Grading, compaction, excavation and site preparation terms from soils reports, grading plans and SWPPPs, defined for owners, architects and contractors.
Prices for this work: excavation and grading · land clearing · demolition · hauling and disposal · concrete and asphalt removal · all 2026 prices
Related services: Grading and excavation · Site preparation · Site verification and utility coordination · Structure removal
- Grading and compaction
- Excavation and utilities
- Site preparation
- Clearing and erosion control
- About this topic
Grading and compaction
- Blue tops / grade stakes
- Survey stakes set to finished grade, with their tops painted blue, so equipment operators can grade to exact elevations. The surveyor sets them from the grading plan, and stakes knocked out by equipment are reset before work continues.
- Building pad
- The level, compacted area where a building will sit, graded to a set elevation and certified by the soils engineer. Pads are usually graded a little above the surrounding ground so water drains away from the future building.
- Compaction test
- A field test, usually by a soils technician with a nuclear density gauge, that checks whether placed fill has reached the specified relative compaction. The nuclear gauge holds a small radioactive source, so its operator must be trained and the gauge is stored and transported under state license.
- Cubic yard, in place and loose
- A cubic yard in place is soil measured in the ground; loose yards are the same soil after digging, which takes more truck space. Excavation is priced per in-place yard. There is a third measure, compacted yards: soil placed and compacted usually ends up smaller than it was in the ground.
- Cut and fill
- Moving soil from the high spots of a site to the low spots to reach plan grades, so less soil has to be imported or hauled away. A site that balances on paper can still need import, because soil shrinks when compacted and some dug material isn’t suitable for fill. Our grading work
- Daylight line
- The line where a cut or fill slope meets existing ground. Grading limits and erosion control are laid out from it. Staking it before work starts keeps grading from crossing property lines or into protected areas.
- Expansive soil
- Clay soil that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, which can crack slabs and footings. It may need removal, lime treatment or deeper footings. Labs rate it with the Expansion Index test, and the building code treats soil with an index over 20 as expansive.
- Finish (fine) grading
- Trimming a rough-graded site to final elevations and slopes, ready for slabs, paving or landscaping. Tolerances are tight, often within about a tenth of a foot of plan grade.
- Flowable fill
- A low-strength, self-leveling cement slurry used to backfill trenches and voids without compacting in lifts. It is also called CLSM, controlled low-strength material, and is usually mixed weak enough to dig out later.
- Geogrid
- A plastic grid placed in soil or base rock to spread loads and reinforce slopes, walls and paving sections. In reinforced soil walls, layers of geogrid run back into the fill behind the face to hold it together.
- Geotechnical (soils) report
- An engineer’s report on a site’s soils that sets compaction, over-excavation, slope and foundation requirements. Grading is priced and performed to it. The soils engineer usually observes the grading and testing, then confirms in writing that the work followed the report.
- Geotextile fabric
- A woven or nonwoven fabric that separates soil from base rock, filters water or stabilizes soft ground. Woven fabric is used mainly for strength and separation; nonwoven fabric is used where water has to filter through.
- Grading permit
- A city or county permit for moving soil above set quantities or working on slopes, usually issued with approved grading plans and a soils report. Each city sets its own thresholds, so a small cut or fill may be exempt in one city and need a permit in the next.
- Import / export
- Soil brought onto a site (import) or hauled away (export) to balance the grading. Both are priced per cubic yard and add trucking plus purchase or dump fees. Import soil is often tested before delivery so the soils engineer can confirm it is clean and suitable.
- Keyway and benching
- A keyway is a trench cut at the base of a fill slope to lock new fill into firm ground; benching is cutting steps into the existing slope as the fill rises. Grading codes require both for fill placed on slopes. The model grading code sets a minimum key 10 feet wide and 2 feet deep, and soils reports often call for more.
- Lift
- One layer of fill or backfill, often 6 to 8 inches thick, placed and compacted before the next layer goes on. Thinner lifts compact more evenly, because rollers and plate compactors only reach so deep.
- Lime stabilization
- Mixing lime into clay soil to dry it out and reduce swelling, so it can support a building pad or paving. Quicklime gets hot as it reacts with water, so crews wear eye and skin protection when spreading it.
