First Phase Siteworks does the part of the job that happens before anything gets built. Clearing, digging, grading and draining, for homeowners, builders and general contractors within 35 miles of Norfolk.
Call (757) 239-0707 for a free on site estimate. Licensed and insured. Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday by appointment.
The First Phase Sets Up Every Phase After It
A foundation is only as good as the hole it sits in. A driveway is only as good as the base under it. A finished lot is only as good as the grade that moves water away from the house. That groundwork is at the center of our work, and we do it to the standard the next trade is going to measure it against.
What We Do
- Land Clearing, lots and acreage cleared and grubbed so you can build or use the ground
- Forestry Mulching, standing brush ground in place with no burn pile and no haul off
- Excavation, footings, foundations, basements, trenching, backfill and compaction
- Grading, rough grade, finish grade and fixing yards that send water the wrong way
- Drainage Installation, French drains, drywells, culverts and the grading that makes them work
- Asphalt Driveways, hot-mix asphalt and blacktop driveway options
- Gravel Driveway Installation, built on a compacted base, crowned and ditched to last
- Site Preparation, raw lot to rough grade ready for footings
- Demolition, sheds, barns, garages, slabs and small structures
- Pool Removal, removal, suitable fill, compaction and drainage planned to reduce settlement risk
- Brush Removal and Material Hauling
Choose the Right Starting Point for Your Property
- Brush or woodland: compare forestry mulching for understory management with construction clearing for a future footprint.
- Standing water: identify the source and outlet before choosing a French drain, catch basin or grading.
- New construction: start with the plans, foundation excavation checklist and building-pad scope.
- Old pool or structure: compare pool removal methods or use the demolition estimate checklist.
A sitework estimate should identify the access route, work limits, materials, haul-off, drainage, restoration and any separately priced approvals, testing or engineering.
Who You Are Hiring
First Phase Siteworks is a local, owner operated excavation and site work outfit based in the Hampton Roads area. The owner is on the job, not just on the estimate, and the person who walks your property is the person who will be running the machine on it.
We work for homeowners, custom builders and general contractors, on jobs from a half day of brush clearing to complete site preparation for a new build. We are not the biggest outfit in the region and we are not trying to be. We would rather take the work we can schedule properly and finish clean.
Licensed, Insured and Straight With You
- Licensed and insured. We carry general liability and workers compensation. A certificate of insurance goes out on request, and we are happy to be added as additional insured on contractor run projects.
- Free on site estimates. We walk the property, explain the approach and the tradeoffs, and give you a real number. Photographs get you a range, a site visit gets you a price.
- We keep the schedule. The proposed schedule should account for weather, access, permits and any inspections. If those conditions change, the next steps should be discussed before work proceeds.
- We tell you when a cheaper option exists. If mulching fits the intended use and can reduce debris hauling, we will explain that option alongside clearing. Savings depend on the actual scope.
- We leave it clean. Spoil hauled, debris gone, road swept and your neighbors left alone.
Recent Work
A few examples of what we have been doing around the region. There is more on the projects page.
- Pond and basin excavation. Wet site worked down to grade with the spoil handled on site. See excavation.
- Acreage cleared and timber removed. Cut, stacked and hauled, ground left workable. See land clearing.
- Overgrown pond bank reclaimed. Cleared and regraded so the bank sheds water instead of holding it. See grading.
- Trail and understory mulched. One pass, no haul off, mature trees left standing. See forestry mulching.
- Gravel drive rebuilt on a proper base. Compacted, crowned and shedding water. See gravel driveway installation.
Where We Work
We review projects across the seven cities and nearby communities, generally within roughly 35 miles of Norfolk. Confirm the address and scope before scheduling. City pages explain local planning considerations; soil, groundwater and approvals still need property-specific review.
- Norfolk, tight lots, shallow water table, chronic yard drainage. Also land clearing and drainage.
- Virginia Beach, sand, large parcels south of the Green Line. Also land clearing and grading.
- Chesapeake, heavy clay, ditch networks and acreage. Also forestry mulching.
- Suffolk, farm country and long rural drives. Also mulching and gravel driveways.
- Hampton, flat ground, older neighborhoods, drainage led work.
- Newport News, wooded parcels north, drainage south.
- Portsmouth, narrow historic lots and flood prone ground.
Also within range: Poquoson, Yorktown and York County, Smithfield, Carrollton, Windsor, Isle of Wight County, Gloucester Point, plus Moyock and Currituck in North Carolina. Not sure if you are in it? Call and ask. Full service area.
Pool Removal Service Areas
Old in-ground pools need more than demolition. Start with the Hampton Roads pool removal guide, review pool removal cost factors, or choose a city page for local planning notes.
- Pool removal in Virginia Beach, VA
- Pool removal in Chesapeake, VA
- Pool removal in Norfolk, VA
- Pool removal in Suffolk, VA
- Pool removal in Hampton, VA
- Pool removal in Newport News, VA
- Pool removal in Portsmouth, VA
- Pool removal in Williamsburg, VA
What It Costs
Access, depth, soil and disposal move excavation prices more than anything else. We put together plain guides on excavation cost, land clearing cost and pool removal cost in Hampton Roads so you know what drives the number before anyone quotes you.
Sitework Questions Before You Request an Estimate
What does First Phase Siteworks do in Hampton Roads?
First Phase reviews excavation, land clearing, forestry mulching, grading, drainage, driveway, demolition and pool-removal projects for homeowners, builders and general contractors. The written proposal defines the services and restoration included for the property.
What information helps with a sitework estimate?
Send the property address, intended finished use, approximate dimensions, photos of the work and access route, and any survey, construction or drainage plans. Identify known utilities, septic features, retained trees and standing water.
Is mulching the same as preparing land for a building?
No. Mulching processes vegetation and can leave roots and organic material in place. A structural footprint may need clearing, grubbing, suitable fill, compaction and any testing required by the construction plan.
Can you give an accurate excavation price from acreage alone?
No. Access, vegetation, depth, soil conditions, drainage, hauling, fill and restoration change the scope. Photos help with initial review, while a site review and defined plans support a project-specific proposal.
Get a Free Site Work Estimate
Tell us what you need cleared, dug, graded, or drained and First Phase Siteworks will follow up.
Tell us what you are working on. We will walk the site, talk through the approach and put a real number on it. No charge and no pressure, and if the job is not a good fit for us we will point you somewhere better.
Call (757) 239-0707 or email firstphasesiteworks@gmail.com.