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Commercial excavation projects fail in predictable ways: scopes that were never clearly defined, permits that were not pulled before mobilization, detention grades that did not pass first inspection, bids that did not account for site conditions. This resource library exists to help you avoid those outcomes.
The guides, checklists, and case studies below are written for general contractors, developers, civil engineers, and property owners who are planning commercial earthwork in Texas. They are not marketing materials. They are working references built from eleven years of field experience in the Houston market and across the state.
Use them before you bid. Use them before you break ground. And if you have a question the library does not answer, contact Stone River directly.
The guides below cover the questions we hear most often from clients at the early stages of a commercial excavation project. Each one is written to give you a working answer, not a reason to call us.
What commercial site preparation actually costs in Texas, broken down by scope type, site condition, and project scale. Includes typical cost ranges for rough grading, land clearing, and detention basin construction with notes on what drives variance between the low and high end.
A practical walkthrough of Harris County Flood Control District detention requirements, including volumetric standards, inspection hold points, and what civil engineers and contractors need to coordinate before and during construction. Written for developers and GCs navigating their first HCFCD project.
A step-by-step checklist covering the permits, notifications, and agency contacts required before clearing land for commercial development in Texas. Includes TCEQ stormwater permit triggers, local tree ordinance considerations, and burn permit requirements by county.
What "95% compaction," "select fill," and "engineered subgrade" actually mean in practice, and how pad site specifications on civil drawings translate into field operations. Written for developers and owners who review plans but do not have a civil engineering background.
Every project in our portfolio was completed on time and to grade. Browse a sample of our recent commercial and industrial work below.
Pad Site Development
Full-scope site preparation for a 14-acre industrial facility along the Grand Parkway corridor in west Houston. Scope included mass excavation, cut-and-fill earthwork, GPS-controlled finish grading, and stormwater detention integration. Delivered on schedule for general contractor handoff.
Commercial Land Clearing
Heavy land clearing across 22 acres of mixed brush, timber, and stumps for an industrial pad site. Site cleared, debris removed, and rough grade established for GC mobilization.
Detention Pond
Design-to-finish excavation and shaping of a 2.4-acre stormwater detention pond for a commercial development in Fort Bend County. Engineered slopes, inlet/outlet coordination, and finish grading to civil drawings.
Full-scope site preparation for a 14-acre industrial facility along the Grand Parkway corridor in west Houston. Scope included mass excavation, cut-and-fill earthwork, GPS-controlled finish grading, and stormwater detention integration. Delivered on schedule for general contractor handoff.
Heavy land clearing across 22 acres of mixed brush, timber, and stumps for an industrial pad site. Site cleared, debris removed, and rough grade established for GC mobilization.
Design-to-finish excavation and shaping of a 2.4-acre stormwater detention pond for a commercial development in Fort Bend County. Engineered slopes, inlet/outlet coordination, and finish grading to civil drawings.
Practical excavation and earthwork insight written from Texas job sites. No filler content. The posts below cover permitting, site conditions, cost factors, and contractor selection for commercial projects.
A breakdown of typical cost ranges for rough grading, land clearing, and detention construction in the Texas market, with notes on what drives variance between the low and high end.
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The permits, agency contacts, and site conditions that affect a commercial land clearing project in Texas before the first machine arrives on site.
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A practical walkthrough of Harris County Flood Control District detention standards for developers and GCs navigating their first HCFCD project.
Read ArticleCost benchmarks for commercial excavation in Texas vary significantly by service type, site conditions, and project scale. Stone River's Site Prep Cost Guide covers typical ranges for rough grading, land clearing, detention basin construction, and pad site development in the Texas market. As a general orientation, land clearing in Texas typically runs between $1,500 and $5,000 per acre depending on vegetation density and disposal requirements. Rough grading ranges from $3,000 to $12,000 per acre depending on cut-and-fill volumes and soil type. These are directional figures, not substitutes for a site-specific bid. Download the Site Prep Cost Guide for a more detailed breakdown.
The guides and checklists above cover common scenarios. Every site is different. If you have a project with conditions that do not fit a standard reference, contact Stone River directly. We review project details and respond within two business days.
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