Grading & Drainage Plan Services in DC, Maryland & Virginia
Grading and drainage are what determine where water goes on your site — and when they're designed wrong, water goes where it shouldn't. Against your foundation. Into your neighbor's yard. Pooling in your parking lot. Eroding your slopes. BOZ Engineering Group produces PE-stamped grading and drainage plans for residential and commercial projects across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with one advantage most civil firms can't offer: we coordinate grading with geotechnical soil data and structural foundation elevations in-house. That means your proposed grading works with the actual soil conditions on your site and aligns with the foundation the structural engineer is designing — not designed in a vacuum by a firm that's never seen your geotech report or your structural plans.
Who This Is For
Contractors doing new construction or grading work — You need a grading plan that shows the inspector exactly what the finished grades should be, where drainage flows, and how the site is stabilized. You need it PE-stamped and ready for permit.
Developers with sloped or challenging sites — Your site has grade changes, drainage challenges, or adjacent properties at risk. You need grading designed by an engineer who accounts for soil conditions, structural foundations, and stormwater — not just surface contours.
Homeowners dealing with drainage problems — Water is pooling against your foundation, flooding your basement, or running onto your neighbor's property. You need an engineer to design a grading and drainage solution that fixes the root cause.
Landscape architects needing grading coordination — Your landscape design requires grading changes and you need a civil engineer to produce the grading plan, drainage calculations, and permit documentation that supports the design.
Property owners dealing with water intrusion from poor grading — Your existing grading is sending water where it shouldn't go — against structures, into low areas, or off-site to neighboring properties. You need an engineered regrading plan with proper drainage design.
Dealing with drainage issues or need a grading plan for new construction? Call us at +1 202-998-5445 — we'll scope it out quickly.
Why Grading Coordinated with Soil Data and Foundation Design Matters
Grading plans designed without geotechnical data are guesses. The grading engineer proposes contours and drainage patterns based on what the surface looks like — but they don't know whether the soil drains well or holds water, whether there's a high water table, or whether the subgrade can support the proposed grades without settlement. In the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, soil conditions change significantly from lot to lot. Expansive clay, fill soils, and high water tables are common — and grading that ignores these conditions creates problems that show up months or years after construction.
The second failure point is coordination with the structural foundation. The grading plan sets finish grades around the building. The structural plan sets foundation elevations. When these are designed by different firms, we routinely see conflicts — finish grades that put soil above the foundation waterproofing line, drainage that directs water toward the foundation instead of away from it, or elevation mismatches that create constructability problems. These conflicts get caught at plan review or — worse — during construction.
BOZ Engineering Group eliminates both problems by producing grading, geotechnical, and structural engineering under one roof. Your grading plan is designed using real soil data from your geotechnical investigation and coordinated with the foundation elevations from your structural plans. Drainage is designed for the actual soil permeability on your site, not an assumption. The result is grading that works with your soil, your structure, and your drainage — not against them.
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Our Grading & Drainage Engineering Process
Step 1: Site Assessment & Data Collection
We start by reviewing your survey, architectural plans, and any existing geotechnical data. We assess existing drainage patterns, identify areas of concern, and determine what the jurisdiction requires for grading and drainage documentation. If a geotechnical investigation is needed, BOZ coordinates that in-house.
Step 2: Geotechnical Coordination
We integrate geotechnical soil data — soil type, permeability, bearing capacity, water table depth — directly into the grading design. This ensures drainage is designed for the actual soil conditions on your site and that proposed grades are achievable without subgrade failure or excessive settlement.
Step 3: Grading Design & Drainage Layout
Our civil engineers develop the proposed grading plan, drainage flow paths, swale designs, and inlet/outlet sizing. If BOZ is handling the structural scope, we coordinate finish grades with foundation elevations in real time — no coordination gaps.
Step 4: Drawing Production & PE Stamp
We produce PE-stamped grading and drainage plans with all required details — contours, spot elevations, cross-sections, drainage structures, and construction notes. Drawings are formatted for the jurisdiction where you're submitting.
Step 5: Permit Support & Construction Coordination
We support your permit submission and respond to plan reviewer comments. During construction, we're available for grading verification, field questions, and inspection coordination as earthwork progresses.
What Your Grading & Drainage Package Includes
Existing conditions plan with current contours, spot elevations, and drainage patterns
Proposed grading plan with new contours, finish grades, and spot elevations
Foundation elevation coordination with structural plans
Drainage flow arrows showing surface water direction and collection points
Swale design with dimensions, slopes, and lining specifications
Inlet and outlet sizing for drainage structures
Cross-sections at critical grade transitions
Cut and fill calculations for earthwork estimation
Retaining wall coordination where grade changes require structural support
PE-stamped drawings formatted for your jurisdiction's submission requirements
Start Your Grading Project
Request a Grading & Drainage Quote
Whether you're building new, fixing a drainage problem, or developing a commercial site — BOZ Engineering Group produces PE-stamped grading and drainage plans coordinated with geotechnical soil data and structural foundation elevations. One team. No coordination gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grading & Drainage Plan Questions — Answered by Our Team
Not sure if you need a grading plan, how it relates to your foundation, or what it costs? These are the questions we hear most.
How much does a grading plan cost?
Grading and drainage plan fees depend on site complexity, slope conditions, and the level of drainage design required. Residential and commercial projects are scoped individually. We provide a fixed fee after reviewing your project — call +1 202-998-5445.
How long does it take to produce a grading plan?
Residential grading plans take 2 to 3 weeks from the time we have a survey and geotechnical data. Commercial projects take 3 to 6 weeks. If geotechnical investigation is needed first, add 1 to 2 weeks for that phase.
Do I always need a geotechnical report for grading design?
For new construction, yes — soil data is critical for designing grading that works with your site's actual conditions. For smaller regrading projects or drainage corrections, a geotechnical report may not be required, but soil knowledge still informs better design. BOZ handles geotech in-house, so adding it to your scope is seamless.
Can a grading plan fix my basement flooding?
In many cases, yes. Basement flooding is often caused by finish grades that slope toward the foundation instead of away from it, or inadequate surface drainage. We design regrading and drainage solutions that redirect water away from the foundation and eliminate the source of the intrusion.
What happens if my grading affects my neighbor's property?
Grading that redirects stormwater runoff onto adjacent properties can result in complaints, violations, and legal liability. BOZ designs grading that manages drainage within your property boundaries and complies with jurisdictional requirements for off-site impacts.
Do I need a grading plan for a pool installation?
Most jurisdictions require a grading plan for pool construction because it changes site drainage patterns and impervious surface coverage. We design the grading around the pool to ensure proper drainage, prevent water from reaching the pool structure, and comply with permit requirements.
BOZ Engineering Group
From Feasibility to Final Permit.
Licensed in DC | Maryland | Virginia | Florida
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 202-998-5445
Business hours
monday: 8am - 5pm
tuesday: 8am - 5pm
wednesday: 8am - 5pm
thursday: 8am - 5pm
friday: 8am - 5pm
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