Cornerstone Excavation Group handles the earthwork on residential and commercial jobs around Charlotte. That includes clearing the lot, grading, site prep, utility installation, pool digs, demolition and hauling the material off. Pick the service that fits your job, or call (980) 315-5707 for a free estimate.

Land Clearing

Trees, brush and stumps off your lot

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.

Lot clearing for new homes, from a wooded homesite to a staked building envelope
Acreage clearing for subdivisions, commercial sites and development tracts
Underbrush and brush removal along driveways, fence lines and property edges
Stump and root removal, pulled out whole with an excavator
Clearing and grubbing down to clean soil for pads and footings
Forestry mulching as a method where the ground should stay covered

Land Clearing in Indian Trail

Freshly mulched field with the forestry mulcher head resting on the cut ground and the tree line left standing

Forestry Mulching

Brush and undergrowth ground into mulch on site

Forestry mulching grinds brush, undergrowth and small trees into a mulch layer that stays on the ground. It opens up an overgrown lot without the digging and hauling of full clearing.

Brush, undergrowth and small trees ground into mulch where they stand
Overgrown lots and back acreage opened up without digging the ground
Fence lines and property lines cut back and kept clear
Trails and access lanes cut through wooded ground
Wooded tracts thinned with the trees you want left standing
Right of way brush cleared along commercial frontage and access roads

Forestry Mulching in Indian Trail

Compact track loader cutting a red clay slope beside a new house and driveway

Grading

Ground shaped to shed water and hold a build

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.

Yard regrading so water runs away from the house and off the lot
Rough grading and final grading for new homes and additions
Building pads for houses, garages, sheds and mobile units
Cut and fill and site balancing to keep dirt on the job
Slope correction and elevation control on uneven ground
Driveway grading and reshaping the base before gravel goes down

Grading in Indian Trail

Site Prep

Site work that gets a lot ready to build

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.

Clearing to pad on new home and commercial lots
Building pads for houses, garages, sheds and mobile units
Cut and fill, site balancing and topsoil stripping
Pads built in lifts and rolled with a compactor
Rough grading that sets the first drainage off the pad
Silt fence and stabilization while the ground is open

Site Prep in Indian Trail

Erosion Control

Keeping red clay on the lot and off the street

We install silt fence, stone construction entrances, inlet protection and seed and mulch on building sites. We also fix yards and banks that keep washing out.

Silt fence trenched in, backfilled and kept up along the low side of the site
Stone construction entrances that keep trucks from tracking clay onto the street
Protection around storm inlets so sediment stays out of the pipes
Seed and mulch on bare ground until the grass takes hold
Rock where water leaves a pipe, so the outlet holds
Silt fence repaired and reset after storms

Erosion Control in Indian Trail

Final grade at a new brick commercial building, with sod and planting beds between the building and a new sidewalk

Commercial Site Work

The civil scope, from erosion control to final grade

We do commercial site work for general contractors, developers and commercial property owners around Charlotte. The work covers clearing, mass grading, pads and parking areas, storm drainage and stormwater ponds, built to the civil plans.

Erosion control installed first, to the approved plan
Clearing trees, brush and stumps off the site and the right-of-way
Mass grading with cut and fill to balance the site
Fill dirt brought in or spoils hauled off when the site runs short or long
Commercial pads, parking and drive areas graded and compacted to the plan
Storm pipe, precast structures, outlet structures and rip-rap

Commercial Site Work in Indian Trail

Steel trench box set in an open cut with a new hydrant assembly at the bottom

Utility Installation

Underground water, sewer and storm lines, dug and set right

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.

Water mains and service lines from the tap to the meter or the building
Sanitary sewer mains and laterals, set to grade and tied to the connection point
Storm drainage pipe, catch basins, junction boxes and headwalls
Trenching and backfill for power, gas and telecom conduit
Trench boxes and shoring on deep cuts
Bedding, pipe zone stone and compacted backfill in lifts

Utility Contractor in Indian Trail

Open trench cut in clay with a large white pipe at the bottom, a crew member at work and a ladder set against the trench wall

Trenching

Trenches dug for whoever sets the line

We dig trenches for conduit, gas, water, sewer and drain lines, to the depth the trade or the plan sets. Then we backfill the trench and put the yard back.

