A level ground in a garden helps with drainage and maintenance, but getting the land smooth is strenuous work, especially if you’re dealing with a large plot of land. ... due to fence post concrete and having to dig 2ft below ground level for some footings. 5. Note: Jump to Step 3 if your site is more than 12” off level over an 8′ span. Equipment such as a dozer, front-end loader or skid steer can grade the ground flat and easily move around large amounts of soil. This will show you in which areas the ground is high or low. Tie off the string to the second stake. Now that you know how to level a wood slab, and you know that flattening wood slabs with a router is not as hard as it might seem, you might want to explore the process of gluing up big slabs. Raise or lower the string until it's perfectly level. The land was a field until we built our house and now is part of the front yard. Place the one end of the 2×4 at the highest corner of the site and place the level on top. In any situation in which you’re leveling the ground, you need to use a leveler to ensure everything is where it should be at every step of the process. (Make sure to see the best tillers for breaking new ground that I recommend.) Fortunately, you have a variety of tools available to help make the job easier. How to Level a Yard Turf Removal. Level ground by hand or digger? Have a helper hang a line level onto the middle of the string. Johnson's 80-5556 Hand Held Sight Level obtains a level line of sight over long distance. For large amounts of earth-works, check your local council as a resource consent might be needed. In addition to the hourly rates for labor, contractors charge by the cubic yard of dirt they'll need to level a yard, which ranges between $50 and $200 per cubic yard. The best way to get rid of such plants, is to uproot unwanted growth one by one. You can level the ground for a pole barn by hand or with the use of heavy equipment, depending on the size of the barn and amount of dirt you need to remove. Wish I had a workshop to make stuff by hand. 0. To determine the slope of the grade, measure the distance from the level string down to the ground in three places: at each stake and in … Now you know the quantity of dirt that needs to be added or removed it is up to you how much exercise you want! 6. 4. At each stake level the string and mark each stake and measure the distance to the ground. Depending on the topsoil and the amounts of ground that needs to be removed, you may be able to level it with a shovel and a rake. worked well.. car jack levered the stump from concrete after a few hole were drilled . However, if you’re working on a slope this is doubly important, so be sure you have a good quality leveler on hand before you begin to level ground. I am looking for advice on the best method for leveling aprox 3 acres to help relieve my aching back from mowing. The old turf is bound to be full of weeds and unwanted plants, if your yard has been kept untended for a long time. This will be a useful skill if you want to build a “waterfall table” , which is also a … You can check the level by using an 8’ 2×4 and a level. Using a tiller/cultivator to get the ground nice and soft is going to make your job so much easier down the road. Land grading contractors charge anywhere from $40 to $180 an hour for labor. POWER TIP FOR BEGINNERS: Before you start grading and leveling your lawn, it’s best to make sure the ground is easy to work with. The first step that is to be implemented in the process of leveling the yard is to remove the turf that already exists. Simply sight through the slotted-end eyepiece of the sight level and you'll see the horizontal crosswire and the vertical bubble vial inside, and your object beyond. i used a reciprocating saw,pressure washer and a pump. A rototiller is a powered garden tool that prepares the soil for planting. 0.