Tim Reynolds believes that working in construction is a part of his DNA. From an early age, he spent weekends and summers working alongside his father in the family’s utility installation business. That foundation paved the way for Reynolds to create South Florida Grading Corp. in 2000.
“I started out with just a skid steer and a box blade tractor,” Reynolds recalled. “By 2003, we were already doing work for homebuilders, digging lakes, and building strip pads. Around 2004, we started paving, and it’s escalated quickly to where we are today.”
The company is based in Stuart, Florida, and currently operates with a team of more than 115 employees. South Florida Grading specializes in turnkey site development for commercial, residential, and multifamily projects across the state.
“Our coverage area stretches from Palm Beach County up to Jacksonville and as far west as Sarasota and Tarpon Springs,” Reynolds said. “Typical project sizes range from 15 acres up to 3,800 acres.”
With decades of experience in site development, Reynolds and his team handle everything from land clearing and utility installation to grading and paving. One of South Florida Grading’s largest ongoing projects is a unique deviation from their usual work: a golf course with two 18-hole layouts and a practice range, plus 170 residential home sites.
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“It’s very different from our standard subdivision work,” Reynolds said. “There are a lot of elevation changes, which aren’t something we usually deal with on flat sites, but we felt confident taking it on because of the technology in our Komatsu equipment.”
To meet the precise demands of golf course construction, South Florida Grading relies heavily on Komatsu Smart Construction solutions, including several D71PXi-24 and D61PXi-24 Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) dozers as well as a PC490LCi-11 IMC excavator.
“The integrated GPS on those machines gives us a major advantage,” Reynolds said. “Running the IMC equipment has allowed us to move quickly and efficiently without having to regrade or second-guess our elevations. We’re confident that when the job’s complete, it’s complete and satisfactory. That’s been critical with the pace of this job.”
South Florida Grading is moving between 18,000 and 23,000 cubic yards of dirt daily on the golf course site. The Komatsu IMC excavator is used to dig lakes and grade fairways, while the Komatsu IMC dozers shape and finish key areas to precise specifications.
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“We’re riding slopes with the 490 excavator and hitting finish grade in one pass,” Reynolds said. “The GPS helps us hold our two-to-one and four-to-one slopes exactly where they need to be. It speeds up the entire operation.”
South Florida Grading also uses technology to manage equipment and schedules across large job sites. With Komatsu Smart Construction Remote and My Komatsu, the company monitors progress, updates models, and communicates changes instantly.
“If the owner changes the design, we can push that update out to every machine from the office with Smart Construction Remote,” Reynolds said. “We’re not wasting time sending guys out to upload files on site. It saves us days of downtime. With My Komatsu, we’re able to see our equipment in real time and track production. It’s really made our life simple.”
That efficiency has allowed South Florida Grading to maintain momentum and stay on schedule — even while navigating the unique challenges of working near Florida’s water table.
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“You dig 3 feet down, and you’re hitting water,” Reynolds said. “We’ve learned how to manage that over the years. Whether it’s dewatering or installing deep lift stations, experience helps us stay ahead of problems.”
South Florida Grading has worked with Komatsu equipment for nearly a decade, and every new purchase is an integrated IMC machine. Reynolds credits much of that loyalty to the simplicity of the system — and to the support South Florida Grading receives from Linder Industrial Machinery Company, especially Sales Representative Dan Tafoya.
“Dan brought a Komatsu IMC dozer out, and the difference was obvious,” Reynolds said. “You don’t have to set up sensors or rovers and climb all over the machine. The operator shows up, gets in, and goes straight to work. That’s what sold us.”
Having dependable support from Linder also makes a measurable difference in the field, according to Reynolds.
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“If we have an issue, I can call and usually get what we need the same day,” he said. “Dan does a really good job of not letting us down. That responsiveness keeps our jobs moving. It’s why we stick with Linder and Komatsu.”
Reynolds added that many of South Florida Grading’s dozers and excavators have run for years with no issues beyond standard maintenance, which is covered for the first three years or 2,000 hours through Komatsu Care Complimentary.
“Komatsu builds good equipment,” Reynolds said. “The Komatsu Care maintenance program reduces the workload on our team by having the Komatsu techs come out and handle the PMs, which keeps us focused on production.”
Reynolds sees continued growth for South Florida Grading. With an experienced field crew and a long-tenured leadership team — including Chief Estimator Dennis Rodberg and Office Manager Christina Jewett — he is confident in the future.
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“We have a strong foundation, a great team, and great equipment that gives us a competitive edge,” Reynolds said. “My goal is to triple the size of the company in the next 20 years and keep it going for the next generation.”
Reynolds hopes his children will join the business one day, but for now, he is focused on delivering quality work and building lasting relationships.
“We don’t do change orders, and we stand by our commitments,” Reynolds said. “When you work with us, you’re getting an owner who’s still out here on the job site every day. That’s what sets us apart.”
- Location: Stuart, Florida
- Employees: 115-plus
- Established: 2000
- Area of expertise: Turnkey site development for commercial, residential, and multifamily projects
- Komatsu equipment: D71PXi-24 and D61PXi-24 IMC dozers; PC490LCi-11 IMC excavator; WA380 wheel loaders
- Komatsu technology: Intelligent Machine Control (IMC), Smart Construction Remote, My Komatsu
- Projects typically range from 15 acres up to 3,800 acres
- 18,000 to 23,000 cubic yards of material are moved daily with Komatsu IMC equipment
- One pass to finish grade is achieved using the Komatsu PC490LCi-11 IMC Excavator
- Three days of potential downtime are saved by remotely updating machine models through Smart Construction Remote
