Rock Solid Excavation clears overgrown land and solves the drainage problems that come with Michigan ground — moving water away from foundations and yards so the property is usable again. From a wooded back lot to a yard that floods every spring, we assess what's going on, lay out a plan, and put the land back to work. Clay soils and heavy rain make water the real enemy here, so we build for freeze, thaw, repeat.
Land Clearing
Overgrowth doesn't just look rough — it hides drainage problems, eats into usable space, and gets worse every year. We clear brush, scrub, and overgrowth so you can see what you've actually got and decide how to use it.
- Clearing brush, scrub, and overgrowth
- Opening up wooded or neglected back lots
- Clearing for new builds, additions, or expanded yard space
- Hauling off the cleared material
- Rough grading the cleared area so it's ready for what's next
Drainage Solutions
Most yard problems in Michigan come down to water. Clay soil holds it, spring melt and heavy rain pile it on, and a yard graded the wrong way funnels it straight at the house. We find where the water is coming from and where it needs to go, then build the grade and drainage to move it away from foundations and out of the low spots.
- Diagnosing where water is collecting and why
- Regrading yards to drain away from foundations
- Moving water out of chronically wet or flooded areas
- Drainage paths that hold up through freeze-thaw and heavy rain
Assess, Plan, Reclaim
Every property is different, so we start by walking it. John looks at how the land sits, where water moves, what's overgrown, and what you want the space to become. From there we lay out a plan — clear, grade, drain — and put the property back to work. Freeze, thaw, repeat — built to take it.
- A walk-through to see how the land and water actually behave
- A plan that fits how you want to use the space
- Clearing and grading sequenced so each step sets up the next
- A property left usable instead of just disturbed
Why It Holds Up Here
The reason drainage work fails is the same reason it's needed in the first place: Michigan's clay and weather. Clay drains slowly, so water has to be given a clear path or it just finds the lowest spot and sits. Spring melt and heavy summer storms test that path hard, and freeze-thaw works on any low spot all winter. We build grade and drainage that account for all of it — paths that carry real volume, slopes that keep water moving, and clearing that doesn't trade one wet spot for another. The goal is a property that drains and stays usable season after season, not one that needs the same fix again next spring.
Land Management in the field
Frequently asked
My yard floods every spring. Can you fix it?
Usually, yes. Spring flooding is almost always a grading and drainage problem made worse by Michigan's clay soil. We find where the water collects and why, then regrade and build drainage to move it away from the house and out of the low spots.
Can you clear an overgrown back lot so I can use it?
That's a big part of what we do. We clear brush and overgrowth, haul off the material, and rough grade the area so it's ready for a yard, a build, or just usable open space.
Do you handle both the clearing and the drainage together?
Yes, and it often makes sense to. Clearing opens up the land, and rough grading and drainage make it stay usable. We plan both together so you're not solving the same problem twice.
What areas do you serve?
We're based in Fenton and serve Genesee, Oakland, Livingston, and Washtenaw County, including Flint, Grand Blanc, Linden, Holly, Hartland, Howell, Brighton, Milford, South Lyon, and the surrounding area.