- Maximum dry density (Proctor)
- The highest density a soil can reach in a standard lab compaction test, called a Proctor test. Field compaction is reported as a percentage of it. Southern California soils reports usually use the modified Proctor test, ASTM D1557.
- Native soil
- The soil already on the site, as opposed to imported fill. The soils report says whether it can be reused as fill. Native soil with roots, debris or high clay content is often rejected for fill under buildings.
- Over-excavation and recompaction
- Digging out loose or unsuitable soil below a building area to the depth the soils report sets, then placing it back in compacted lifts. Often called remove and recompact. Soils reports often require it a few feet below the footings and several feet beyond the building’s edge. Grading and excavation service
- Pad certification
- The soils engineer’s and surveyor’s sign-off that a building pad was compacted and graded to the approved plans. The building department usually needs it before the foundation inspection. It rests on the testing lab’s density results, so missing tests can hold up the foundation inspection.
- Relative compaction
- How dense placed soil is compared with the most it can be compacted, usually tested and stated as a percentage. Most Southern California specifications call for at least 90 percent, and often 95 percent under paving.
- Rip rap
- Large rock placed on slopes, channels and outlets to keep flowing water from eroding the soil. Rock size is set by how fast the water runs, and the rock usually sits on filter fabric so soil can’t wash out underneath.
- Rough grading
- Shaping a site close to plan elevations by cutting, filling and compacting soil. It is the first earthwork step after clearing and demolition. It usually leaves the site within a few inches of plan grade, and finish grading takes it the rest of the way. Grading and excavation service
- Scarify and moisture-condition
- Loosening the top several inches of ground and adjusting its moisture before fill goes on, so the new fill bonds to the native soil. The soils engineer usually checks the prepared surface before the first lift goes on.
- Slope ratio (2:1)
- The steepness of a graded slope, stated as horizontal to vertical. A 2:1 slope rises 1 foot for every 2 feet across, the usual maximum for cut and fill slopes under grading codes. Slopes steeper than 2:1 generally need a soils engineer’s analysis to be approved.
- Spoils
- The soil dug out of a trench or footing, either spread on site or hauled away. Cal/OSHA requires spoils to be kept at least 2 feet back from the edge of an excavation.
- Stockpile
- A pile of soil, rock or crushed material kept on site for later use or hauling. Stockpiles are covered or watered to control dust and runoff. Under SCAQMD Rule 403, stockpiles that aren’t being worked must be covered, watered or otherwise stabilized.
- Subgrade
- The prepared, compacted soil directly under base rock, a slab or paving. Soft spots are found by proof-rolling: driving a loaded truck over the subgrade and watching for pumping or rutting.
- Swale / positive drainage
- A swale is a shallow channel that carries surface water away. Positive drainage means the ground slopes away from buildings so water does not pond against the foundation. The building code calls for the ground to drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet away from a foundation.
- Swell
- The increase in volume when soil or rubble is dug and loaded, compared with its volume in place. Clay and rock swell more than sand, and broken concrete can take up half again as much space as it did in place.
Excavation and utilities
- APWA utility color code
- The standard colors for marking underground lines: red for electric, yellow for gas, oil and steam, orange for communications, blue for drinking water, purple for reclaimed water, green for sewer and storm drain, pink for temporary survey marks and white for the proposed dig area. California law requires utility owners to mark with these colors, so a mark means the same thing on every job.
- Cal/OSHA excavation permit
- The Cal/OSHA permit required before work in a trench or excavation 5 feet or deeper that a worker must enter. A contractor holds either an annual permit, with notice to Cal/OSHA before each job, or a permit for one project. Those trenches also need a protective system, such as shoring, a trench shield or sloping, unless they are in stable rock.
- Delineation (white-lining)
- Marking the area you plan to dig, usually with white paint, before you call 811, so utility owners know exactly where to mark. California’s excavation law requires it. Flags or stakes can be used where paint would confuse drivers or pedestrians. If the area isn’t delineated, the utility owner may hold off marking its lines until it is. Utility locating coordination
- Dig Safe Board
- The California Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board, created by the Dig Safe Act of 2016. It investigates damage to underground lines, sets safe-digging standards and enforces the 811 law for excavators and utility owners. Since 2022 it has been part of the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. Excavators and utility owners found at fault can be ordered to take safe-digging training or pay penalties.
