Yard Regrading/Drainage
- Thread starter Gonolz
- Start date
Haven't done anything yet. We haven't had any big rains since, so that is good. I've never dealt with anything related to a yard or house before, so I'm trying to learn before I decide how best to make major changes. I want to see if I can get comfortable with doing work myself once I decide what to do or if I should hire the job out (then need to find someone who will do it right). Thanks to all for the suggestions.
This is one project of about 30 that I now think I need to do for the place. Home ownership is the American Dream.
"Home ownership is the American Dream. "
It is expensive. On the other hand, my mortgage payment on a 15 year mortgage with insurance and taxes for a 5/3 with pool is roughly 2K per month. Of that, more than 1K per month goes straight to principal. Considering tax effects, I pay $800 per month plus repairs and maintenance to live in my house. My friend rents a 3/2 condo nearby for $1400 per month. Not even a covered patio, a one car garage.......
If you decide to move, keep your house as a rental if it will cash flow. There's no place to earn a decent income these days except for RE rentals.
It is expensive. On the other hand, my mortgage payment on a 15 year mortgage with insurance and taxes for a 5/3 with pool is roughly 2K per month. Of that, more than 1K per month goes straight to principal. Considering tax effects, I pay $800 per month plus repairs and maintenance to live in my house. My friend rents a 3/2 condo nearby for $1400 per month. Not even a covered patio, a one car garage.......
If you decide to move, keep your house as a rental if it will cash flow. There's no place to earn a decent income these days except for RE rentals.
Nice. Did you do it yourself or have someone do it? If you had someone do it, how did you find them and what was the damage? From the pics, it looks like you didn't have far to drain it to get it on a downward slope. I'm going to need to get mine a good bit farther to hit the downward sloping front yard. I really hope TS Matthew goes way far east of here.
Did it myself, because as you noted it wasn't that far to go. I just needed the water to have a clear path out, and down and out was the easiest way.
I'm on a hillside, about 130' asl at the street, maybe 120' asl at the front of the house and about 110' asl at my back fence. Behind my fence, but still on my property, an open storm drain runs perpendicular along the backside of the neighborhood (park behind my house) to the storm water runoff pond.
My last step is creating a similar style drain to collect excess water that pools at the back fence and run it straight into the storm drain.
Right now the water runs off the path that ends at the playground and pools in an area of ferns. I'm trying to decide how best to setup a 'water feature' for about 24' alongside the fire pit I will make this fall at the end of the playground. Anyone with experience in those and known pitfalls to avoid? I was considering adding an underground reservoir at the base (a couple of buried 5 gallon buckets) so I could pump water through that stretch when I wanted, but I don't want to create a mosquito haven either...
Did you ever get an estimate? That might help you decide, cause there will be a lot of digging. Don't skimp if you need to go down 12 inches to backfill with aggregate, you gotta dig the whole trench and not "just enough".
Planning to keep the house until you're buried makes you approach resolving problems more thoroughly.
It wasn't much to dig, and just sand.
If I had to go a long ways like OP I'd strongly consider renting a ditch witch.
Not quite - INTJ personality type tho...
We don't get any water from the street (the grade and storm drains handle that well), it's entirely from the driveway and yard, but there is a definite 'bowl' shape to the yard that leads everything to the front door. Takes a serious rain to make a puddle, but those do come along. Since putting in the drain I haven't had any water get above the sidewalk again, but I do have to check the pop up valve for leaves every once and while (oak trees...)
No, I've kinda been like:
I haven't found anyone yet that I feel confident in even getting an estimate. As someone mentioned before, this probably isn't a job that I know will be done right by Bob's Lawn Service. They are all going to say they can do it and just pull a number out of the air, perhaps a low one to entice me. I don't want to just roll the dice on Craig's list. The one I talked to that said they could do it mentioned for under 2 grand, but then I couldn't even rely on them to show up to mow the yard or even have the courtesy to return my calls after they didn't show up. I'd like to find a company that I know confidently will do it right. Maybe my mind changes after they give me the price, but it would at least be nice to talk it through with someone qualified.
I tried finding a landscape architect through the American Society of Landscape Architects, but their Firm Finder showed nothing in my area.
Anyone have ideas on who to contact and how to find them?
Seminole97, are you for hire?
Gonlez
Get a couple of pieces of rebar and stake one at the rear of the lot on the water problem side and then one at front where you estimate it begins to slant downhill. Get 100 ft or whatever you need of nylon string and stretch it tight between the 2 stakes. Get a line level that hangs on the line. You should be able to calculate how deep you need to dig to drain downhill by adjusting the stakes. Level it from flat ground at front and adjust at rear of house. You can then measure how deep of a trench you need at front of downhill area.
Get the utility companies to mark your lot. You can then see if you will run into electric/gas/water lines. These are usually buried quite deep--but you never know. Phone and cable are shallow. If these aren't an issue, a ditch witch or similar to cut the trench.
It looks to me like the owner raised the center and added gravel and stepping stones at the side of your house because water was an issue. Good Luck
Get a couple of pieces of rebar and stake one at the rear of the lot on the water problem side and then one at front where you estimate it begins to slant downhill. Get 100 ft or whatever you need of nylon string and stretch it tight between the 2 stakes. Get a line level that hangs on the line. You should be able to calculate how deep you need to dig to drain downhill by adjusting the stakes. Level it from flat ground at front and adjust at rear of house. You can then measure how deep of a trench you need at front of downhill area.
Get the utility companies to mark your lot. You can then see if you will run into electric/gas/water lines. These are usually buried quite deep--but you never know. Phone and cable are shallow. If these aren't an issue, a ditch witch or similar to cut the trench.
It looks to me like the owner raised the center and added gravel and stepping stones at the side of your house because water was an issue. Good Luck
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No, I've kinda been like:
I haven't found anyone yet that I feel confident in even getting an estimate. As someone mentioned before, this probably isn't a job that I know will be done right by Bob's Lawn Service. They are all going to say they can do it and just pull a number out of the air, perhaps a low one to entice me. I don't want to just roll the dice on Craig's list. The one I talked to that said they could do it mentioned for under 2 grand, but then I couldn't even rely on them to show up to mow the yard or even have the courtesy to return my calls after they didn't show up. I'd like to find a company that I know confidently will do it right. Maybe my mind changes after they give me the price, but it would at least be nice to talk it through with someone qualified.
I tried finding a landscape architect through the American Society of Landscape Architects, but their Firm Finder showed nothing in my area.
Anyone have ideas on who to contact and how to find them?
Seminole97, are you for hire?
You could try stopping in at a local garden center/nursery. The bigger ones around here have at least very experienced landscaper if not a landscape architect amd they offer free estimates.
There are plenty of landscape design companies around here. You don't need an architect, just a company that does landscaping and has some experience with drainage systems. Not a lawn service company.
I know folks who have done drainage "ditches" that are essentially nice looking dry creek beds until big events happen. Dig deep enough to allow for plenty of unseen gravel to allow for percolation as well as flow. Use drain pipes as needed...
Then landscape to fit the look. Make it look like it has always been there and you built the house around the feature. In Florida I would look for lime rock to look good on the surface and utilize ferns, succulents, and shrimp plants or similar flora that are OK with lots of drainage. Native azaleas, not the store bought varieties, are cool to give some height if you have the filtered sunlight they prefer. This may not fit your needs next to a playground, however.
Water features often fall into disrepair or become upkeep "anchors" on your free time.
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