Based in Indian Trail, NC · serving the Charlotte metro and Union County
Land Clearing · Grading · Free Estimates (980) 315-5707
Cornerstone Excavation Group
Cleared lot of bare dirt with the tree line left standing at the back
Service Area

Excavation Contractor in Mint Hill, NC

Serving Mint Hill · Mecklenburg County

Land Clearing, Grading and Site Work for Mint Hill Property Owners

Mint Hill lots run bigger than most of Mecklenburg County. Homes in Farmwood and Ashe Plantation sit on half-acre to two-acre parcels under mature trees. There is room back there for a pool, but getting a machine to the spot takes planning. Red clay under this ground sheds water, so a bad grade shows up the first hard rain.

Cornerstone Excavation Group is an excavation contractor based in Indian Trail, on the east side of Charlotte. The crew drives over from there, up US-74 through Matthews and out Matthews-Mint Hill Road. In Mint Hill we handle tree and brush clearing, grading, building pads, pool excavation, demolition, retaining walls, ponds, drainage and hauling. Cornerstone is 5.0-rated on Google, and a call or text to (980) 315-5707 gets you a free estimate.

What We Do in Mint Hill

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Which office issues permits in Mint Hill?

Mint Hill runs its own Planning and Zoning department, but building permits come from the county. Under an inter-local agreement, Mecklenburg County LUESA handles building permit activity inside town limits and in the extraterritorial area. A shed or garage over 12 feet in any dimension needs a county building permit. Anything 12 feet or smaller needs a town zoning permit instead.

Grading and clearing work runs on a separate track. State sediment control law requires an approved erosion control plan once a site disturbs one acre or more. Mecklenburg County runs a delegated local program, and delegated programs can be stricter than the state rule. The owner, builder or developer holds that permit, so check your parcel with the county first.

One more Mint Hill wrinkle is the county line. The town sits mostly in southeastern Mecklenburg County, and a piece of it reaches into northwestern Union County. Which county your parcel falls in can change which office you deal with. Check that before a demolition or a large grading job.

Stormwater and stream buffers around Mint Hill creeks

The Town of Mint Hill partners with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services to manage stormwater inside town limits. That partnership covers sediment and erosion control from land-disturbing work. It also covers drainage and stormwater pollution complaints.

Mint Hill has its own S.W.I.M. buffer ordinance. Buffers start where a stream drains 50 acres or more. The ordinance sets 35 feet on each side above 50 acres and 50 feet on each side above 300 acres. Above 640 acres the buffer runs wider still and is tied to the floodway.

That rule matters on a dig. Fill material cannot be brought into the buffer, and grading is allowed only in the Upland Zone. Clear Creek, Crooked Creek and Goose Creek drain east toward the Rocky River, while McAlpine Creek drains west. If a stream crosses the back of your lot, confirm the buffer with the county before planning yard drainage work.

Clearing, grading and pads on older Mint Hill lots

Plenty of Mint Hill acreage has been sitting under trees for decades. Farmwood homes date from 1970 to 2006, and the lots around them run up past two acres. We clear mature trees, thick underbrush and stumps, then haul the debris off. Taking an old structure down is part of the same job when one is in the way.

Red clay is the other constant here. It holds water in low spots and sheds it off slopes, so water ends up wherever the grade sends it. Cutting a swale or running buried pipe helps, but fixing the grade usually comes first. On older Mint Hill lots the original grade has often shifted since the house went in.

The newer side of town builds differently. Wilgrove Pond went up between 2020 and 2022 on lots closer to half an acre. Builders and general contractors there want clearing to pad, cut and fill, and compaction to the spec the engineer sets. Fill dirt and stone come in on our trucks, and the spoils go out the same way.

Digging a pool in a Mint Hill backyard

Most Mint Hill pool digs start with access. The bigger lots off Lawyers Road and Lebanon Road have room, but the way to the backyard is often tight. We look at gate width, side-yard slope, the septic field, and what the driveway can carry. Plating and mats protect the drive and the lawn on the way in and out.

The town's own zoning FAQ spells out the pool path. You file an application with the Mecklenburg County Health Department first. After that approval, a building permit from Mecklenburg County LUESA has to be in hand before construction starts. The owner or the pool builder holds those permits.