- DigAlert ticket
- The request to Underground Service Alert (call 811) to have utility owners mark their lines before digging. In California it must be made at least 2 working days, and no more than 14 calendar days, before excavation starts. Private lines on the property aren’t marked. The day you call doesn’t count, so a Friday call usually means digging can start Wednesday. Site verification and utility coordination
- DigAlert vs. USA North 811
- California’s two 811 centers. DigAlert (Underground Service Alert of Southern California) covers Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties; USA North 811 covers the rest of the state. Both answer the same free 811 number, and the call is routed by where the digging will happen.
- High priority subsurface installation
- Lines with the most serious consequences if hit: high-pressure natural gas (over 60 psi), petroleum and hazardous-materials pipelines, pressurized sewer mains and high-voltage electric lines (60,000 volts or more). The owner must set up an on-site meeting with the excavator before work starts near one. When one is within 10 feet of the planned dig, work can’t start until that meeting has been held.
- Positive response
- Each utility owner’s electronic reply through the 811 center saying it has marked its lines, has no lines in the area, or needs more time. Check that every owner listed on the ticket has responded before you dig. If an owner hasn’t responded by the start date, the excavator contacts 811 again instead of digging.
- Potholing
- Digging small holes by hand or vacuum to expose buried utilities and confirm their depth before excavation. Vacuum excavation loosens soil with air or water and pulls it into a tank, which is gentler on lines than a shovel. Utility locating coordination
- Shoring
- Temporary support for the sides of a trench or excavation, or for a structure, while work goes on. Cal/OSHA requires a registered engineer to design the protective system for any excavation deeper than 20 feet.
- Ticket renewal
- A DigAlert ticket is good for 28 days from the day it’s issued. If digging continues past that, the ticket must be renewed online or by calling 811 before the end of the 28th day. Marks that fade or are destroyed before the work ends have to be re-requested through 811.
- Tolerance zone
- The area 24 inches on each side of a utility owner’s field mark. Inside it, California law requires careful digging, by hand or with vacuum excavation where allowed, until the line is located and exposed. Marks show a line’s approximate location, not its exact position or depth, which is why careful digging is required inside the zone. Site verification and utility coordination
Site preparation
- Demolition permit
- The city or county permit to remove a structure. It typically requires utility disconnects, an asbestos survey, an air district notification and, in many cities, a vector clearance. Many cities also hold a deposit for recycling and street damage until the permit is closed. Structure removal service
- Encroachment permit
- A permit from a city, county or Caltrans to work in the public right-of-way, such as sidewalks, curbs, driveway approaches or street trenches. Work on a state highway needs a Caltrans encroachment permit, separate from any city permit.
- Haul permit
- Permission from a city or Caltrans for oversize loads or heavy truck traffic, including a city-approved hauling route on large export jobs. Caltrans issues transportation permits for loads over legal size or weight on state highways.
- Haul route
- The streets trucks use between a site and the landfill or recycler. Some cities must approve the route on large hauling jobs. Cities may also limit hauling hours and require flaggers where trucks enter busy streets.
- Laydown area
- Part of a site set aside for staging equipment, materials and bins. Planning it early keeps trucks and bins off the street and out of neighbors’ driveways.
- Septic tank abandonment
- Pumping a septic tank with a licensed hauler, then removing it or crushing and filling it in place under a county environmental health permit. When left in place, the tank is usually pumped, its bottom broken and the tank filled with sand, gravel or slurry.
- Sewer cap
- Sealing the sewer lateral at or near the property line before demolition, inspected by the city. It keeps debris and groundwater out of the public sewer. The demolition permit usually can’t be closed until the sewer cap passes inspection. House and building demolition
- Street sweeping
- Sweeping the streets next to a site to remove mud and debris tracked out by trucks, required by cities and dust rules. SCAQMD Rule 403 requires track-out to be cleaned up at the end of each workday.
- Temporary construction fence
- Chain-link fence panels, often with privacy screen, set around a site to keep the public out during demolition and grading. Usually priced per linear foot per month. Privacy screen catches wind like a sail, so screened fence is braced or weighted more heavily on windy sites.
- Traffic control plan
- A drawing that shows the signs, cones, flaggers and lane closures for work next to or in a street. Cities often require one with an encroachment permit. Plans follow the California MUTCD, the state’s version of the national manual for traffic signs and work zones.
