# Grading



## dntttt (Jan 7, 2021)

Hi. I just purchased a house and the landscape was done entirely with landscape rocks. I have removed all the rocks and would like to plant grass in the back yard. I need to regrade the yard away from the house because it obviously wasn't done as the slope is actually in the direction of the house. The problem is that due to the design of the house, we can not get even a mini skid steer in the backyard due to the design of the house and current fences and gates. I would have to have something 40" or less in width in order to get it to my back yard. I can not find anything like that.

Any suggestions on equipment I can use to get this done? Or am I stuck doing this the old fashioned way with a shovel and a rake? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

dntttt said:


> Hi. I just purchased a house and the landscape was done entirely with landscape rocks. I have removed all the rocks and would like to plant grass in the back yard. I need to regrade the yard away from the house because it obviously wasn't done as the slope is actually in the direction of the house. The problem is that due to the design of the house, we can not get even a mini skid steer in the backyard due to the design of the house and current fences and gates. I would have to have something 40" or less in width in order to get it to my back yard. I can not find anything like that.
> 
> Any suggestions on equipment I can use to get this done? Or am I stuck doing this the old fashioned way with a shovel and a rake? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.


Welcome to TLF!

I would maybe look into renting a stand-on unit like a Toro Dingo. I think some of the narrow track ones are under 36" wide.

Bobcat, Ditch Witch, and Vermeer have similar offerings.

There are also some mini-excavators with tracks that pull in to fit through a 36" pedestrian gate.


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## dntttt (Jan 7, 2021)

Thanks Ware! That looks like it will work perfect and they have one at my local Home Depot.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I think if all you have is 1,000 sq/ft, you might be better off just renting a tiller or a dethatcher to loosen the soil and then you could use some rakes to move the soil around and regrade the lawn. I would think a Dingo might be too big for the area to move around and utilize it correctly.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

It's probably worth pulling a post up and the gate and getting the correct tool back there.


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