Grading Plan
Grading plans are prepared to show the existing site conditions along with proposed changes, including any structures to be built, and the associated water drainage patterns. They are needed in order to ensure the proposed development drainage patterns don’t affect the subject or neighbouring lands in an adverse way. Grading plans are part of the permit application package and most municipalities require one to be submitted.
The existing site conditions are obtained from our initial plan of topography. The proposed development is illustrated by a site plan and house plans prepared by an architect, engineer or planner. These two sets of information are combined into one plan called a “site and grading plan.
The process of creating a grading plan starts with a plan of topography, which shows features currently on the site. Having an idea of what the site looks like (sloping, where the trees are, how big the property is, etc.), an architect/designer uses the topo to design their site plan. A site plan shows where the new house is to be located and other proposed elements, such as driveways, pools, walkways, or sheds. We then prepare a grading plan. Referring to our topo and the architect’s site plan, we design the water drainage pattern on the site. Proposed elevations are shown including any swales, if needed, along with arrows indicating the proposed water flow direction. The purpose of the grading plan is to show the municipality that after completion of the build, water will not pool on the site and neighbours will not be flooded. Site grading must be self-contained, meaning that no areas of the neighbours’ land are needed to drain subject lands. Each municipality has its own regulations regarding grading. Final approval by the municipality could take multiple submissions of the grading plan if the plan examiners ask for clarification or revisions. We do not charge for these revisions.