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A good shed or garage starts with a level, well-drained, properly compacted pad, and getting that base right is the single most important step in the whole build. Site prep comes down to clearing and stripping the area, excavating to grade, laying and compacting a gravel base, and shaping drainage away from the structure. This guide walks through how to prep a pad that lasts, and the right Kubota machine for each step, for property owners and contractors across Georgina, Durham Region, Simcoe, Kawartha Lakes, and York Region.
A shed or garage is only as stable as what sits underneath it. Skip the prep and you get a structure that heaves with frost, shifts as the ground settles, holds water against the base, and racks the doors out of square within a season or two. A proper pad, stripped of topsoil, built up with compacted granular, and graded for drainage, keeps the building level and dry for decades. The good news is that the prep is fast with the right equipment, even though it is brutally slow by hand.
Pad prep is a clearing, excavating, and grading job, so the fleet lines up like this:
Because Titanium Equipment Group delivers, the machine arrives ready to work. Trailers are also available if you need to bring in gravel or move material around the site.
1. Locate utilities and set the location. Call to locate buried services before you dig, then stake out the pad. Size it a little larger than the building footprint, typically a foot of compacted gravel beyond each edge, so the base supports the structure fully.
2. Clear and strip. Remove brush, sod, and topsoil down to firm subsoil. Topsoil is soft and organic and must come out, or the pad will settle. The SVL75-3 track loader strips and stockpiles topsoil quickly.
3. Excavate to grade. Dig out to the depth your base requires. For a shed, that is usually enough to hold several inches of compacted gravel; for a garage, you may need deeper excavation and footings or a frost wall. The U35 handles the heavier digging; the U17 covers smaller pads and footings.
4. Check and set drainage. Grade the subgrade with a slight slope or crown so water moves away from the pad, not toward the building. Getting drainage right at the subgrade stage prevents standing water under the structure.
5. Lay the gravel base. Spread granular A or 3/4-inch clear stone in lifts of a few inches at a time. The track loader spreads and rough-grades each lift evenly.
6. Compact each lift. Compact every lift before adding the next. Compacting in thin layers is what gives you a base that will not settle. This is the step most do-it-yourselfers rush, and it is the one that matters most.
7. Final grade and level. Bring the top lift to a flat, level surface (or a deliberate slope for a dirt-floor shed). A track loader or tractor with a level bucket gets you a clean, even base ready for the building, blocks, or slab.
| Factor | Shed Pad | Garage Pad |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation depth | Shallower, gravel base | Deeper, often footings or frost wall |
| Base | Compacted granular or clear stone | Compacted granular under a concrete slab |
| Typical machine | Kubota U17 + SVL75-3 | Kubota U35 + SVL75-3 |
| Drainage | Slope away from building | Slope away, plus slab drainage detail |
| Permit | Often not required for small sheds | Usually required; check locally |
A garage is a bigger, heavier, more permanent structure, so it needs deeper excavation, footings or a frost wall, and usually a concrete slab. A shed pad is simpler but still needs the same fundamentals: stripped subgrade, compacted gravel, and good drainage. Always confirm permit requirements with your local building department.
A compacted granular base, granular A or 3/4-inch clear stone, over stripped, firm subgrade. Lay it in thin lifts and compact each one. For a garage, that gravel base usually sits under a concrete slab, often with footings or a frost wall.
A Kubota SVL75-3 track loader for stripping, spreading, and grading, plus an excavator (U17 for small shed footings, U35 for deeper garage excavation and footings). A tractor like the LX2620 or BX23s is an economical option for lighter grading.
Deep enough to remove all topsoil and hold your compacted gravel base, often several inches. A garage pad needs deeper excavation and may require footings or a frost wall. Match the depth to your base design and local frost requirements.
Small sheds often do not require a permit, but garages and larger structures usually do. Requirements vary by municipality, so check with your local building department before you start, and locate utilities before you dig.
Planning a shed or garage anywhere in Georgina, Durham Region, Simcoe, Kawartha Lakes, or York Region? Titanium Equipment Group delivers the Kubota excavators, track loaders, and tractors that make site prep fast and the base solid, with operated rentals available when you want a pro at the controls. Call or text 437-907-0671 or request a quote.
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