When your yard is deeply sloped or uneven, it is not as functional as a smooth, even surface. With a heavily sloped yard, it is harder to install pools, fountains, firepits, and garden features. It is also harder for your kids to use your yard to play games such as soccer or kickball.

While an uneven yard is hard to enjoy, it also is not the ideal condition for your flowers and other plants to grow. As it rains, the water flows down the hills of your yard and pools in the valleys. This leaves your plants at the bottom drenched and the ones at the top of the hills without adequate water.

You may not worry about your rolling landscape, but you still need to keep an eye out for problem areas. You may be able to work around the slopes and make smarter plant selections, but grading your yard is the best way to prevent major water damage.

Standing water is undesirable and can attract pests like mosquitos to your yard. It can also damage your home’s foundation and cause water leaks in your basement, which can then lead to mold and damage to your possessions. It is best to at least grade your yard to help direct the water runoff from your home’s foundation and down to a drainage system.

While water damage may not be threatening your house, you may still want to even out your lawn. This process is simple. We recommended fixing your grading problems when you are planting a new lawn when your landscape is grass-less and your soil is easier to move. You can also level your existing lawn, but you need to be prepared to remove and replace some of the turfs after the leveling is complete.

After we have removed the turf, we will water the area to identify where the water is puddling. We will fill those areas using soil from your higher, dry areas.

Leveling your yard is just a matter of removing turf and moving dirt, but leveling your yard for drainage is more in-depth. While this can be done DIY, working with a professional yard grading company will ensure that you have the right permits and that your utility lines are not disrupted during the digging process.

We will first identify the drainage area, such as a public drain, or we can force the runoff to the edge of your property if there isn’t an accessible drainage area available.

Our team will then dig up the yard. We will dig up the grass and about eight inches of topsoil around the foundation of your home and any other area you want to even out. Smaller grade adjustments can be made by hand, but we also have the right equipment for larger grading projects.

Using the soil we have dug up, we will level uneven areas by filling in any valleys or dips with the soil from the hills. The soil will then be pressed down to ensure it is level. We will then determine the grade of your yard using one stake near the foundation and one near the drainage area, connected by a string.

The string will be used as a guide so we can start moving the soil to form a slight downward slope down to the designated drainage area. The soil will be raked as we go to keep it level and smooth. Your yard will then need to be restored since much of the grass has been removed. We can plant new grass or lay sod over the newly graded area.

The team at J Bird’s Landscaping has the equipment and the expertise to ensure your land is properly graded to avoid water problems, protecting your home and your plants. Contact us today to learn more!

How Leveling Your Yard Prevents Water Damage

J Bird's Landscaping