The pool builder's plan sets the shape, the depth and the over-dig around the shell. We dig to that plan, then rough grade around it once the shell is set. North Carolina requires an NC811 locate request three working days before digging, so the ticket goes in early. Rock changes the dig, and how much shows up varies lot to lot here.

Communities and areas we serve around Mint Hill: Ashe Plantation, Farmwood, Farmwood East, Wilgrove Pond, Brighton Park, Green Meadows, Lawyers Station, Lawyers Road, Lebanon Road, Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Albemarle Road, Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park.

Mint Hill ZIP codes served: 28227.

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Serving Mint Hill and nearby

Free estimates throughout Mecklenburg County and the surrounding area.

(980) 315-5707
Our Services in Mint Hill

Every Service We Bring to Mint Hill

Excavation contractor in Indian Trail, NC

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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Excavator beside a pile of pulled stumps and brush on a cleared residential lot

Land Clearing

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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Dozer and compact track loader shaping a red clay building pad under an open sky

Grading

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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Compact track loader on a new gravel lot beside a steel framed commercial building with fresh curbing

Site Prep

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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Deep trench cut in red clay at a commercial site with an excavator working above it

Utility Installation

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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Red clay backfilled along a brick building's block foundation course beside a new concrete sidewalk

Foundation Excavation

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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Inground pool shell set on a gravel bed with timber forms around the edge, bare dirt and a shovel in the foreground

Pool Excavation

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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Excavator working a pile of demolition debris at the end of a concrete driveway at sunset

Demolition

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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Segmental block retaining wall with built in steps holding a graded slope beside a new house

Retaining Walls

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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Stormwater basin holding water in a lawn beside a commercial building after rain

Pond Excavation

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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Corrugated drain pipe laid in an open trench cut through red clay

Drainage

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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Brush being loaded into a dump truck beside an excavator at a wooded lot clearing

Material Hauling

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.

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Google Reviews

5.0-Rated on Google by Charlotte-Area Property Owners

Real reviews from real grading, clearing and excavation jobs on Google.

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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.

Brian S5 months ago · Google review

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!

Darnell Rondo6 months ago · Google review

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.

Daniel Murphy8 months ago · Google review

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.

Julia Bennet8 months ago · Google review

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.

Roman Teichert8 months ago · Google review

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!

Mint Hill FAQ

Questions From Mint Hill Property Owners

A few of the questions we hear most around Mint Hill. If yours is not here, call and ask.

Call (980) 315-5707

Do you work in Mint Hill, NC?
Yes. Cornerstone works all of Mint Hill and the 28227 area, both the Mecklenburg side and the Union County piece. The crew drives over from Indian Trail, so it is a short run up US-74 and Matthews-Mint Hill Road. Call or text (980) 315-5707 for a free estimate.
Who pulls the permit for excavation work in Mint Hill?
The property owner, the builder or the general contractor holds the permit. Mecklenburg County LUESA issues building permits in Mint Hill under an inter-local agreement with the town. The Mint Hill Planning Department issues zoning permits. For a pool, the town's FAQ sends you to the Mecklenburg County Health Department first. A building permit comes before construction. We can tell you what a job usually needs, and the county confirms it.
What does excavation cost in Mint Hill?
It depends on the lot. Access, tree count, how much dirt leaves the site and whether rock shows up all move the number. Mint Hill's bigger lots often mean more material to haul, and that usually shows up in the quote. Estimates are free and start with a look at the site, so call or text (980) 315-5707.
Is there rock under Mint Hill lots?
Sometimes. Union County and the ground east of Charlotte sit along the Carolina Slate Belt. Shallow rock turns up in digs on this side of the metro. How much shows up changes lot to lot, and nobody knows for sure until the ground is open. Rock changes the dig, so we talk about it before the work starts.
What happens to the dirt and debris from the job?
It gets hauled off, or it stays on site if that works for the grade. Spoils from a pool dig can sometimes be spread and shaped somewhere else on a Mint Hill acre lot. Brush, stumps and demolition material leave on our dump trucks. We settle which way it goes before the work starts.
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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.

  • (980) 315-5707
  • Indian Trail, NC · serving the Charlotte metro, Union County and the York County side of South Carolina
  • Free estimates · land clearing, grading, site prep, utility lines and demolition

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