The grading clause: two hours included, $150 an hour after that
Clause 10 of 13 from my signed L&G Building & Concrete contract, with what it meant on my project and how I would rewrite it.
What it says
Company statement: contract ODR-001094, signed February 20, 2026
“Grading is up to 2 hours only. $150 for each additional hour.”Concrete Contract and Balance Breakdown
The $1,000 grading line buys two hours. Fill dirt, gravel, stump and rock removal are all the customer’s job and must be done before scheduling. If the crew arrives and the site is not level there is a $300 return-trip fee.
What happened on my project
My project record
My concrete contract includes grading at $1,000 for up to two hours, with $150 for each additional hour. The terms make fill dirt, gravel, stump and rock removal the customer’s job before scheduling, say the customer is responsible for compaction and that L&G is not responsible for a failed compaction test, and add a $300 fee if the crew arrives to a site that is not level.
On my job the grading itself was not the dispute. I include the clause because on a sloped foothills lot it can quietly add more than the slab upgrade you were debating, and because it hands the one soil question that determines whether a slab cracks, compaction, entirely to the customer while the company keeps the no-warranty page.
How I would rewrite it
- Have your own excavation contractor grade and compact the pad, with a compaction test if the soil is questionable, before the concrete crew is scheduled.
- Get the finished-grade elevation and tolerance written down so “not level” has a definition.
- If the seller grades, make the hourly rate and a not-to-exceed figure part of the contract.
The question to ask before signing: “What do you need the site to look like when your crew arrives, in numbers, and who decides whether it is level?”
My reading as a customer, not legal advice. A North Carolina construction attorney can tell you what the clause means for your contract.
Related
Previous clause: Telehandler and equipment. Next clause: Schedule. All clauses.