Whether you’re doing a major landscape makeover or need to fix drainage issues, you may be wondering what types of earth moving really needs to happen. In this post, let’s explore Excavation 101: When is grading necessary in Bedford, NH?
What Is Landscape Grading?
Landscape grading involves leveling and sculpting the land to prepare it for installation of a hardscape, for planting, or to solve drainage problems. It is used to slope land away from the house or other structures to prevent water pooling and runoff, and to prevent erosion. It’s one of those foundational items that you don’t notice at all if it’s done right. Done wrong, the consequences are definitely going to show up.
How to Tell If Your Landscape Needs Grading
First, look at the behavior of water on your landscape, especially after heavy rain. Where is the water going? Does it pool in a part of the landscape? Does it run off in torrents? Is there any standing water? Is any water running or pooling near your home’s foundation, the driveway, or your patio? If your landscape isn’t properly graded and water soaks into the soil next to your home’s foundation, the hydrostatic pressure will build up and cause water to seep into the foundation or, worse, cause cracks and structural damage. Taking care of drainage issues is not something that can wait!
As much as possible, the aim is to slow the movement of water while preventing it from pooling, running off, or moving toward structures. It’s not an easy feat, but it is the only solution for allowing rainwater and snowmelt to percolate into the ground rather than pooling or running off.
Other reasons for grading are to shape the land for aesthetic reasons. For example, you may wish to add a berm to hide an unattractive view. Or, you may want to flatten an area to add more usable space in your backyard.
What’s Involved in Proper Grading?
The first steps in grading are to identify any buried utility lines and irrigation systems and obtaining the necessary permits. If there are trees you want to keep, each tree’s dripline must be clearly marked, so there is absolutely no grading, cutting, or filling within a tree’s dripline. This will serve to avoid damaging the roots and killing the tree.
The next step is to remove the topsoil before shaping the land to the desired slope that allows for optimal drainage. In areas that will be softscaped (lawns and landscaped areas), you want a 2 percent or greater drainage away from structures. In areas that will be hardscaped (patios, walkways, and driveways), the aim is at least a 1 percent slope away from hardscaped areas.
Once the topsoil has been removed and the land has been shaped, but before the topsoil has been replaced, this is the perfect time to install irrigation systems or drainage systems such as French drains.
Once the land has been shaped, your landscaper may lay down a geogrid, or mesh, that will keep the soil in place and prevent erosion. After this mesh is laid down, the topsoil is replaced, and a final grading is done to level and smooth the soil and prepare it for planting or hardscape installation.
Grading makes your landscape not only safe and functional but beautiful. And we’re your grading experts. Give us a call today!
