Land preparation with the Harley Rake in Laval and the North Shore

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Why the yard ends up uneven

Most disappointing yards are not the result of carelessness. They are the result of two different trades not talking to each other.

The landscaper shows up with good topsoil and sod, but cannot correct a slope or a soft base, because the machinery is not there. The excavator leaves the yard rough, full of clumps and rocks, because finishing it by hand rake costs more than the job itself.

We do both. Excavation, grading, and mechanical finishing with a Harley Rake. What takes two men a full day with hand rakes takes two hours, and the finish is better.

Our new tool: the Harley Rake New

We just added a Harley Rake to our track loader. It is a rotating drum with carbide teeth, mounted on the front of the machine, with two gauge wheels that control the depth to the inch. It works the first few inches of soil and does in one pass what used to take three different tools and a crew with rakes.

In action

The Harley Rake on a job site in Laval

Jonathan at the controls of the loader: one pass, and the gravel is stirred, leveled and ready for the next step.

Book a pass

New Harley Rake on the Altitude Services trailer — The Harley Rake on arrival, on the trailer.

Rotating carbide-tooth drum of the Harley Rake — The carbide-tooth drum and the gauge wheels that control the depth.

Harley Rake mounted on the Kubota loader, preparing a yard — Mounted on the track loader, working a yard in Laval.

Everything the Harley Rake does

Level and grade the soilIt removes bumps, fills holes and quickly straightens uneven ground after earthwork or foundation work.

Break the crust and aerateIts carbide teeth grind the compacted surface crust to aerate it, without having to turn the soil over deep.

Separate rocks and debrisIt isolates and pushes rocks, stones, roots, branches and chunks of concrete into clean windrows, easy to pick up with the bucket.

Prepare the seedbedIt pulverizes the clumps and leaves a finely crumbled, textured finish, ideal for seeding or laying rolled sod.

Tear out the old lawnIt removes dead grass, weeds and the thatch layer without needlessly carrying off the good topsoil.

Maintain gravel drivewaysIt breaks up potholes, weeds, stirs the existing gravel and spreads it evenly again, without adding new material.

Shape slopes and manage runoffBy angling the attachment, we sculpt the ground to send water away from the foundation, before even thinking about grass.

Blend in amendmentsIt mixes compost, sand or topsoil evenly into the existing soil, across the full working width.

What all of this has in common: the machine works the surface without digging more than it has to. We keep the good soil, take out what is in the way, and leave you a finish that is ready to seed.

The window is closing

Spring, decent. Early May to mid June.

Late summer, the best. Mid August to late September.

Warm soil, cool nights, less competition from weeds: grass seeded in late summer roots before winter and comes back strong in the spring.

Grass seeded in July fights heat and weeds. Seeded in late summer, it has six to eight weeks of ideal conditions ahead of it. It is the best window of the year, and it lasts about six weeks.

What we do

Most requested

Full lawn renovation

We dethatch the dead lawn, pulverize and aerate the soil, grade it and seed it. A dense lawn that roots deep, not a carpet laid over compacted ground.

Sod or seed

Seedbed preparation

Soil pulverized, rocks and debris removed, surface graded to finish. Whether you lay the sod yourself or we handle everything, the bed is ready.

New lots and backfill

Rock removal

The drum windrows the rocks and debris to the side, and we lift them out with the bucket. On a new lot or after excavation, this is what changes everything.

After our work or someone else's

Yard restoration

A French drain, a service trench or a foundation leaves a field of clumps behind. We bring the yard back to grade, take the debris out and restart the lawn.

Finished, not rough

Finish grading

Rough grading is done with the excavator. The finish is done with the Harley Rake. We do both, so you get a finished yard instead of a yard still to finish.

Surface drainage

Slope correction

A puddle against the foundation is a slope problem, not a grass problem. We correct the profile before seeding, otherwise you will be reseeding every year.

No new material

Gravel driveway maintenance

Potholes, weeds, gravel pushed to the edges: the Harley Rake stirs up and spreads what is already there. We add stone only if the driveway is truly short of it.

Contractors, builders, property managers

On every project there comes a moment when the site has to turn from construction zone into property. It is rarely your trade, and it is almost always the last item holding up a delivery.

We take that whole piece: final grading, removal of rocks and construction debris, preparation and seeding or sod. You give us a date, we deliver a finished yard.

Excavation includedThe excavator and the loader are already on site. If the profile has to be redone, we do not subcontract and we do not come back next week.

