Excavation
Earthwork of every kind on the east side of Charlotte: land clearing, grading and building pads, utility lines, foundation digs, pool digs, demolition and hauling under one contractor.
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Fort Mill has grown fast, and the dirt work grew with it. Backyard pools go in on tight lots in places like Baxter Village, where homes sit close together. Builders cut new pads along the Dobys Bridge Road corridor and out toward Massey. Older yards near SC 160 hold water after every storm. Under all of it sits red Piedmont clay that drains slowly and packs hard.
Cornerstone Excavation Group is an excavation contractor based in Indian Trail, on the east side of Charlotte. Fort Mill is in our service area, and we are 5.0-rated on Google. The crew runs I-485 over to I-77 south and comes off at the SC 160 exit. US 521 through Indian Land works for jobs on the east side of town. We handle land and lot clearing, grading, building pads, pool excavation, demolition, retaining walls, ponds, drainage and hauling. Call or text (980) 315-5707 for a free estimate.
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Fort Mill counted about 24,500 people at the 2020 census. The Census Bureau's 2024 estimate puts it near 36,000. That kind of growth shows up as graded lots, new driveways and fresh building pads. Builders need the lot cut, filled and compacted to what the engineer or the builder specifies.
We clear what needs clearing, then cut to grade. Silt fence and stabilization go in before the dirt moves. York County will not run building inspections on a lot without erosion control in place. Then comes rough grade, the pad, and final grade once the house is up. See site preparation and building pads.
We work for homeowners, builders, general contractors, developers and commercial property owners. On a commercial lot in Fort Mill the same order holds: clear, cut, fill, compact, grade, then the next trade.
It depends on which side of the town line your lot sits on. Inside Fort Mill town limits, the town's Stormwater Department handles land disturbance. The town's FAQ says any project that requires land disturbance needs a permit application, with some exemptions. The owner or the general contractor holds the permit, and we work to what it approves.
The town sorts projects by size. More than 5,000 square feet and under an acre needs a land disturbance application. The plan has to show silt fence and the direction stormwater flows. A written stormwater pollution prevention plan goes with it. One acre and up brings in the state. That review runs through the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, the former DHEC.
Many Fort Mill mailing addresses sit outside the town, in unincorporated York County. There it goes through York County Planning and Development Services. The county takes a Residential Land Disturbance Questionnaire with the building, buffer or demolition permit. That form has a line for patio and pool square footage and a line for demolition. Subdivisions platted after March 2003 count as a larger common plan. On those lots, disturbing a tenth of an acre or more pulls the county paperwork in. Confirm your address with the right office before work starts.
Red clay sheds water instead of soaking it up. On a flat back yard the water just sits. Around historic downtown Fort Mill, the yards were graded a long time ago. The water has found its own path since. Regrading moves it first. A buried pipe or a French drain carries what the grade cannot, see yard drainage work.
Lots near the Catawba River, out toward Masons Bend and Waterside at the Catawba, sit closer to water than most. York County's land disturbance form flags parcels with a flood hazard area, a wetland or surface water. Federal approvals may apply there. The form points you to county stormwater staff first. We plan the dig around whatever that review says.
We also take down old structures and pull slabs and old foundations. We clear overgrown tracts, dig ponds and build segmental block retaining walls on slopes. The debris leaves on our trucks and the ground gets graded behind us.
Pool excavation starts with the pool builder's plan. It sets the shape, the depth and the over-dig for the shell. We dig to that plan. Before any of it, we file a locate request with SC811 so the buried lines get marked. The bigger question on a Fort Mill lot is access. Newer subdivisions put houses close together, and some lots take their driveway off a rear alley. Access decides which machine comes and which path it takes through the yard.
Clay comes out heavy, and a pool dig makes a large pile of it. Some of it stays if the grade needs fill. The rest leaves on dump trucks, see dirt and debris hauling. Once the shell is set we backfill around it and rough grade the yard. Then we build the pad and grade for the deck.
Weathered rock sits shallow under some Piedmont lots and deep under others. Rock changes the dig. We tell you what we hit and what it means before we push on. Most backyard digs run a day or two, and weather moves that.
Communities and areas we serve around Fort Mill: Baxter Village, Springfield, Masons Bend, Waterside at the Catawba, Massey, Regent Park, Brayden, Carolina Orchards, Dobys Bridge Road, SC 160, Anne Springs Close Greenway, Catawba River.
