Lawn Repair after Construction?

[mike2016]

I hired some machinery to dig out a new patio but didn't realize how much of a mess it makes afterwards around the boundary! Does anyone have tips for repairing the thread marks, unevenness and places where the grass is missing to make this area good again? I have other areas of the back garden I can move a layer of topsoil & grass from, I just need to level things a bit first I'd guess / dig it out if it's really bad? Thanks. 

[Faz]

My place looked like the Somme after running machinery on it for 2 winters. I got a local farmer in with a cultivator to go over it and he is coming back with a power harrow next week.  Hopefully it will do the trick.

[mike2016]

Yikes! I won't complain about mind so much now!!! 

[Iceverge]

The ground could be well compacted where they were driving, especially if working in the wet. This will lead to poor drainage and bad plant growth as grass roots can't penetrate the soil. 

 

Fixing only the top layer only won't do much to help without breaking up the compactions below. Typically this is done on farmland by deeper ploughing or sub-soiling where a tractor pulls a vertical blade through the soil to loosen it up. 

 

I don't know what a landscaper would recommend but this is exactly what I did.  Plough, harrow to make a fine seedbed, broadcast grass seed, rake to cover the seeds, roll to ensure a firm seedbed. 

 

If you're feeling lazy just let lots of dandelions other deep rooting plants  break up the compaction over time.