Grading and Drainage in Calgary & Surrounding Areas

Professional residential grading and drainage by experienced operators, with dependable equipment, and proven workmanship.

Pooling water, a soggy lawn and a chronically damp basement generally trace back to the grade. Origin Earthworks provides complete residential grading and drainage by re-grading the ground so water moves away from your home instead of pooling against the foundation. Our local Calgary experience helps us solve Southern Alberta's clay, runoff and freeze-thaw problems at the source rather than treating the symptoms.

Proper grading is the first and most important line of defense against water damage to your home. When the ground surrounding your foundation slopes toward the house rather than away from it, every rainfall directs water to your basement walls. Over time, hydrostatic pressure builds up against the foundation, forcing water through cracks, joints, and porous concrete. Our grading process starts with a thorough site inspection where we use laser levels to map the existing ground elevations and identify where water is collecting and why.

Calgary-area ground is dominated by clay-rich glacial silt, which is comprised of scattered pockets of sand and gravel. Clay holds moisture, softens when disturbed and is difficult to compact when it is too wet. While silty soils are prone to frost heaving and spring-thaw weakening, that is the reason why we manage moisture, compaction and material placement carefully at every stage, removing unsuitable soil and bringing in approved fill, along with crushed aggregate, geotextile or geogrid whenever the ground cannot provide the support the job requires. We work in Calgary.

Calgary's unique climate presents specific challenges for grading and drainage. The city sits at an elevation of over one thousand meters on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountain foothills, which means deep frost penetration in winter followed by rapid snowmelt in spring. This freeze-thaw cycle causes clay soils to expand and contract, cracking foundations and heaving driveways if drainage is not properly managed. Our team understands these local conditions and designs grading and drainage solutions that account for Calgary's short construction season, heavy clay subsoils, and dramatic spring runoff events that can overwhelm poorly designed yards.