Question about surface grading

Probably a dumb question, but... I want to establish "negative slope" around some buildings where the original builder didn't (with not great results when 3ft of snow melts all around). This means establishing a surface grade that is flat, but not quite level, consistently. I've seen fancy tilting ditch buckets used for this but I don't have one of those. I am guessing there is a trick to this. Two ideas come to mind: 1) pull up some dirt such that when the machine is driven onto it, it is at the required angle vs horizontal, then grade away using a regular ditching bucket (which I do have). or 2) grab some solid length of something (e.g. a 6x6 or angle iron) with the thumb, at the required angle, use that as a grading tool with the machine level. The need to position the machine somewhere on a line perpendicular to the slope (so it can grade the slope) I think favors approach #1: you would drive forward progressively grading and after the initial few ft the machine would be sitting on previously graded soil, hence at the right angle to continue.

I'd appreciate any advice on the right way to do this. Thanks.

btw I'm doing this work with a 3.5t mini excavator

My preferred method is to work perpendicular to the grade I want, or in other words parallel with the building with an excavator. Picture driving beside the building. Reach over the track sideways and cut to grade, pull forward or backward and repeat. If space is an issue I throw a little dirt under what should be my uphill track to establish the grade, however this takes more time to set up and keep consistent.

John

I would add to the above, use the backfill blade push it down to prop the excavator up, if your machine is sitting perpendicular to the work, this will give you the ability to cut grade at an angle. It is of course limited by the height that the blade can create, but it might be enough to do what you want to do. I have a large clean out bucket and a hyd angle bucket, but sometimes of course I don't have the hyd angle bucket with me. I use that trick with the large cleanout which I always carry with me. Doesn't always work but its a tool in the tool bag.

Completely forgot about my blade in typing that last night... I use that trick quite often myself. It's every bit as handy as the stabilizers on my backhoe. I love my mini ex but some days miss the flexibility of my backhoe.

John