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Grading & Earthwork: what bids leave out
Grading bids are where the spread between bidders is often widest, and the reason is rarely price. One bidder carries finish grade and SWPPP but excludes staking, testing, street cuts and seeding. Another carries rough grade only and excludes topsoil, finish grade and granular fill. On paper the low number wins. Leveled, it may not.
Level your grading bids with this checklist →
Standard scope checklist
Send this to every bidder and ask them to mark each line Included, Excluded or give an Add $. Silence is not inclusion.
| # | Scope item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mobilization / demobilization |
| 2 | Construction staking & layout (who pays the surveyor) |
| 3 | SWPPP plan preparation and permit filing (NOI / NOT) |
| 4 | Erosion control install & maintenance (silt fence, inlet protection, rock entrance) |
| 5 | Clearing & grubbing |
| 6 | Demolition of existing site features (pavement, curbs, slabs) & disposal |
| 7 | Topsoil strip & on-site stockpile |
| 8 | Cut / fill to rough grade per grading plan |
| 9 | Import fill: quantity and material spec |
| 10 | Export / haul-off of excess and unsuitable soils |
| 11 | Moisture conditioning & compaction to spec |
| 12 | Density / compaction testing |
| 13 | Subgrade prep & proof roll for paving and slabs |
| 14 | Undercut & replacement of unsuitable soils (unit price) |
| 15 | Granular fill / aggregate base |
| 16 | Finish grading to tolerance |
| 17 | Topsoil respread or import of black dirt |
| 18 | Final stabilization: seed, sod or erosion control blanket |
| 19 | Dewatering |
| 20 | Rock excavation (unit price) |
| 21 | Street cut, pavement removal & patch in right-of-way |
| 22 | Right-of-way / street cut permits & fees |
| 23 | Handling spoils generated by other trades (utilities, footings) |
| 24 | Dust control & street sweeping |
| 25 | Sales tax, prevailing wage & performance/payment bond |
Common exclusions and how they are worded
| Exclusion | Typical wording | Why it matters | Typical cost to cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction staking |
| Someone has to set grades before the dozer moves. If no one carries it, you pay your civil engineer or surveyor separately, usually on an hourly basis, and grading can stall waiting for stakes. | TBD |
| Compaction / density testing |
| Testing is normally an owner-hired third party, but you must budget it, and failed tests mean rework. Make sure the bid says who pays for re-tests. | TBD |
| Topsoil import / black dirt |
| If there is not enough on-site topsoil to respread, importing it is a real line item that landscaping bids also tend to exclude. It can fall between two trades. | TBD |
| Finish grading |
| Rough grade vs. finish grade is one of the biggest scope differences between grading bids. A rough-grade-only bid will look much cheaper than one carrying finish grade. | TBD |
| Granular fill / aggregate base |
| Base rock under paving or slabs can sit with the grader, the paver or the concrete sub. If everyone excludes it, it is a gap. | TBD |
| Spoils from other trades |
| Utility trenching and footing excavation create dirt that has to go somewhere. If the grader will not handle it, the utility subs need to carry haul-off, and they often exclude it too. | TBD |
| Erosion control blanket & seeding |
| Your stormwater permit cannot be closed until the site is stabilized. Someone has to seed or blanket disturbed areas, and it is commonly excluded. | TBD |
| Street cuts, removals & permits |
| Work in the public right-of-way brings permits, inspections and city-spec patching. It is easy to miss and slow to permit. | TBD |
| Tax, bonds & prevailing wage |
| A bid that excludes the bond and tax is not comparable to one that carries them. Add the quoted bond percentage to the bid before comparing. | TBD |
| Dewatering & unsuitable soils |
| These are risk items. Ask for unit prices up front so a wet hole or soft spot does not become an open-ended change order. | TBD |
“Typical cost to cover” is TBD. We will publish ranges only once we have real, sourced data. Until then, use your own estimate or a confirmed add price from a bidder.
Questions to ask bidders
- Is your number rough grade only, or does it include finish grade? To what tolerance?
- Who provides construction staking, and how many re-stakes are included?
- Does your SWPPP scope include the plan, the permit filing, inspections, maintenance and final stabilization?
- What import/export quantities did you assume? Please give a unit price for additional import and export.
- Will you accept and haul off spoils from the utility and footing trades?
- What is your unit price for undercutting and replacing unsuitable soils?
- Is the bond included? If not, what percentage would you add?
- Does your price include any work, permits or patching in the public right-of-way?
Bid-ready grading contractors
Contractors who agree to price against the standard checklist above, with exclusions spelled out line by line. Listings are not live yet.
Featured listing
Your company · City, ST
Bids on the BidGaps checklist
Featured listing
Your company · City, ST
Bids on the BidGaps checklist