How much do grading and excavation services cost in Arizona?

Earthwork pricing is driven by volume of cut and fill, soil conditions, import or export hauling, demolition quantity, and access. A parking lot subgrade rework prices very differently than a raw pad requiring thousands of yards of import. We provide free written on-site estimates statewide with earthwork quantities, base depth, and hauling itemized.

Why does grading matter so much for asphalt paving?

Because pavement is a structural system, not a surface coating. If the subgrade is soft, poorly compacted, or holds water, the asphalt above it will crack and fail regardless of mix quality or thickness. Correct grading, moisture conditioning, compaction, and base depth are what determine whether a lot lasts five years or twenty-five.

What is the difference between rough grading and fine grading?

Rough grading moves the bulk material to bring the site near design elevation and establish general drainage. Fine grading refines that surface to tight tolerance, often within a tenth of a foot or better, so the pavement or concrete section placed on top is uniform in thickness and drains exactly as designed.

Do you handle drainage and retention basin grading?

Yes. We grade swales, positive-slope drainage, retention and detention basins, and the flow paths between them so stormwater leaves the pavement and building perimeter. Drainage is reviewed on every site walk because standing water is the most common cause of premature pavement failure in Arizona.

How deep should aggregate base be under a commercial parking lot?

It depends on the soil, the traffic, and the design section. Light passenger parking areas commonly use a shallower base section, while truck routes, dumpster approaches, and industrial yards require a substantially deeper base and thicker asphalt. We size the section to the loads your site actually carries.

Do you perform utility trenching and backfill?

Yes. We trench, excavate for structures and footings, and backfill in compacted lifts so the trench does not settle under future pavement. Utility locates are called and verified before any excavation begins, and trench restoration is tied into the surrounding surface.

Can you grade an existing lot without a full rebuild?

Often, yes. Where the base is still sound and the problem is drainage or profile, milling and regrading the surface can correct ponding without full reconstruction. Where the base has failed, the section has to be removed and rebuilt, the site walk determines which situation you have.

Do you offer free grading and excavation estimates?

Yes. Free on-site estimates are available throughout Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Tucson, and the rest of Arizona. An estimator will walk the site, review plans or existing conditions, and prepare a written scope and price.

New Construction

Grading & Excavation Services in Arizona

Site grading, fine grading, excavation, drainage shaping, and aggregate base placement for commercial and industrial projects across Arizona, self-performed by in-house crews and backed by a 2-year workmanship warranty.

602-256-7376

Site preparation done right the first time

EVERY LOT STARTS BELOW GRADE

Pavement is a structural section, and the strongest layer in it is the one nobody sees. Grading sets the drainage, compaction sets the load capacity, and base depth sets the service life. American Asphalt has been performing site grading, excavation, and base construction on Arizona commercial and industrial projects for more than 30 years.

Earthwork is the first phase of our asphalt paving scope, it precedes every pour handled by our commercial concrete crews, and on rebuild projects it pairs directly with milling and pulverizing to reclaim the existing section instead of hauling it away.

Cut-and-fill site grading
Laser & GPS fine grading
Subgrade conditioning & compaction
ABC aggregate base placement
Drainage, swale & basin shaping
2-year workmanship warranty

American Asphalt backhoe grading subgrade on an Arizona commercial site

Since 1993

30+

Years of Arizona earthwork

Why earthwork decides everything

THE BEST REPAIR IS THE ONE YOU SKIP

Compaction, drainage, and base depth determine whether a commercial lot performs for five years or twenty-five. Getting the section right before paving costs a fraction of rebuilding it afterward.

Pavement life starts underground

Asphalt does not fail from the top down nearly as often as it fails from the base up. Correct grading and compaction is the single highest-leverage decision on any paving project.

Drainage designed, not discovered

Positive slope, swales, and basin grading move water off the lot. Ponding is what produces alligator cracking, potholes, and full-depth base failure in Arizona.

Density verified, not assumed

Subgrade and base are moisture-conditioned and compacted to specified density so the section performs the way it was designed instead of settling under load.

Balanced earthwork controls cost

Cutting and filling on-site where the design allows reduces import, export, and hauling, often the largest controllable line item in site work.

One contractor through paving

The crew that grades your site is the crew that paves it. No finger-pointing between an earthwork sub and a paving contractor when the section settles.

Backed for two years

Grading, excavation, and base work carries a 2-year workmanship warranty from a family-owned Arizona contractor operating since 1993.

The service

SITE WORK & EARTHWORK CONTRACTOR

From a parking lot subgrade rework to a full commercial pad with import, drainage, and base construction, we self-perform every step, survey, clearing, demolition, excavation, rough and fine grading, compaction, base placement, and proof roll.

Cut-and-fill & pad construction
Fine grading to design tolerance
Utility trenching & structural excavation
Aggregate base placement & proof roll

Service Area

Statewide, Arizona

Warranty

2-Year Workmanship

ROC Licensed

155730 / 109709 / 105759

Experience

30+ Years In-House

What we move

GRADING & EXCAVATION ACROSS ARIZONA

Site grading, fine grading, aggregate base, drainage and retention shaping, trenching, and demolition with haul-off, all self-performed by in-house crews.

