I'm getting my yard ready to lay new grass and the ground is really uneven, full of depressions. Do you guys use a manual hoe or is it worth calling in a machine? What's the price more or less for that here in Rio?
The most important thing is really to assess the size of the area before deciding between a machine or a shovel - if the yard is small (up to around 100-150m²), a manual shovel will do the job, but anything bigger than that gets exhausting and a machine is worth it.
To level it properly, start by removing as much debris and large stones as possible, then it's a matter of filling in the dips with good soil (any old dirt won't do) and compacting it well. If the irregularities are really pronounced, like differences of 10-15cm or more, that's when it's worth calling in a machine - could be a motor grader or even a small backhoe depending on the situation. The manual work with a shovel is basically fill and level, you fill the hole, spread the soil, compact it with a rammer or a heavy board. If you've got the patience and the space isn't huge, you can do it without calling anyone.
As for prices in Rio, it's hard to give you an exact number because it varies a lot depending on the professional and the condition of the land - but machines run somewhere around 150-300 reais per hour depending on the equipment, and usually the whole job for an average yard takes 4-8 hours. There's also the option of calling a guy who works with soil and landscaping, who sometimes charges per square meter or for the amount of soil moved. It's worth calling three or four companies in your area to get quotes, because the price varies a lot.
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