Conduit trenches for power to a detached garage, shop, generator, pool equipment or EV charger
Gas line trenches for the gas company or the plumber
Water service and sewer lateral trenches for the plumber or the utility
Drain line and downspout line trenches that carry water away from the house
Fiber and telecom conduit trenches on commercial sites
Footing trenches dug to the builder's plan

Trenching in Indian Trail

Graded red clay strip running along the side of a brick building beside a freshly poured walk

Foundation Excavation

Footings, foundation digs and backfill for new builds

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.

Footing trenches dug to the plan for new homes, additions and garages
Full foundation digs for slab, crawl space and basement plans
Utility trenching for water, sewer, power and gas lines
Over-dig and access so the footing and wall crews can work
Backfill in lifts with compaction around the finished foundation
Rough grade around the house so water runs away from the wall

Foundation Excavation in Indian Trail

Pool Excavation

Inground pool digs to your pool builder's plan

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.

Dig-out to your pool builder's plan: shape, depth, deep end and over-dig
Deep end, steps and shelves cut where the layout calls for them
Access planning for tight backyards and narrow gate openings
Yard and driveway protected along the travel route
NC811 utility locates called in before the first bucket
Spoils hauled off site or kept on site for fill and grading

Pool Excavation in Indian Trail

Excavator arm pulling apart a collapsed outbuilding under mature trees

Demolition

Old structures taken down and hauled off the lot

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.

Residential demolition: houses, garages, sheds and backyard outbuildings
Light commercial demolition, small structures up to larger buildings
Fire-damaged and abandoned structures taken down and cleared
The slab and foundation under a building broken out once it is down
Full debris removal and site cleanup once the structure is down
Rubble piles and debris from old structures dug out and hauled away

Demolition Contractor in Indian Trail

Excavator bucket lifting broken slabs of an old concrete patio out of a backyard

Concrete Removal

Old concrete dug out and the ground left ready

We break up and dig out old driveways, patios, slabs and footings, then haul the concrete away. The hole gets backfilled and graded for the next crew.

Concrete driveway removal, broken up and loaded onto our dump trucks
Patio, walkway and sidewalk removal
Shed and garage slab removal
Old concrete steps broken up and hauled off
Old foundations and footings dug out, including the ones a teardown leaves behind
Buried concrete and old rubble piles dug up and loaded out

Concrete Removal in Indian Trail

New house on a graded red clay lot with a block retaining wall holding the slope above the driveway

Retaining Walls

Block walls built on a base that holds

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.

Segmental block retaining walls for homes and commercial sites
Cut and excavation back into the slope before the wall goes in
Compacted crushed stone base set below finished grade
Geogrid reinforcement layers where the wall design calls for them
Washed stone, filter fabric and drain pipe behind the wall
Backfill compacted in lifts as the courses go up

Retaining Walls in Indian Trail

Graded basin lined with rock in a straw covered field with water standing in the bottom

Pond Excavation

Farm, backyard and stormwater ponds dug to plan

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.

Farm ponds and private ponds dug and shaped to the size and depth you want
Backyard and decorative ponds on residential lots
Stormwater and retention ponds for commercial sites, built to the site engineer's plan
Layout staked on the ground before any dirt moves
Basin shaping, bank slopes and depth control through the dig
Spillway and overflow shaping so high water leaves the pond at a set spot

Pond Excavation in Indian Trail

Deep trench with drain pipe running to a concrete structure, excavator working at the head of the trench

Drainage

Water off your yard and away from the house

We fix yards and lots that hold water after it rains. Regrading, swales, French drains and buried pipe move it away from the house.

Regrading yards and lots so water runs away from the house
French drains built with washed stone, perforated pipe and filter fabric
Swales cut and shaped to carry surface water across the yard
Buried lines that take downspout and surface water away from the foundation
Surface drains and catch basins set in the low spots that hold water
Pipe set under a driveway so water crosses instead of pooling on it

Drainage in Indian Trail

Dump truck tipping a load of fill while a dozer spreads it across a red clay pad

Material Hauling

Dirt and debris out, fill dirt and stone in

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.

Spoils hauled off from pool, foundation and utility digs
Brush, stumps and land clearing debris removed
Concrete, slabs and demolition debris loaded out
Fill dirt brought in for low spots, backfill and pads
Gravel and stone for wall base, pads and site access
Topsoil delivered to finish a graded yard

Material Hauling in Indian Trail

Excavation Services Around Indian Trail and Charlotte, NC