Grading & Drainage Design for Land Development.
Stamped grading plans, earthwork strategy, and drainage design for residential subdivisions, commercial sites, industrial campuses, and mixed-use developments across Minnesota and Colorado. Plans designed to build, not just to approve.
Senior PE on every project. Big-firm experience. Independent-firm fees.
Grading and drainage, in plain English.
A grading plan is a civil engineering drawing that shows how a site will be reshaped through cut and fill, where finished elevations will sit, how surface water will move, and how the site connects to surrounding grades and infrastructure. It's a stamped construction document used by the contractor to build the site to design, and by the reviewing agency to confirm code compliance.
A drainage plan is the close cousin: it shows how stormwater is conveyed across or off the site, with storm sewer alignments, inlets, swales, and outfalls. In practice the two are tightly linked and are usually delivered together as a "grading and drainage plan" (or "G&D plan") in the construction set.
Done well, grading and drainage design saves a developer money in three ways: it minimizes earthwork by balancing cut and fill across the site; it prevents drainage problems that show up after construction; and it gets through agency review with fewer resubmittals.
Real Land Pro deliverable: residential grading and drainage construction plan.
What we deliver on a grading and drainage engagement.
Existing Conditions Analysis
Topographic survey integration, soil conditions review, drainage pattern mapping, and constraints identification. The work that prevents grading surprises during construction.
Earthwork Optimization
Cut/fill balance to minimize haul, retaining wall analysis where slopes can't carry the load, and pad-grade strategies that protect the project's economics.
Site Grading Plan
Stamped grading drawings with proposed contours, finished spot elevations, slope arrows, and construction notes the GC can build from.
Drainage Design
Storm sewer layout, inlet sizing, swale design, and outfall coordination, all integrated with the grading plan and stormwater management approach.
Erosion & Sediment Control
Construction-phase erosion control plans, BMP details, and SWPPP integration that satisfy MPCA, CDPHE, and local jurisdiction requirements.
Plan Coordination & Stamping
PE-stamped construction documents, agency coordination, RFI response during construction, and as-built coordination at project closeout.
Anywhere the ground has to change.
If your project requires building permits, the local jurisdiction will almost certainly require a grading plan. But beyond regulation, grading and drainage design matters whenever:
- The site has meaningful topography (more than a few feet of relief)
- Existing drainage patterns will change after development
- Soil conditions vary across the site (clay vs sand vs rock)
- The project includes retaining walls, terraced grading, or steep slopes
- Stormwater has to be conveyed off-site through controlled outfalls
- The site sits in a watershed district or floodplain overlay
- Multiple buildings, parking lots, and access drives need coordinated finished elevations
- Cold-climate frost heave or freeze-thaw conditions affect pavement and foundations
Even small infill sites benefit from intentional grading and drainage design. A bad grading plan can cost a developer ten times more in change orders during construction than the design fee itself.
Tell us the site, the scope, and the schedule. We'll come back with a fee in writing.
Grading and drainage design questions, answered.
What is a grading plan?
A grading plan is a civil engineering drawing that shows how a site will be reshaped through cut and fill, where finished elevations will sit, how surface water will move across the site, and how the site connects to surrounding grades and infrastructure. It's a stamped construction document used by the contractor to build the site to design and by the reviewing agency to confirm code compliance.
What is the difference between a grading plan and a drainage plan?
A grading plan defines the shape of the site: cut and fill, finished spot elevations, slopes, and earthwork. A drainage plan shows how stormwater is conveyed across or off the site: storm sewer alignments, inlets, swales, and outfalls. The two are tightly related and are typically delivered together as a "grading and drainage plan" or "G&D plan."
What does a grading plan cost?
Grading plan cost depends on site size, topographic complexity, soil conditions, and the level of construction documentation needed. A simple residential site might be a few thousand dollars; a multi-phase subdivision can be tens of thousands. Land Pro Civil provides a fixed-fee proposal in writing before any work begins.
How do I read a grading plan?
Grading plans show existing contours (typically dashed) and proposed contours (typically solid) at a specified contour interval. Spot elevations mark exact finished elevations at points like building corners, drive entrances, and inlets. Arrows show the direction of surface drainage. Construction notes call out cut/fill, retaining walls, swales, and other earthwork details.
Do you handle grading plans for cold-climate sites?
Yes. Frost depth, frost heave, and seasonal pavement distress are critical considerations for grading and drainage in Minnesota and northern Colorado. We design for those realities so the built site holds up through the freeze-thaw cycle.
Are your grading plans stamped by a PE?
Yes. Every grading and drainage plan is stamped by Paul Wallick, PE, a Professional Engineer licensed in Minnesota, Colorado, North Dakota, and Utah.
Founder of Land Pro Civil. Professional Engineer licensed in Minnesota, Colorado, North Dakota, and Utah. University of Minnesota Civil Engineering graduate. More about Paul →
Tell us about your site.
Whether you need a single grading plan or a full grading-and-drainage construction set, we'll come back with a clear proposal and a fee in writing.
Tell us about your project
We'll respond the same business day.
Open Project FormOr call (303) 229-0180 to speak with Paul directly.