Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [grading]

51 questions
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votes
4 answers

Lot grading, water percolation & french drain on the property line along the fence..What is a correct drainage for this property?

I am now trying to understand if the current water drainage on my lot is wrong. The previous owner excavated the soil around the house and he probably spread the soil around the house in the backyard. Also, my neighbor's property is on a higher…
MiniMe
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Need to fix the grading of my backyard: remove the sod or turn it over?

I want to fix the grading of my backyard. I think that I have two options: a) remove the sod, grade the soil and put the sod back AND b) use a rototiller (rent it from HomeDepot) and turn the old sod over I would like to go with b) because: -the…
MiniMe
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2 answers

Soil grade is above foundation

Our soil/landscaping grade is between about 4" and 8" above the foundation. I've read and been told that this is a problem. I believe the soil should be ~4" below the foundation line. We have a hundred year-old house with a brick…
glenviewjeff
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How often do I need to regrade the ground around my house?

I'm a first time homeowner, and when we moved in we were told we'd need to regrade our house. I am deciding whether doing it myself or hiring someone is a better decision, and the following list summarizes my considerations. How often do I need to…
Frank Bryce
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4
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3 answers

Plastic shed base - How to level soil?

I am going to get a new shed but first I need the base. I have purchased a plastic grid base system, I have measured out the area and have cleared the turf on top. Now, I am coming a bit stuck on the best way to ensure that the ground is level…
physicsboy
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4
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2 answers

Building a free-standing wall on top of a retaining wall

My house is well below street level. The slope from the sidewalk down towards the house is visibly eroding, to the point where I can see the entire side of many of the sidewalk slabs. The yard looks like this: From the house, facing the…
alexw
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Exposed foundation and large egress well - need help

New to this website. I wanted to ask a question regarding our new home that is being built. There is a large chunk of foundation in one corner of the house that is exposed, along with a very tall egress well (see picture below of one of us standing…
Lamps
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1 answer

Is it safe to excavate soil next to concrete slab?

I'm looking to regrade the soil around my shed so water doesn't continue to damage the sill plate. The concrete slab is barely above grade, so I'm looking to remove soil to expose it another 2-3 inches. I'm concerned about potentially undermining…
Old_Sound5035
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1 answer

Foundation water seepage?

Recently purchased a new home and am noticing that there appears to be what seems to be an issue with water seeping through the foundation in the basement. Shortly after a decent rain the wall will start to look damp, after longer periods without…
Greg
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How can I prevent water from pooling against my foundation and patio pad?

When I purchased my house the builder flipped the stairs and grilling deck. I can’t figure a way to fix the grade issue at the bottom of the stairs and along the back wall. The steps lead to an approximate 3’ x 3’ cement pad butted up to my…
Joe
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1 answer

New home grading is only 6 inches below above grade basement windows, is that enough

When a new home comes with only the grading (no dirt or grass) and above grade basement windows, how far below does the grading have to be from the window? In other words, once I add the dirt and grass, how far below the window does the base of that…
New home owner
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Is it okay to have brick below grade?

Is it okay to have brick below grade? My house was built in 1967. The walls are brick and block construction. The soil is graded on top of 3 courses of brick. One of my neighbors said that this is common in the area (Maryland) and it's not a…
Laxmidi
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How important is grading around a foundation if there is no basement?

I'm looking to put some storage bins next to our garage. How important is it to grade the soil away from the foundation of the garage if there is no basement under it? I wouldn't run it to the garage, but is it OK to have it flat or does the soil…
Josh Russo
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Should I replace the stones I dug up when regrading the garden bed next to my foundation?

I'm in the process of regrading a garden bed adjacent to my foundation to slope it away more from the house. Hopefully this will solve the drainage issue I've been seeing. As the bed was sloping slightly towards the foundation, I dug up a few inches…
Dispatch
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Need advice on re-grading garden beds around foundation for better drainage and if I can apply barriers/sealant to mitigate water intrusion

I'm doing some landscaping cleanup for my parents' house - for visualization, this house's surrounding layout is almost identical: The front and right side of the house is surrounded by lawn and mulched beds while the left side of the house has…
Dispatch
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