great to work with, so much so that we’ve hired him for more work! 5 stars.”
“Best around hands down! I had a dead palm removed and you can’t even tell it was there. The job done was top notch.”
“Amazing work done for yard cleanup and land clearing! Definitely recommend.”
Seven Details That Separate a Polk Services Grading Job
Walk the Property First
The most important step is the walk-through — not a phone estimate or drive-by, but an actual walk to see where water pools, where ruts are worst, and what the finished yard should look like. Skipping it means quoting a generic fix that may miss the real problem.
Sub-Grade Slope — the 2–3% Rule
Yards that shed water are graded at a 2–3% slope toward the drainage side — flatter pools, steeper looks unnatural. Polk Services sets the grade with the skid steer and confirms it before top-course material or sod goes on. It isn’t eyeballed.
Compaction in Lifts
Sandy Central Florida fill settles if not compacted. Polk Services compacts in 6–8 inch lifts — more time-consuming than dump-and-grade, but what prevents the site settling back into low spots 6–12 months later. Same discipline as pool-demo fill.
Directing Drainage Flow
Drainage grading is about controlled flow, not just level ground — surface swales, subtle contours, and directed slope move water from where it collects to where it should go. Polk Services designs the flow at the walk-through and builds it during grading.
Fill-Dirt Quality
Clean fill compacts uniformly and holds grade; fill with organic material (roots, mulch, debris) settles unevenly as it decomposes. Polk Services sources clean fill from established regional suppliers and lists the material as a line item on the quote.
Settlement Expectation
Even properly compacted sandy fill can settle slightly in the first year — usually within tolerance for a lawn, sometimes worth a small top-up pass at year one. Polk Services walks the customer through this at the end of every grading job.
Coordinating With Follow-On Projects
Timing matters in a sequence: sod goes on fresh grading within a few days, driveway sub-grade must stay dry before aggregate, structure footings need the graded site uncovered and dry. Polk Services sequences each stage to happen at the right moment.
