Utah County
Excavation, Grading & Concrete — Highland, UT
Highland sits on the alluvial fan spilling out of American Fork Canyon, which means two things for sitework: generous lot sizes and ground full of cobble and gravel. Big lots mean long driveways, real landscape grading, and room for outbuildings and shops. Rocky ground means excavation that hits refusal in places a smaller outfit isn't equipped for. Cadoava is one town over in American Fork, so Highland is a short move for our machines.
Sitework built for Highland
Large lots, long driveways
Highland's half-acre-and-up lots produce some of the longest residential driveways in Utah County. Proper base and jointing matter more when there's that much slab.
Cobble and gravel
Canyon-wash soils here are full of rock. It digs hard but drains and compacts well — good ground to build on once you have the machines to move it.
Shops, pads & outbuildings
Detached shops, RV pads, and sport courts are common here. We handle the excavation, subgrade, and flatwork for all of it.
What we focus on here: Long concrete driveways, RV and shop pads, excavation, grading, and retaining walls for Highland's large custom lots.
What Highland requires before you dig
Every rule and number below comes from Highland's own code, fee schedule, or published guidance — each one linked. Last verified 2026-08-22.
Single-family construction carries a $1,500 SWPP inspection fee
Highland's FY2027 fee schedule sets a $1,500 SWPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan) inspection fee for single-family home construction, adopted June 16, 2026. Multi-family work runs $50 per attached unit with a $1,500 minimum, and subdivisions or other developments are billed $2,500. Budget for this alongside your building permit — it's a separate line item, not folded into standard plan review costs.
Source: Highland City FY2027 Fee ScheduleNo building on slopes steeper than 25%
Highland's Development Code (Ord. O-2023-20, Section 8-103.9) defines any slope over 15% as a 'steep slope,' and Section 8-105(1) prohibits development outright on any slope greater than 25%, unless a qualified professional's mitigation analysis is submitted through the Sensitive Lands review. That 25% ceiling is a hard line, not a target — verify your pad and driveway grades against it before design, not after.
Source: Highland City Development Code, Ord. O-2023-20New driveway approaches need a separate Right-of-Way Permit
Cutting a new driveway approach or curb into a Highland street requires a Non-Excavation Right-of-Way Permit under HMC Section 12.20.030, separate from your building permit. Current fees are a $50 application fee, a $250 inspection fee, and a refundable cash bond of at least $2,500, held for one year to cover workmanship. Property owners can pull this permit themselves for small jobs under 500 square feet or 110 linear feet.
Source: Highland City Right-of-Way PermitsFill is capped at 8 feet on any lot
Section 8-107(1) of Highland's Sensitive Lands code caps construction fill at a maximum depth of 8 feet — no street, building, or utility facility may sit on or within an area carrying more fill than that. Graded slopes are limited to 3:1 or flatter under Section 8-105(3), and the code also sets a mandatory 50-foot no-development setback from any slope steeper than 40%, under Section 8-105(2).
Source: Highland City Development Code, Ord. O-2023-20Highland FAQs
Can you pour a long driveway or RV pad in Highland?
Yes — long driveways, RV pads, and shop slabs are routine Highland work for us. Larger pours need correct base prep and control jointing, which is where most cheap driveways fail.
Is Highland's rocky soil a problem to excavate?
It's harder digging than valley-floor dirt, but it's good ground once opened up. We own our excavation fleet, so rock and cobble don't stall the job or trigger a change order for equipment we didn't bring.
Do I need a permit to grade or build a retaining wall on a steep Highland lot?
Yes — if your Highland lot has any slope over 15%, the city's Development Code requires a Sensitive Lands Analysis before you can pull a building permit, and development is barred outright above a 25% slope. We build the cut/fill and retaining wall plan around that ceiling from the start, so it's not a surprise mid-permit.
How much does a new driveway approach cost to permit in Highland?
Beyond the concrete itself, cutting a new approach into a Highland street requires a Right-of-Way Permit — $50 to apply, $250 for inspection, plus a refundable bond of at least $2,500. We pull that permit as part of the job, so you're not chasing City Hall paperwork on top of managing the build.