Property Grading

When building your new home, should your property have an uneven surface – hills, recesses, dips, mounds or holes – grading is required.

A property’s grading involves the property’s slope. It is important to attain an ideal slope.

An ideal slope descends from your home’s footprint. The descent is important because it enables rainwater and roof runoff to be directed away from your foundation. This is positive grade.

Positive grade is also called good soil grade.

With negative grade, the surface slopes towards your foundation. 

This is not ideal. Negative grade is also called poor soil grade.

Positive grade reduces erosion. Thereby mitigating foundation damage.

Level grade is where the surface is level. Level is not ideal. 

For every one foot you move away from your home’s footprint, you want the surface to drop by one inch. The one-foot-out-drop-one-inch format should be adhered to ten feet out from the home’s footprint.