Recurring volumeSeasonal or per-project agreements. One call, the same crew from one lot to the next.

Clean siteStreet and sidewalks swept when we finish. That is what neighbours and your buyers notice first.

Written warrantyOne year on all work performed, in writing, on every contract.

How it works

Visit and quoteWe look at the soil, the slopes, the drainage and what is buried. You get a detailed written quote, free of charge.
Locating the servicesA locate request is filed with Info-Excavation. You confirm what is buried on your property, irrigation, lighting, invisible fence, pool lines, because nobody else ever locates those.
Mechanical preparationGrading, soil pulverizing with the Harley Rake, removal of rocks and debris. Topsoil added if the layer is too thin.
Seeding or sodDepending on your choice and your budget. We explain plainly what each option gives you in results and in upkeep.
Cleanup and handoverYard, street and sidewalks. A walk of the site with you, and your watering instructions for the first three weeks, which is where it is all decided.

What we will tell you straight

The weather decides, not the calendarIn the clay soil around here, saturated ground cannot be worked, the drum makes mud balls instead of pulverizing. Two days after heavy rain, we will call you to push the date rather than hand you mediocre work.

A rake does not fix a drainage problemPreparation works the first few inches of soil. If water pools against your foundation, the profile of the yard has to be corrected first. We will tell you before taking the contract, not after.

Sod is not always the right callIt gives an instant finish, but its roots stay near the surface at first. Seed takes longer and needs watering, but it roots deeper and costs a fraction of the price. We lay out both honestly.

Whatever is buried will be touchedThe teeth work in the first few inches of soil. Irrigation systems, invisible fence, lighting wire: tell us beforehand and we work around them. Nobody can locate those lines for you.

The good window is short

Mid August to late September is the best time of year to redo a lawn. The visit and the quote cost nothing.

📞 514 775-1988

Where we travel

Laval and all its sectors, the Lower Laurentians, Deux-Montagnes and Lanaudière. Your town is not on the list? Call anyway, we often go a bit further for a good project.

LavalChomedeySainte-RoseVimontAuteuilDuvernayFabrevilleSainte-DorothéeSainte-ThérèseBoisbriandRosemèreLorraineBlainvilleBois-des-FilionSainte-Anne-des-PlainesMirabelSaint-JérômeSaint-EustacheDeux-MontagnesPointe-CalumetSainte-Marthe-sur-le-LacOkaTerrebonneMascoucheRepentigny

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to redo a lawn in Quebec?

Late summer, from mid August to late September. The soil is still warm, the nights are cool and weeds grow more slowly, so the grass roots before winter and comes back strong in the spring. Spring, from early May to mid June, also works. Grass seeded in the middle of July fights the heat and usually loses.

Sod or seed, which should I choose?

Sod gives an instant finish, but its roots stay near the surface at first and it needs serious watering to take hold. Seed takes longer and needs watering for three weeks, but it roots deeper and costs a fraction of the price. We lay out both honestly and tell you which one suits your yard.

What is a Harley Rake and why is it better than doing it by hand?

It is a rotating drum with carbide teeth mounted on the front of the loader. It pulverizes the first few inches of soil, windrows the rocks and debris to the side, then levels the surface. What two men do in a day with hand rakes takes two hours, and the finish is more even. That is what lets us hand over a finished yard instead of a rough one.

Will the preparation fix my water problem?

Not on its own. Preparation works the first few inches of soil. If water pools against your foundation, the profile of the yard has to be corrected before seeding. The good news is that we have the machinery to do both in the same contract. We will tell you before taking the job, not after.

Can the Harley Rake redo my gravel driveway?

Yes, and it is one of its best uses. It breaks up potholes, tears out weeds, stirs up the existing gravel and spreads it evenly across the full width of the driveway, often without buying any new material. If the driveway is truly short on stone, we will tell you and add only what is needed.

I have an irrigation system and an invisible fence. Is that a problem?

No, but you have to tell us beforehand. We file the locate request with Info-Excavation for public utilities, but irrigation, yard lighting, invisible fence and pool plumbing are not located by anyone. Show us where they run and we work around them.

Do you also do new lots for builders?

Yes. Final grading, removal of rocks and construction debris, preparation, then seeding or sod. We take the whole yard so you can deliver the house. Seasonal or per-project agreements, and the street and sidewalks are swept when we finish.

We dig, we grade, and we finish