Delivered, spread and compacted
Low Yard & Lot Raising
Bring up a yard or lot that sits low and holds water, then slope it so rain runs to the street or ditch.
Residential & Acreage Dirt Work
Fill Dirt & Dirt Work
in Houston, TX
Fill dirt delivered, spread and packed in layers by our own operators. We raise low yards, fill old pools and ponds, and build acreage pads and driveways across Greater Houston.
23Years on Houston Ground
98%Repeat & Referral
$2MGeneral Liability
1Superintendent Per Job
Service Overview
Fill Dirt Placed Right, From Houston Backyards to Acreage
Low spots in a Houston yard hold water for days after a storm. The fix is the right dirt, placed in thin layers and shaped to drain. A low spot against the house also keeps the clay under the slab wet, which can lead to house foundation repair down the road. Jimenes Construction delivers fill dirt and does the dirt work with our own operators. We handle one backyard or a ten-acre homesite the same careful way.
The grade of dirt matters more than its price. Common fill raises a low yard or a pasture. Select fill is a sandy clay tested to a plasticity index of 7 to 20, so it packs hard under a house pad or a drive. Bank sand beds pipe and sits under flatwork. Sandy loam or topsoil goes on top so grass roots, and grading shapes the finished surface.
On acreage, dirt work means a pad, a driveway line, a stock pond, or leveling for a barn. Every job starts the same way. We strip the grass, loosen the ground, then spread the fill in lifts of 6 to 12 inches and pack each one. Wet clay waits until it dries back. We grade so water still leaves your lot the way it did before. Texas law bars you from turning your runoff onto a neighbor in a way that floods them. See yard drainage and gravel driveways for the work that often runs with it.
Dirt Work at a Glance
- Delivered, spread and compacted
- Grade matched to the job
- Placed in lifts and packed as we go
- Graded so water leaves the lot
- Pool fill-ins to City spec
- Permits and flood rules checked first
Coverage
Fill Dirt & Dirt Work Services
Six jobs we run most often. Each one starts with picking the right dirt.
Select Fill & Bank Sand
Tested sandy clay for pads and drives, plus clean bank sand for pipe bedding and under flatwork.
Topsoil & Sandy Loam Finish
A loose, fertile top layer of about 4 to 6 inches, so new grass roots instead of struggling in clay.
Pool, Pond & Hole Fill-Ins
Old pools filled to the City spec, dead ponds drained and filled, and stump holes or washouts packed solid.
Acreage Pads & Driveway Lines
House, shop and barn pads built in layers, plus the driveway line cut and raised above the ditch.
Pond Digging & Land Leveling
Stock ponds dug from your own clay, with the spoil used to level low pasture or build up a pad.
Our Process
How a Fill Dirt Job Runs
Two loads or two hundred, the job follows these five steps. It begins with a walk of your lot, so call (832) 576-3278 to book one.
- 01
Site Walk & Yardage
We walk the lot, shoot rough elevations, see where water flows now, and figure the yards of each grade you need.
- 02
Permits, Flood Map & 811
We check the flood map and the City or county fill rules, then call 811 for a utility locate before anything is dug.
- 03
Strip & Prep the Ground
Grass and roots come off. We loosen the surface a few inches so new fill bonds to it, and dig out soft or wet spots.
- 04
Deliver, Spread & Compact in Lifts
Dirt comes in and goes down in thin layers, 6 to 12 inches, each one packed before the next. Wet clay waits to dry.
- 05
Final Grade & Topsoil
We shape the surface to drain off the lot, lay the topsoil or sandy loam, and walk the finished grade with you.
Timeline
How Long Does Fill Dirt Work Take?
Rough day counts from the first truck to the last pass of the roller. Wet clay and permit reviews stretch them.
| Project Type | Typical Size | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Fill holes and low spots in a yard | 1 - 10 loads | 1 Day |
| Raise and regrade a backyard | 1/4 acre or less | 2 - 4 Days |
| Swimming pool fill-in after permit | Residential pool | 2 - 3 Days |
| House, shop or barn pad on acreage | 1 building | 3 - 7 Days |
| Pond dig or land leveling on acreage | 1 - 10 acres | 1 - 3 Weeks |
Engineering & Compliance
Materials, Methods & Code Compliance
Our native clay grows with every soaking and cracks open in August. Which grade of dirt goes on top of it, and how tight it is packed, decide whether a raised yard stays level.
