Layout From the Plan Sheet
Grade stakes are set from the plan sheet and benchmarks are checked so the pad lands where the plan says, at the elevation the plan says. On a sloped lot this is where the cut side and the fill side get marked.
Site prep and grading
House Pad Construction in McKinney, TX
House pad construction and site prep for McKinney, Celina, Anna, Gunter and new home lots across Collin and Grayson counties. Built to the engineer's spec, compacted and ready for the foundation crew.
SafetyDiscipleshipIntegrityExcellence
Steele Construction LLC builds house pads and building pads for custom home builders, homeowners and property owners in McKinney and across Collin and Grayson counties. The pad is laid out from the plan sheet, stripped, cut and filled with low-PI select fill in compacted lifts, then finish graded for the foundation crew. We also handle foundation excavation, grade beam trenching and subgrade prep for flatwork. House pad construction is our most requested service alongside septic.
North Texas clay
House Pad Grading Built for North Texas Clay
Collin County and much of North Texas have high-PI clay soils that expand when wet and shrink when dry. Without proper site preparation, that movement can contribute to foundation settling, heaving and cracking.
Our house pad grading process accounts for these soil conditions from the start. Depending on the property and geotechnical requirements, we build pads with low-PI select fill placed and compacted in layers or prepare the existing soil through moisture conditioning.
Proper house pad preparation, grading and compaction create a stable base for the foundation and help reduce future soil movement and settlement.
For builders
Site Prep Contractor for Custom Home Builders
We provide site preparation for custom home builders in McKinney, Celina, Anna and throughout North Texas. We build house pads to plan elevations, including grading, select fill, compaction, and cut and fill for sloped or hillside lots.
For acreage and new construction, we can handle the entire sitework scope, including land clearing, house pad construction, septic installation, driveway installation and drainage grading. One crew handles the work under one contract, keeping the dirt work on one schedule from clearing through final grade.
Building pads
Building Pads for Shops, Barns and Metal Buildings
We provide building pad construction for shops, barns, arenas and metal buildings throughout North Texas. Pad preparation includes layout, stripping, cut and fill, grading and compaction in lifts to create a stable base for the concrete slab.
We also provide interior grading for dirt floors inside existing metal buildings, barns and building shells. Our crew works within the structure to bring the floor to the required grade and prepare the site for the concrete crew.
Foundations
Foundation Excavation and Slab Prep
We provide foundation excavation and slab preparation for new construction throughout North Texas. Our crew excavates to the dimensions and elevations on the engineered plans, manages spoil, prepares the subgrade and compacts the site for the concrete contractor.
We also handle foundation grading around the completed slab, shaping the surrounding soil to direct water away from the foundation. Proper drainage and grading are especially important with North Texas clay soils, where uneven moisture can contribute to soil movement around the foundation.
Beams
We provide grade beam trenching for slab-on-grade foundations throughout North Texas.
After the house pad is built and compacted, we excavate beam trenches to the layout, width and depth specified on the foundation plans, leaving clean, accurate trenches ready for the next phase of construction.
Flatwork
We provide subgrade preparation for sidewalks, driveway aprons, patios, curbs and other concrete flatwork.
Our crew cuts, fills, grades and compacts the subgrade to the required elevation, creating a stable, properly prepared base for concrete.
Driveways and rock roadsThe process
What Goes Into a House Pad
Four stages, in this order, on every pad we build.
Strip and Cut
Grass and topsoil are stripped off the pad footprint so the fill sits on firm ground, not on vegetation that will rot and settle. The site is rough graded, the high side is cut, and any rock or unsuitable material in the way is dealt with.
Fill and Compaction
Low-PI select fill is brought in as needed and placed in lifts. Each lift is compacted with a padfoot compactor before the next goes on, so the finished pad is dense from the bottom up instead of loose in the middle.
Final Grade and Drainage
The top of the pad is finish graded for the foundation and the surrounding dirt is crowned so rain sheds away from the pad, around the edges and off the lot instead of against the foundation. The pad is walked with you before we call it done.
Questions
Site Preparation Questions
What is house pad construction?
Building a level, compacted dirt base for a home's foundation. The pad is laid out from the plan sheet, stripped, and built up in layers of low-PI select fill with each layer compacted before the next goes on. The top is finish graded for the foundation crew.
Why does the pad need low-PI fill in McKinney?
The native soil here is high-PI black clay. It swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and under a house that movement heaves the foundation. Low-PI material does not swell, so the pad stays put.
Do you pour the foundation?
No. We do the dirt side: the pad, foundation excavation, grade beam trenching and subgrade for flatwork. Forming and pouring concrete is the foundation contractor's work, and we hand them a site that is ready for it.
How long does it take to build a house pad?
It depends on the site. Rock, how much select fill has to be brought in, and the amount of cut and fill on a sloped lot all change the timeline. You get a schedule with the written price after the site visit.
Can you build the pad and install the septic system on the same job?
Yes. House pads and septic tank installation are our two most requested services, and on a new lot they are usually one contract with the same crew. Clearing, the driveway and drainage can be added to the scope.
Do you build pads for metal buildings and barns?
Yes. Building pads for shops, barns and metal buildings run the same process as a house pad, and we also grade dirt floors inside building shells that are already framed.
Get a Pad Estimate
Send the address and the plan sheet if you have it. We walk the lot, look at the cut and fill and put the price in writing. Free estimates, one day response.