Fort Mill ZIP codes served: 29708, 29715.
Free estimates throughout York County and the surrounding area.
(980) 315-5707 Earthwork of every kind on the east side of Charlotte: land clearing, grading and building pads, utility lines, foundation digs, pool digs, demolition and hauling under one contractor.
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We clear lots and acreage across the Charlotte metro, with trees, brush, stumps and debris hauled off. The ground is left open and ready for the next phase of the job.
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We regrade yards that hold water and grade lots and pads for what gets built next. Rough grade, final grade, cut and fill and compaction, out of Indian Trail.
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We prepare lots for new homes and commercial builds around Indian Trail and Charlotte. The work covers clearing, cut and fill, building pads, compaction and the first grade.
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We install underground utilities on the east side of Charlotte: water mains and service lines, sanitary sewer, storm drainage pipe and structures, and trenching for power, gas and telecom conduit.
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We dig foundations and footings for new homes, additions, garages and outbuildings. We also trench for water, sewer and utility lines, then backfill and grade once the foundation is in.
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We excavate for new inground pools across the Charlotte metro and Union County. The hole goes in to your pool builder's plan, and the dirt leaves on our trucks.
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We take down houses, garages, sheds and light commercial buildings, then break out the concrete under them. The debris leaves on our dump trucks and the lot is graded and ready for what comes next.
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We build segmental block retaining walls that hold a slope in place and stop soil from washing out. The dig, the compacted base and the drainage behind the wall come with it.
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We dig and shape farm ponds, private ponds, backyard ponds and stormwater ponds across the Charlotte metro. The work covers layout, excavation, basin shaping, bank slopes and the grading around the finished pond.
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We fix yards and lots that hold water after it rains. Regrading, swales, French drains and buried pipe move it away from the house.
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We haul spoils, brush, concrete and demolition debris off your site. We also bring in fill dirt, gravel and stone for the work we run.
Learn MoreReal reviews from real grading, clearing and excavation jobs on Google.
Cornerstone Excavating Group LLC just completed regrading my backyard. I had a large, elevated mound running across it and close to the house making the yard essentially unusable. Cornerstone did a great job working with the limitations of the yard and created a usable space while ensuring I had proper runoff where I previously had water accumulating close to the foundation. Tim and his team were very professional and courteous. I would highly recommend Cornerstone to anyone looking for an excellent excavating company.
These guys are excellent. Excellent pricing and top tier work. I contacted them about grading and pushing a debris piles. A couple days later, they completed the job. This literally was the easiest communication I've had with a company. Awesome, awesome, awesome! I will be using them again for sure. No question about it!
Cornerstone Excavation Group did an outstanding job on my property. They handled tree removal, land clearing, and grading, and the entire process was smooth from start to finish. Communication was clear and consistent, and they showed up when they said they would, which I really appreciated.The crew was professional, respectful, and clearly knew what they were doing. They removed multiple trees, cleared the land efficiently, and graded everything perfectly in preparation for the next phase. The property looked completely transformed when they were finished, and the site was left clean and well organized.It’s easy to tell they take pride in their work. The quality, attention to detail, and reliability really stood out compared to other companies I’ve worked with. I would absolutely use Cornerstone Excavation Group again and highly recommend them to anyone needing tree removal, land clearing, or grading done right.
Cornerstone Excavation Group did an excellent job grading the front of my property while my house was being built. The work was done professionally, efficiently, and exactly as promised. The site was left clean, the grading was precise, and it made a big difference in the overall look and drainage of the property. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing excavation or grading work.
Cornerstone Excavation Group did an excellent job grading my commercial lot. Very professional, on time, and the work was done exactly as promised. The site was left clean, level, and ready for the next phase. Communication was clear throughout the process and pricing was fair. I would absolutely recommend them for any commercial grading or excavation work.
I couldn’t be happier with the quality of work! The attention to detail and craftsmanship were outstanding, and my retaining wall looks amazing now. Everything was done with super high quality, and I’m extremely satisfied with the results. Highly recommend!
A few of the questions we hear most around Fort Mill. If yours is not here, call and ask.
Tell us about the job on the form, or call (980) 315-5707. We will get back to you and set up a free look at the site.
Tell us about the job. We will get right back to you.