- Tree protection zone
- A fenced area around trees that will stay, usually at least out to the drip line, where no digging, parking or storage is allowed. Root damage often doesn’t show for a year or more, so a tree can decline long after the work ends.
- Utility disconnect
- Shutting off and removing gas, electric, water and other services before demolition. The serving utilities do this work on their own schedules, so it is usually listed as scope by others. Gas and electric meters are pulled by the utility, and the demolition permit usually needs proof of each disconnect. Our structure removal work
- Vector (rodent) clearance
- Proof that a building was baited for rodents before demolition, so they don’t move into neighboring properties. Many Southern California cities require it before issuing a demolition permit. A licensed pest control company usually does the baiting and writes the clearance letter. Structure removal service
- Water truck
- A truck that sprays water on a site and its haul roads to keep dust down, a standard control under SCAQMD Rule 403. Many hold 2,000 to 4,000 gallons and also supply water for compaction.
- Well abandonment
- Sealing an unused water well with grout under a county permit, following California well standards, so it cannot carry surface contamination into groundwater. California’s standards are in the Department of Water Resources Bulletin 74, and the county inspects the sealing.
Clearing and erosion control
- Clearing and grubbing
- Cutting vegetation and pulling out the roots and stumps so the ground is ready for grading. Roots and stumps are hauled away because buried wood rots and leaves soft spots under fill. Site preparation service
- Diameter at breast height (DBH)
- A tree’s trunk diameter measured about 4.5 feet above the ground. Tree removal is priced by it. Many city tree ordinances use it to decide which trees need a permit to remove.
- Fiber roll (wattle)
- A tube of straw or coconut fiber laid along slopes and curb lines to slow runoff and trap sediment. They are set in a shallow trench and staked so water can’t run underneath.
- Silt fence
- A fabric fence staked along the downhill edge of a site to hold back sediment carried by runoff. The bottom of the fabric is buried in a trench so runoff can’t flow under it.
- Stabilized construction entrance
- A rock pad at a site exit that knocks mud off truck tires before they reach the street. Typical details call for a pad of coarse rock at least 50 feet long.
- Storm drain inlet protection
- Gravel bags, filter inserts or covers that keep sediment out of storm drains while a site is under construction. Storm drains flow untreated to creeks and the ocean, so only rain water is allowed into them.
- Stump grinding
- Grinding a stump below grade with a rotating cutter wheel. The roots stay in the ground; full root removal is grubbing. Grinders usually go several inches to a foot below grade, enough to plant over but not to build on.
- SWPPP
- A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, required under California’s construction stormwater permit for projects that disturb one acre or more. It lists the erosion and sediment controls for the site. A Qualified SWPPP Developer writes it, and a Qualified SWPPP Practitioner inspects the site and the controls. Our site preparation work
- Weed abatement
- Cutting weeds and brush to meet a city or fire department’s clearance requirements, usually by a set date each year. In high fire hazard areas, state law calls for clearance up to 100 feet around buildings. Site preparation service
Getting a site ready to build
Who’s involved
Developers, civil and geotechnical engineers, grading inspectors, stormwater (SWPPP) preparers, and contractors who need a site ready to build on.
What the work involves
Site preparation turns a lot into a buildable pad: clearing vegetation and debris, protecting what stays, moving and compacting soil to plan grades, and keeping dust, mud and sediment on site. The excavation terms cover locating buried utilities before digging and keeping trenches safe.
Why it matters
Earthwork mistakes are expensive to fix once concrete is poured. Compaction that fails testing, a utility line hit because it wasn’t marked, or a missing erosion control can stop a job, bring fines or damage neighboring property.
Where it applies in Southern California
Grading in Southern California follows city and county grading codes, the project’s soils report, the state construction stormwater permit for sites of an acre or more, South Coast AQMD dust rules, and California’s 811 law, with DigAlert as the call center for Southern California. Expansive clay and hillside lots add steps in many neighborhoods.
How SoCal Removal fits in
SoCal Removal clears, grades, compacts, and imports or exports soil, and coordinates soils testing, survey staking and utility locating through qualified providers. It does not perform land surveying or soils engineering. See our grading service and site preparation.
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