Who to contact to install dry lot (pad)?

[alabama]

I feed round bales to my horses over the winter. I move the hay ring around the paddock but everywhere I move it turns to a bog as soon as it rains…and stays a bog until summer comes and dries the paddock out.

I’m thinking of installing a “carport” over a dry pad of gravel/gravel fines. I could probably put this pad in myself but I’d like to price it out to see if paying someone might beat the work involved (and the bitching my husband would probably do). LOL!

Problem is, I don’t know who does this kind of work. I have no idea who to contact.

TIA

[wsmoak]

Around here it is a clearing and grading contractor.

You want the one who has lived in the area for a long time and knows how water moves on and through the soil. They don’t always advertise, the good ones don’t have to, they have plenty of work through word of mouth.

You can also look for the contractors who are building roads locally, as the compacted base for such a pad (or riding arena) is basically the same thing. Even if it’s a big company from elsewhere, sometimes they are happy to tack on a small project while they’ve got equipment already in the area.

[candyappy]

In my neck of the woods we call a local Excavation company when we need that type of work or a load of gravel or screenings delivered.

[Pico_Banana]

I ran into this problem with the installation of my dry lot, as well. A lot of landscapers will do this kind of work, but be aware that they may or may not know what to do with your site to make it work long-term.

I also have had luck with random farm job needs, posting on FB on a page for local contractors.

[PaddockWood]

The excavator for my barn build - who did the pad etc also did my dry lot and he’s done many before.
If you know what you want and can explain it. Remove top soil down to clay, lay geotextile fabric and then 3" stone and then 3" screeenings and ROLL with roller.

Not complicated. But know what you want and BE THERE to see it done that way.