Regrading Land Surface Regrading the land surface of a construction site is done for a variety of reasons.
Some sites require regrading to properly site the house.
Regrading is sometimes done to handle surface runoff from adjacent properties. Of course, the easiest way for a builder to dispose of the soil excavated when the basement was dug is to spread it over part or all of the site. From a tree's perspective, with rare exception, little good results from the regrading that occurs during construction. As enumerated in Column 2 of Table 3, the natural surface and subsurface drainage patterns and water characteristics are altered, soils can be compacted, tree roots may be destroyed, and many physical and chemical characteristics of the soil may be altered. The majority of tree feeder roots are located in the top four to eight inches of soil.