Dirt Grades
- Select fill: sandy clay, PI 7 to 20
- Bank sand: clean sand, PI 7 or less
- Topsoil: sandy loam, few fines
- No trash, roots, concrete or oily soil
Placement
- Grass stripped and ground loosened first
- Lifts 6 to 8 inches under drives and pads
- Lifts up to 12 inches in open yard
- Wet clay dried back before packing
Permits & Flood Rules
- Houston fill permit over 50 cubic yards
- Pool fill: City demolition and fill permit
- Floodplain fill offset 1:1 in Harris County
- Montgomery County drainage sign-off at 500 cy
Drainage & Neighbors
- Grade falls away from the house
- Runoff kept off neighbors (TWC 11.086)
- No blocked ditches or drainage paths
- Stock ponds up to 200 acre-feet (TWC 11.142)
Why Jimenes
Why Choose
Jimenes Construction
Dropped, Spread and Packed
A dump truck leaves a pile in the driveway and hands you a shovel. Our own operators spread, pack and grade the dirt as it lands, so you get finished ground.
The Right Dirt for the Spot
Cheap or free fill full of clay clods, roots and concrete settles and heaves later. We match the grade to the job: select fill where it carries weight, sandy loam where grass grows.
Water Leaves Your Lot
Raising a yard the wrong way pushes water onto the neighbor or back at the house. We check the flow paths first, then grade to the street, a ditch or a drain.
Yards and Grades on the Estimate
Each grade of dirt, the yardage, the spreading, the compaction and the haul-off get their own line. You see what every part of the job costs before we start.
Credentials
Insurance, Warranty & Sign-Off
No state license exists for dirt work in Texas. Our certificate of insurance rides along with each proposal, so you know who covers the yard if a truck rut or a broken line turns up.
Permitted & Inspected City of Houston and Harris County
Permitted & Inspected City of Houston and Harris County General Liability $2M per occurrence
Workers’ Comp Full crew coverage
Warranty 1-yr workmanship
Warranty 1-yr workmanshipWhere We Work
Our Service Area
Headquartered in Houston and hauling fill from inside the Loop out to acreage past the Grand Parkway. Looking for fill dirt near me or dirt work contractors near me? Our operators run dirt jobs in these towns.
- Houston
- Spring
- The Woodlands
- Conroe
- Cypress
- Katy
- Sugar Land
- Missouri City
- Pearland
- Pasadena
- Baytown
- League City
Do not see your town? Call us, we travel for the right project.Check Your Address
Good Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure which grade of dirt your yard needs, or how many yards? Ring the superintendent who would spread and pack it.
Talk to a Builder(832) 576-3278
Is fill dirt cheaper than topsoil, and which one do I need?
Usually yes, fill dirt costs less than topsoil. Fill is subsoil with little organic matter, used for volume and raising grade. Topsoil, or sandy loam, is the fertile top 4 to 6 inches where grass roots. Grass struggles in straight fill. Most jobs use both: fill to build the grade, then topsoil on top so the lawn takes.
What is the difference between select fill, bank sand and common fill?
They are graded soils, and the City spec sets each one apart.
- Select fill is a sandy clay tested to a plasticity index of 7 to 20. It packs hard and moves little, so builders want it under a pad.
- Bank sand is a clean sand with very little clay. It beds pipe and sits under flatwork where you want drainage.
- Common fill is any clean soil on hand, fine for raising a yard or a pasture.
How do you fill in a swimming pool in Houston?
In Houston, filling a pool takes a City permit and a set order of steps.
- A licensed plumber disconnects the sewer.
- The City demolition and fill permit is issued.
- The pool is drained, and not into the storm sewer.
- Coping and the deck edge come off, and holes are punched in the floor.
- An inspector looks before any dirt goes in.
- The hole is filled with clean granular fill in 12-inch layers, each one packed, with no broken concrete used as fill.
How much does fill dirt cost delivered and spread?
There is no flat rate. A few things set the price.
- The grade of dirt and how many yards you need.
- Haul distance from the pit and how easy the site is to reach.
- Compaction, testing, permits and the weather.
Can I raise my yard without flooding my neighbor?
Yes, as long as the water still leaves your lot the way it did before. Texas Water Code 11.086 says you cannot reshape your land so your runoff floods a neighbor, and the neighbor can sue for the damage. Inside Houston, more than 50 cubic yards on a lot, or fill that blocks a drainage path, needs a City fill and grade permit. We check the flow paths first and grade to the street, a ditch or a drain. See yard drainage for lots that hold water.
Can I bring fill dirt onto land in the floodplain?
Yes, but the flood rules add steps, and they change by county.
- City of Houston: fill below the 500-year flood line must be offset with matching storage.
- Unincorporated Harris County: 1:1 mitigation in the 500-year floodplain, and no fill to raise a house in the 100-year floodplain.
- Montgomery County: a development permit, with floodplain review within 100 feet of the floodplain.
- Fort Bend County: a permit for over 500 cubic yards an acre, or for grade changes of 6 inches or more.
Keep Reading
Related Services
Once the dirt is down, a pad, a drain line or a rock driveway usually comes next.
Delivered. Spread. Packed.
Let's Raise ThatLow Ground.
Free estimates with every grade and yard listed, and our own operators from the first load to the final grade.
OR CALL (832) 576-3278
