Proper land grading is vital to your home’s integrity. When the ground surrounding your home slopes in the right direction, it prevents water from seeping into the foundation and causing potential damage to the structure and property. Because grading issues can develop over time, it’s critical to have a professional assess the ground if you suspect a problem. If you’re constructing a new building, a land clearing expert will need to prepare the ground properly. Here’s what you should know about the process.

An Introduction to Land Grading

Positive grading refers to the downhill slope that allows for proper water drainage away from the home. Negative grading, by contrast, directs water toward the home, which leaves it vulnerable to moisture intrusion whenever it rains.

Water can seep into the soil surrounding the foundation, for example, creating weighted pressure against the wall and eventually leading to structural issues, like cracks and wood rot.  

When to Grade the Land

Issues like soil erosion and weather damage can cause slow-forming grading issues that might not be noticeable at first.

When you detect an area of low ground, have a land clearing professional assess the situation. If any land slopes toward the house instead of away from it, your contractor will reshape the ground to protect the home’s integrity. Professionals also level the ground in a way that won’t impact your landscaping; moisture should never flow into flower beds or high-traffic areas.

Resolving Negative Land Grades

Different types of repairs may be necessary to resolve negative grading. Your land clearing technician will determine the most effective technique based on the severity of the slope. Sometimes, shifting soil in a new direction may be all that’s needed to improve conditions.

But changes such as tree removal, settling soil, and animal damage can impact the land’s slope too. That requires more comprehensive work and planning, including taking precise measures to calculate the grade before using specialty equipment to break ground.

Homeowners throughout Pearl City, HI, and surrounding areas trust the professionals at Amazon Construction to perform reliable land clearing and grading services. Proudly serving the area since 1981, the woman-owned company also offers demolition, heavy haul trucking, grubbing, and excavation for both residential and commercial projects. They’ve even been featured on “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” in Honolulu! Visit the website to learn more about how they can help you, or call them at (808) 841-6595 to request a free estimate.