Windermere · Orange County
Grading & Build-Ready Pads
in Windermere, FL
Most pads we grade in Windermere are for custom rebuilds: an older home has come down and a new one is going up on the same lakefront or estate lot. That means grading close to water the state protects, working around trees the owner is keeping, and handing the builder a flat, compacted pad that drains away from the house and the lake.
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Grading & Build-Ready Pads done right
A properly graded pad sets up every trade that follows. We grade to your survey stakes, compact the fill, and leave a surface your builder, concrete crew, or installer can work from the same day. We've prepped pads for new homes, additions, outbuildings, and commercial slabs across Central Florida. Call us at 407-443-2863 for a free estimate.
How it works
Getting grading & build-ready pads done in Windermere
Silt fence on the low side
On Windermere lakefront lots, silt fence goes in along the downhill side first, so nothing we disturb washes into the Butler Chain while the pad is being built.
Clear old footings and slabs
We dig out leftover footings, slab pieces and buried concrete from the previous house inside the new pad area, then haul it to the Orange County Landfill.
Grade, compact, hand off
We grade to the survey stakes, compact fill in lifts, shape the slopes for drainage and hand the builder a firm, flat pad ready for forms.
The Mintel Difference
Owner-operated.
Every job.
No renting equipment after the handshake. No cheap subcontracted labor. We own and run our own fleet of machines, so the people who quote your job are the people on the controls.
Owned
Grading & Build-Ready Pads · Windermere
Grading a lakefront rebuild lot
On a Butler Chain lot, the ground usually falls toward the water, and the new pad has to sit level while the rest of the lot keeps draining the right way. The Butler Chain of Lakes is an Outstanding Florida Water, where the state allows no drop in water quality. Bare dirt on a graded slope is exactly what muddies a lake after one hard rain.
So we set silt fence along the low side of the lot before we cut or fill anything, and we keep it maintained until the builder takes over. We grade to the stakes your surveyor or engineer sets for the finished pad, compact fill in lifts, and shape the slope so stormwater moves toward the lot's planned drainage, not straight over the shoreline. If a seawall or dock is close to the work, we keep machines back from it and finish that edge with smaller equipment.
Before the pad: zoning, trees and old foundations
A Windermere rebuild usually starts with Wade Trim's zoning review, then building plan review through the town's PDCS-run building department. Getting the pad elevation and setbacks right on paper first saves regrading later. If trees are coming out to make room, the town uses a Tree Removal Notice listing each tree's size and location, with a map and photos.
Old homes here have a median build year of 1989, so the lot may still hold footings, old slabs, buried driveway or pool decking from the house that came down. We dig out what is left where the new pad goes, because building over buried concrete is how cracks start. Then we bring the pad up to grade with clean, compacted fill, and the old concrete goes to the Orange County Landfill on Young Pine Road on our trucks.
Local rules · Orange County
What to know before you build or tear down in Windermere
Tree rules
Who issues the permit
3361 Rouse Road, Suite 210, Orlando, FL 32817
407-277-9795
Where the debris goes
Rules and fees checked against official sources in October 2026. Cities change them, so we confirm with Town of Windermere Building Department (run by PDCS, LLC) before every job.
What Clients Say
Trusted Across Central Florida
5.0on Google, 8 reviews
“We hired Mintel Land Management to demo a house and the job was completed on time and everything was done correctly, inspectors were glad to have a good contractor on the job.”
“I have used this company over a dozen times with the removal of trees and stumps in my yard. The owner has become more of a friend then just a demolition company.”
“Reliable and dependable. Straightforward pricing does great work. Will definitely use again.”
“We contacted Kyle in hopes that he would be able to remove a very large pine stump from our back yard and grade the area after removal. He was above and beyond helpful and even cleared the vacant property lines on both sides of our property! He was very professional and respectful of our property, he was on time and his prices were very reasonable for the work performed. We will definitely be using his services in the future for our driveway widening project and any other future projects. 6 stars, I highly recommend using Mintel Land Management.”
“Excellent experience from start to finish. Fast, professional, and easy to work with. Would definitely recommend and use again.”
“Kyle came and pulled a few fallen trees out at my property and graded out another part. He came when he said he was going to as well.”
Windermere FAQ
Common questions
- Why does a lakefront pad in Windermere need silt fence?
- Graded dirt washes easily in a hard Florida rain. The Butler Chain of Lakes is an Outstanding Florida Water, so the state allows no drop in its water quality. Silt fence along the low side of the lot holds that dirt on the property while the pad is open. We set it before grading starts and keep it up until the builder takes over.
- Can you grade the pad if I am keeping some big trees?
- Yes. We mark the trees you are keeping and keep machines and fill off their root zones as much as the plan allows. If any trees do have to come out, the Town of Windermere uses a Tree Removal Notice with each tree's size, location, a map and photos, so plan for that early in the rebuild.
- What if the old house left concrete in the ground?
- It is common on Windermere rebuilds. Old footings, slab edges and buried decking can sit right where the new foundation goes. We dig them out inside the pad area, haul them off and replace them with clean compacted fill, so your new slab does not sit half on old concrete and half on soil.
- What does grading & build-ready pads cost in Windermere?
- We grade to your survey stakes, compact the fill, and leave a pad your builder or concrete crew can work from the same day. Proper drainage is built in, not an afterthought. Every property is different, so the only honest number is one we give you after walking the site. Call 407-443-2863 for a free, no-obligation estimate in Windermere.
Free Estimate · Mon–Sat 7a–8p
Get a free grading & build-ready pads bid in Windermere
Tell us about the job and we’ll come walk the property. Written number, no obligation, usually same-day or next-day reply.
- Owner-operated — we run our own machines
- We own our fleet, so no rental delays
- Owner-operated, $4M insured, every piece hauled off
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Tell us about the job and we’ll come walk the property. Written number, no obligation, usually same-day reply.