Level the field with a landscaping pro
As you walk around your yard when you mow, have you noticed many bumps or divots tripping you up? If so, it might be time to even your lawn. This will help you achieve a better look for your yard and improve irrigation, level growth across your lawn, and ward off pests. Our guide on who to hire to fill an uneven lawn will help you consult with the right professionals for the job.
When you notice bumpy or depressions across your yard, it’s vital to consult with a local landscaper on the project. They’ll survey your yard to see what causes the uneven surfaces and provide solutions. Hiring a pro comes with several benefits.
Evening a yard takes five to seven days to DIY. And yards with many ridges or protrusions, warrant equipment rental, like a grader. A grader can run you $550 per day on its own, and unless you know how to use one, it’s best to leave it to the pros.
On average, professionals charge $400 to grade your yard. Plus, they come with all the equipment and know-how to get your yard looking right the first time around, so you don’t have to spend unnecessary time and money getting it right yourself. Soon enough, you’ll be sitting back and lounging in your bump-free backyard.
An even, well-manicured lawn creates a welcoming curb appeal and can increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell. Conversely, a yard filled with uneven patches might turn off prospective buyers and your neighbors. Because they have experience (and the right tools), a pro can help you get the best look possible.
Contractors often take care of the permitting work for you. This saves you time—no need to visit your local government office to fill out paperwork, which requires a fee to process. Permitting for leveling your yard is around $300, but it’s usually factored into the price when you hire a professional landscaper, and you won’t have to lift a finger.
Because this job can get complicated and require the use of special equipment, filling in an uneven lawn is best left to the professionals. Sure, you’re going to pay substantially for it, as the average cost to level a yard is between $1,000 and $3,280. That said, you won’t have to worry about renting expensive equipment, determining the levels of severity, and more when you hire a pro.
If you’re considering DIY, determine how much time and energy you have to devote to this project. Leveling a yard on your own can take a week of work. If you don’t have that time free, hiring a pro will expedite the project.
That said, if you only have a small hill or a slight dip in your yard (i.e. you don’t need any special equipment to get the job done), it makes more sense to DIY. Remove any rocks or thatch before applying a topsoil and sand mix to fill in the uneven lawn and use a rake to evenly spread it out.
Along with a landscaping company, you could also hire a general contractor to assist you with this project. When examining their qualifications, just ensure they have experience with landscaping and have leveled yards before. If possible, ask for references from homeowners who have hired the contractor to fill in their uneven lawns and look at before and after photos to ensure you like their work.
A general contractor will run you anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour. Receive an itemized list of all charges upfront, never pay 100% before work begins, and have open communication with them about how long it will take, what equipment they need, and more. Doing this ensures you’re both on the same page about the project so you’ll feel more confident about the work.
Pros fill uneven lawns by first determining the orientation of your lawn and finding causes for unevenness, such as tree roots, thatch buildup, or more. Then, they’ll grade it to determine solutions. For mild unevenness, they might recommend applying a topsoil and sand mix to even out the depressions.
Meanwhile, for moderate unevenness, a landscape pro might add or remove soil by using a grading rake. And for severe jobs, they might excavate, replace sod, or regrade your lawn.
