HawthorneVillager.com

Proper lot grading is vital for the long term health of your home. Often, during year end warranty inspections I find lot grading issues that are difficult to repair. Plus, builders often dump gravel between homes before the grading ( swale ) is done properly. These problems contribute to chronic moisture conditions caused by water leakage and dampness through the basement foundation walls. This can also contribute to sump pump failures, sewer backups, ponding on your lot, and foundation settlement issues.

The basics are simple. The lot grade must always slope away from your home without negatively effecting the adjacent home. In between homes, there must be a V-shaped "swale" that directs water away from both homes to the front or to the rear of the home. This V-shaped "swale" must be well defined before the gravel is placed between the homes.

As well, the Ontario Building Code requires that your foundation must extend not less than 150 mm or 5 7/8 inches above finished ground level. This keeps siding, bricks, stucco and other similar materials above grade.

Often during inspections the slope of the lot grading is towards the house, yet only a few inches of foundation is visible above grade. This creates a huge problem because the simple fix, adding soil near the house and sloping the lot away from the house, is now not possible. In cases like this the whole yard should be re-graded to fix the problem.



All I can say is this -

1) Don't allow your builder to dump gravel between your homes unless there is a well defined V-shaped swale directing water away from both homes towards the front or rear of the lot.

2) Don't allow your builder to lay sod down unless you can see that the lot is graded in a way that will direct water away from your home without negatively effecting other homes.

3) Don't allow your builder to grade too high up on your foundation wall. You must be able to visually see a minimum 5 3/4 inches of your foundation walls.

4) Before your builder installs the window wells, confirm that the weeping tile ( a black pipe full of gravel ) is exposed and under each basement window.

5) Don't have your A/C systems installed until after the lot grading has been done. This will interfere with the people doing the lot grading and create a low area under and around the A/C unit.

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761
Halton Home Inspection Service

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Bumped on this very wet and rainy day for the people in new homes where the lot grading is not done yet.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Oh my, don't install A/C units until after lot grading is done? How long before lots are graded? My house closes end of September this year and I'd like to have my A/C installed in spring before it starts to get really hot out. How long should I wait?

The sad thing here is that you are on your own when it comes to lot grading.

So, don't let Mattamy or any other builder or contractor, lay sod on your lot, or throw gravel down between your homes, unless the lot grade slopes away from your house and unless there is a well defined "swale" between your homes. This V-shaped "swale" must direct water towards the front or to the rear of the home and away from the home.

As well, under decks are often just filled with stones. This is ridiculous because it just makes a big tub of water beside the house. The lot grade includes the area under your deck. While it's more difficult to get dirt under a deck, it must be done.

If you do put in an AC unit before the grading is done. Make sure it is high enough off the ground and if it was my house I would build up the area under the AC unit before it is installed.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Well I suppose the good news for me is that I plan on contacting you to perform the 30-day and 1 year inspections of my new home. Perhaps that will be a good time for me to bring up the A/C unit and anything else that concerns me