Grading & Planning
The largest and most unpredictable cost of land development is often the grading. Developers Research has prepared thousands of earthwork takeoffs and cost estimates, some over 50 million cubic yards, using the same software and techniques as the grading contractors. Our 3D analyses and graphics include not only the cut and fill, or mass excavation, depicted on the civil engineering drawings, but also the subsurface remedial grading specified in the soils report such as alluvium removals, landslides, slope stabilization, and hard rock excavation and blasting. With the abundance of knowledge, we have gained from analyzing so development projects, DR is able to make recommendations to reduce major cost items and identify revenue opportunities with a process we call Value Planning. VP is a mix of Value Engineering and Land Planning, in which we produce a conceptual land plan that minimizes initial project costs, allows for phasing of grading and improvements, maximizes lot premiums and revenue possibilities, and drives down the overall cost of development.