About Us
Grading & Drainage Engineers, Inc is about teamwork. We exist to serve your engineering needs. Our vast experience and expertise has been proven in obtaining construction permits for all types of developments.
Our focus and specialty is Grading and Drainage plans. We are masters of G&D plans. We believe for two reasons that the foundation of any development is typically the grading plan:
- It is almost always required by the municipality for land development; and
- It is key in realizing the grade required for all other components of development (sewer, water, and drainage).
Developments typically may also require other engineered plan types (see Our Services page) which we also frequently complete. Our experience stretches over all aspects of land development.
The company was founded in 1999 by Brian V. Woods, P.E. who serves as the president and CEO. Brian graduated from Arizona State University in 1988 with a degree in Civil Engineering and later completed his Masters in Business Administration. Serving for over twenty years as an active duty and reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering career field also provided him with the leadership and management experiences required to not only maintain an air base (i.e., small city) but also to run a business. Brian’s beliefs are strongly rooted in God and family and he delights in serving and attending with his lovely wife and three children at Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria.
Brian is a member of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), SAME (Society of American Military Engineers), and a life member of the AFA (Air Force Association).
Our Services
Different types of engineered plans may be required depending on what the municipality requires for development. We’re available to assist you with:
Required for all new non-residential developments and generally required for new residential home sites. Specific requirements are driven by the municipality. A Grading & Drainage Plan will typically show the minimum required height of the proposed floor(s) elevation, proposed new grading, general drainage patterns, and size and location of retention basin(s). Depending on the municipality, lot size, and subdivision, a retention basin may not be required. Non-residential plans are usually more detailed.
A detailed layout of proposed (or existing) construction that typically would include building(s), parking, pedestrian access, refuse location, etc.
If an existing public water main is not located in front of your property and the municipality requires you to tie into their system (as opposed to having a well), then an (off-site) water main extension will be required to service your lot.
If an existing public sewer main is not located in front of your property and the municipality requires you to tie into their system (as opposed to having a septic system), then an (off-site) sewer main extension will be required to service your lot.
Public (off-site) road plans that typically are constructed for the half street fronting your lot. Paving plans could be anything from a couple of feet of new asphalt pavement to a full street width of pavement. Paving plans may include curb, gutter, and sidewalk.
Generally required for non-residential lots where a new building fire sprinkler system is required. Additionally, on non-residential sites required fire hydrants may get included in these plans.
Depending on the jurisdiction, drainage areas of 160 acres or less can be evaluated by our in-house personnel. Drainage studies will show the watershed being evaluated and calculate the amount of runoff generated by that watershed. Other factors such as erosion and hydraulics may be evaluated.
Typically accomplished by septic installers; however, we have experience in laying out and sizing a septic system.
For certain subdivisions within the City of Chandler and some adjacent municipalities, a stormwater retention plan and supporting calculations are required. These plans are for residential properties and can generally be completed on letter or legal sized paper.
If one acre or more of disturbance is proposed, then a SWPPP (referred to as Stormwater Management Plan in Phoenix) is required. The SWPPP will include Best Management Procedures to mitigate dust and its potential to leave the construction site.
Subdivisions are created when land is split. Some municipalities (e.g. Scottsdale) consider any land being split into two or more parcels a subdivision. Cities are becoming more strict on land splits. Generally, a subdivision will require a combination of most of the above described plan types.
We typically coordinate all required surveying to include topographies, boundary work (setting and flagging lot corners), ALTAs, Minor Land Division Maps, and Plats.
Other types of work that may be required for lot development includes Structural Engineering, HEC-RAS studies, Geotechnical Engineering, Traffic Studies, Native Plant inventories, Landscape Architecture, and Architectural work. We do not perform these services in-house; however, we continually work with numerous professionals and are more than happy to either assist you with references or accomplish complete coordination as part of our services.