In the Smoky Mountain foothills, a flat, usable site often has to be created. Pope Construction & Excavation, Inc. handles grading, sloping, and retaining walls across East Tennessee, building the footers, walls, and drainage that turn a steep or awkward lot into a site you can actually use.
Grading and Sloping
Grading is more than moving dirt. It controls where water goes, how a driveway lays out, and whether a house sits on a stable pad. We do rough grading, finish grading, and slope work, and we take the final grade seriously. A clean finished grade is one of the first things a property owner sees.
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls are one of the ways excavation contractors create usable space on hillside lots. We build block retaining walls, including the footer, wall, and backfill, for homes, driveways, and commercial sites. In one recent project, a customer needed a well house but had no space, so Kyle recommended tucking it behind a retaining wall instead of putting it in the parking area. Solving the problem that way saved the usable space on the lot.
What We Handle
- Rough and finish grading for building pads, yards, and driveways
- Slope and bank work on hillside lots
- Block retaining wall footers, walls, and backfill
- Drainage behind and around walls
Planned Together with the Foundation
Retaining walls and foundations often depend on each other, especially on a hillside. We pair this work with our foundation services and site prep so walls, footers, and grades are planned together. If the lot still needs clearing, we can take care of that first.
Where We Work
Pope Construction & Excavation, Inc. provides grading & retaining walls across the five East Tennessee counties we serve, starting from our base in Sevierville. Find your area below, or see our full service area page.
- Sevier County: Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Seymour
- Jefferson County: Jefferson City
- Knox County: Knoxville, Farragut
- Blount County: Maryville
- Hamblen County: Morristown
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We build block retaining walls, including footers and backfill.
Yes. Hillside lots are common in East Tennessee and we regularly grade and slope them.
Yes. Drainage is part of our excavation and foundation scope.
Yes. We pour footers, walls, and flatwork concrete as part of our foundation services.