SITE GRADING & ROUGH GRADE for Arizona commercial properties by American Asphalt

01 · Earthwork Scope

SITE GRADING & ROUGH GRADECut-and-fill earthwork that brings a raw or reworked site to design elevation, balancing material on-site where possible and shaping the pad for what gets built on it.

FINE GRADING & SUBGRADE PREP for Arizona commercial properties by American Asphalt

02 · Earthwork Scope

FINE GRADING & SUBGRADE PREPLaser and GPS-guided fine grading to tight tolerance, then moisture conditioning and compaction so the subgrade is ready to carry pavement or concrete without settlement.

03 · Earthwork Scope

AGGREGATE BASE PLACEMENTPlacement and compaction of ABC aggregate base to specified depth and density, the structural layer that determines how long the asphalt above it survives.

DRAINAGE & RETENTION GRADING for Arizona commercial properties by American Asphalt

04 · Earthwork Scope

DRAINAGE & RETENTION GRADINGSwales, retention and detention basins, and positive-slope grading that moves stormwater off the pavement and away from building slabs and foundations.

05 · Earthwork Scope

EXCAVATION & TRENCHINGUtility trenching, footing excavation, structural excavation, and backfill with compacted lifts, coordinated with locates and inspected before it disappears.

DEMOLITION, CLEARING & HAUL-OFF for Arizona commercial properties by American Asphalt

06 · Earthwork Scope

DEMOLITION, CLEARING & HAUL-OFFRemoval of failed pavement, concrete, and site obstructions, plus clearing, grubbing, and disposal so the pad is clean before earthwork starts.

How we deliver

SURVEY, CUT, COMPACT & PROOF

Earthwork gets buried the moment it is finished, so it has to be right the first time. Every American Asphalt grading project follows the same disciplined sequence, verified grades, controlled lifts, measured compaction, and a proof roll before anything covers it.

Field video from an American Asphalt project, the same in-house crews and equipment we run on every grading, excavation, and base construction contract.

01
Step
Survey & earthwork plan
We shoot existing topography, compare it to design grades, calculate cut and fill, and confirm drainage patterns, export needs, and access before equipment mobilizes.
02
Step
Clear, demo & excavate
Blue Stake locates verified, then clearing, pavement and concrete demolition, structural excavation, and haul-off or on-site stockpiling of usable material.
03
Step
Grade, condition & compact
Rough grade to design, then fine grade to tolerance with moisture conditioning and compaction of the subgrade in controlled lifts to the specified density.
04
Step
Base placement & proof roll
Aggregate base placed to depth, compacted, and proof-rolled to expose soft spots, corrected before any pavement or concrete is placed over the section.

Site Grading · Fine Grading · ExcavationABC Base Placement & Proof RollROC 155730 / 109709 / 105759, Bonded & InsuredMAG 211 / 230 / 310 · ADOT 203Statewide Arizona Coverage2-Year Workmanship Warranty

Standards & compliance

GRADED & COMPACTED TO SPEC

Every yard of earthwork we perform is built to a published material and workmanship standard. Below are the specifications and credentials most commonly referenced on the commercial, industrial, and public-agency grading and excavation work we deliver.

MAG Section 211 – Earthwork & Grading

Clearing, excavation, embankment, and grading performed to Maricopa Association of Governments Uniform Standard Specification requirements.

MAG Sections 230 / 310 – Subgrade & ABC

Subgrade preparation and aggregate base course placed, moisture-conditioned, and compacted to the specified relative density before paving.

ADOT Section 203 – Earthwork

Roadway excavation, embankment, and compaction produced to ADOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction on agency projects.

ROC Licensed & Bonded

Licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors under ROC 155730, 109709, and 105759, bonded, insured, and cleared for commercial contracts statewide.

2-Year Workmanship Warranty

All grading, excavation, and base placement is backed by a 2-year workmanship warranty on the work performed by our crews.

Dust Control & MUTCD

Maricopa County dust control practices and MUTCD-compliant traffic control maintained throughout earthwork on active and public sites.

What you'll receive

Grading & Excavation Scope

Topographic survey & cut/fill earthwork plan
Blue Stake locates & utility verification
Clearing, grubbing, demolition & haul-off
Rough grading to design elevation
Fine grading to specified tolerance
Moisture conditioning & compaction in lifts
Aggregate base placement, compaction & proof roll
2-year workmanship warranty on the work performed

Who we work with

Commercial, HOA, Municipal & Industrial

General contractors, developers, property managers, HOA boards, school districts, and municipalities across Arizona rely on American Asphalt to prepare the section before the pavement goes down, and to pave it once it does.

Retail & Office

Industrial & Warehouse

HOA & Multifamily

Municipal & Public

FAQ

Grading & Excavation Questions

Straight answers from the estimators and crews who do the work across Arizona. Don't see your question? Call our office and talk to a real person.

Backhoe grading subgrade on an Arizona commercial site

Paving the way for 30+ years

Ready to protect
your pavement?

Get a free estimate on asphalt paving, slurry seal, sealcoating, striping, and full-service pavement maintenance from Arizona's trusted asphalt experts, serving commercial, HOA, and municipal properties statewide.

Hours

Mon-Fri 7 AM - 5 PMSat-Sun Closed

Call for a free estimate