Pond Construction
New recreational, fishing, livestock, and ag ponds built — and existing ponds cleaned out and reshaped — sited and shaped to hold water and last.
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Everything you build sits on the dirt work — and in Northeast Louisiana, water is the deciding factor. Flat ground and heavy soils mean a pad that does not shed water stays soft, ruts up, and undermines whatever sits on it. Poor grade is why yards stay wet, driveways pump, and buildings settle.
Big Cypress handles site preparation, grading, leveling, building pads, and drainage shaping across Rayville, Monroe, Ruston, Bastrop and across Northeast Louisiana — moving and packing earth to the elevation the plan calls for so your project sits on stable, dry ground. We tie it together with clearing, access, drainage and culvert work, and pond construction so raw acreage becomes a finished, build-ready site in one coordinated job.
A pad set at the wrong elevation, fill that was never compacted, ground that slopes toward the slab instead of away — these mistakes hide until the first wet winter, then cost real money for years. In our gumbo soils, standing water is not a cosmetic issue; it is the difference between a site that performs and one you fight forever.
We grade with fall and drainage in mind before anything else — setting the right elevation, building up and compacting fill where it is needed, and cutting swales or shaping ditches so water leaves the site instead of pooling on it. Done right, good dirt work is invisible: the pad just stays dry, firm, and level for years.
Most of our grading is the first step in something bigger — a homesite, a metal building, an equipment yard, a food plot. We prepare the ground to the elevation and compaction your builder or plan calls for, then hand off a clean, ready site with access to reach it.
Proper site preparation protects everything you put on top of it — and it compounds the property’s value. A well-drained, well-graded site is cheaper to build on, easier to maintain, and a genuine selling point when the property changes hands: buyers and appraisers can tell the difference between ground that was prepared and ground that was pushed around. It is the least glamorous improvement you can make, and one of the highest-return.
Free, no-obligation site evaluations across Northeast Louisiana.
(318) 235-7597Dig deeper into the specific services we run under site preparation & dirt work.
New recreational, fishing, livestock, and ag ponds built — and existing ponds cleaned out and reshaped — sited and shaped to hold water and last.
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Driveway culverts, ditches, swales and drainage grading that get standing water off flat Delta ground so pads, roads, plots and pastures stay usable.
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House pads, shop pads and barn pads built up with delivered fill, crowned to drain, and ready for the slab.
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Compact track loader work for a mixed job list: grapple cleanup, brush clearing, spreading delivered dirt and rock, and shaping lanes and pads.
Learn MoreMike owns and improves his own land — adding roads, ponds, food plots, and habitat. We treat your property the way we treat ours: practical, durable, and built to last.
Led by a nationally recognized land specialist with America’s Land Partners ($52.5M+ sold). Every improvement is made with usability, marketability, and long-term property value in mind.
Hands-on USDA and NRCS habitat experience — food plots, shooting lanes, and deer management designed around how game actually uses your land.
Part 107 certified aerial imagery, property mapping, and drone-based deer herd analysis — insight few land-improvement companies can offer.
Based in Northeast Louisiana and licensed across LA, AR & MS with America’s Land Partners — deep regional knowledge of the land, the soil, and the market.
Fully insured for your protection and peace of mind — your property, your project, and your investment are covered from the first pass to the final grade.
Mike has built pads, roads, and water management on his own ground, and his three decades in agriculture taught him how Louisiana soils actually behave. Add the land specialist’s eye — with America’s Land Partners he helps clients buy and sell improved properties every month — and your dirt work gets planned like the long-term investment it is.
From the first call to the final pass, here’s exactly what working with us looks like.
Fill out our quick estimate form or give us a call. Tell us about your property and what you’re trying to accomplish.
We walk the ground with you, assess the conditions, and talk through the best plan for your land — clearing, improvements, habitat, and access.
You get a straightforward plan and a free, no-obligation estimate — viewed through the lens of usability, wildlife, and long-term value.
Our crew arrives ready to clear, shape, and improve your property with the care of a fellow landowner — and leave it ready for what’s next.
Common questions about site preparation & dirt work across Northeast Louisiana. Don’t see yours? Give us a call — we’re happy to help.
Brush, trees, and years of overgrowth cleared and reclaimed — turning unusable acreage back into open, accessible ground that is worth more.
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Access roads, gravel driveways, interior trails, and culvert crossings — all-weather access that makes your land usable and more valuable.
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Food plots, shooting lanes, trail systems, and habitat improvements designed to hold deer and grow healthier game — by a landowner who hunts his own work.
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FAA-certified aerial imagery, property mapping, and drone-based deer herd assessments — a clearer view of your land for planning, marketing, and management.
Learn MoreReal words from clients who’ve trusted Mike with their land as a land specialist with America’s Land Partners — the same care and work ethic he brings to every Big Cypress project.
“Mike Martien secured my real estate sale through very difficult circumstances. He went above and beyond what would be expected of any agent. Anyone would be in the best of hands letting Mike work for you and with you.”
“We’ve known Mike for over 30 years. His work ethic and knowledge are exceptional. He’s passionate about helping others, trustworthy, and puts his client’s needs first. We highly recommend him to anyone working with land.”
“Mike has lifelong experience dealing with land management and development. His experience shows in researching current trends and values. For the most appropriate valuations and ease of sales, he can’t be beat.”
What land grading costs in Louisiana: published prices per square foot, per acre and per hour, what moves a quote, and the rules that apply before work.
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What a gravel driveway costs in Louisiana in 2026: price per square foot, rock per ton and yard, truckloads by length, and what moves a quote.
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What a house pad costs in Louisiana in 2026: published price ranges, fill dirt per cubic yard, truckloads by pad size and depth, and what moves a quote.
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Grinding and full removal solve different problems. What each method costs, what each leaves in your yard, and the few cases where pulling the stump wins.
Read more →Ready to improve, enjoy, or get more value out of your land in Northeast Louisiana? Reach out for a free, no-obligation consultation — and put a fellow landowner’s experience to work on your property. Buying or selling? Mike wears that hat too, as a land specialist with America’s Land Partners.