Grading and drainage plans are among the most time-consuming deliverables in civil site design. Between building the Civil 3D surface, designing the grading to meet slope and ADA requirements, sizing the storm drainage network, and producing a clean set of plan sheets, a single project can consume 40 to 80 hours of production time before it ever reaches a PE for review.
A2Z Civil Engineers provides Civil 3D grading and drainage drafting support to US civil engineering firms. We handle the production hours — surface modeling, grading design, drainage layout, and plan sheet production — so your in-house team can focus on client management, engineering decisions, and project oversight.
What A2Z Handles in Grading and Drainage Projects
Our Civil 3D production support covers the full range of grading and drainage deliverables for land development projects:
- Existing ground surface creation from survey data or LiDAR
- Proposed grading design — pads, slopes, swales, retaining walls, and ADA-compliant accessible routes
- Grading plan sheets with contours, spot elevations, and slope callouts
- Storm drainage network layout — catch basins, inlets, pipes, manholes, and outfalls
- Pipe sizing and slope design based on rational method, SCS Unit Hydrograph method or project-specific criteria
- Profile sheets for storm drain pipes
- Drainage area maps and rational method calculations
- Erosion and sediment control plans — silt fence, construction entrance, inlet protection
- Cut and fill calculations and earthwork balance reports
Software and Deliverable Format
A2Z works in Autodesk Civil 3D and AutoCAD. Deliverables are provided as Civil 3D project files and AutoCAD DWG files, formatted to your firm’s sheet standards, title blocks, and layer conventions. We also deliver PDF check prints at each milestone for your review.
If your firm uses a specific Civil 3D template, corridor assemblies, or pipe network parts list, send them to us at project kickoff and we will work within your existing setup.
How the Workflow Operates
Project intake: You send the survey data or existing surface, site plan, design criteria, and applicable standards. A2Z confirms scope, clarifies any questions, and agrees on a delivery schedule.
Production phase: Our team builds the surface, develops the grading design, lays out the drainage network, and produces plan sheets. We send a check print PDF when the first draft is complete.
Review and revision: You redline the check print and return comments. We revise and deliver the updated drawing set. Revisions are included at no additional charge.
Final delivery: You receive the Civil 3D project file and PDF plan set. Your licensed PE reviews, stamps, and submits.
Types of Projects That Work Well
A2Z handles grading and drainage production for a wide range of land development project types:
- Residential subdivisions — single-family and multi-family
- Commercial site development — retail, office, industrial
- Parking lot design and ADA upgrades
- Roadway and infrastructure projects
- Infill development on constrained urban lots
- Agricultural and rural land development
Projects with clear design criteria and defined deliverable requirements are the best fit for outsourcing. We work from your design intent — you make the engineering decisions, we execute the production.
Combining Grading with Stormwater Management
Many grading and drainage projects also require a stormwater management report — HydroCAD modeling for detention pond sizing, pre- and post-development hydrology, or SSA pipe network analysis. A2Z handles both the Civil 3D grading production and the HydroCAD, Hydroflow or SSA stormwater analysis, which means a single project can be handled end-to-end without coordinating between multiple outsourcing vendors.
About A2Z Civil Engineers
A2Z Civil Engineers is a Vietnam-based civil outsourcing firm providing Civil 3D drafting and design support to US engineering firms. Our team works regularly on grading plans, drainage design, stormwater management, survey drafting, and septic system design support.
We operate under NDA, work on a project-by-project basis, and require no long-term commitment. Contact us at contact@a2zce.com or visit a2zce.com to discuss your next project.
