Instant cut or fill grade check: enter design elevation, HI, and rod reading to see CUT/FILL/ON GRADE with color indicator. Logs all shots in a session table.
Enter HI and rod reading to instantly see CUT or FILL amount at each point.
Tolerance: ±0.1 ft. Grade rod = HI − Design Elevation. CUT when rod reading is less than grade rod; FILL when greater.
Rotating lasers and digital levels make grade checking faster and more accurate. Shop grade equipment at Express Tools.
Shop Express Tools →This is the core field operation for any grade checker — comparing required rod (grade rod) to actual rod to determine if the ground needs to go up or down. Grade rod = HI − Design Elevation. If actual rod is below grade rod, ground is too high (cut). If actual rod is above grade rod, ground is too low (fill). The difference is the cut or fill amount. Keep the same HI until you move instrument setup. This tool lets you log all shots in one session without paper — critical for tracking progress across a spread during grading operations.
Save grade checks to a Sitemark job →
Log shot data with GPS location, timestamp, and job context. Auto-generates field reports for as-built documentation.
Start free trialGrade rod (also called grade check rod or required rod) is the rod reading you must see to be at design elevation. It equals HI minus design elevation. If your actual rod reading matches the grade rod, you are on grade.
Grade rod = HI − Design Elevation. If your actual rod reading is less than the grade rod, the ground is higher than design — you need to CUT. If your rod reading is greater than the grade rod, the ground is lower — you need to FILL. The difference between the two readings is the cut or fill amount.
HI (Height of Instrument) is the elevation of the line of sight through the level instrument. It equals the benchmark elevation plus the backsight rod reading. Once you set up and take a backsight, all grade checks in that setup use the same HI.
This calculator uses ±0.10 ft (about 1¼ inches) as the on-grade tolerance — a common field standard for rough grading. Final grade tolerances may be tighter (±0.05 ft or less) depending on spec.
Yes — enter the same HI for all shots in one instrument setup. Change the design elevation for each point if it varies. The session table logs every reading so you can track all shots without writing them down.