# regrading around house



## eddytheflow (Mar 8, 2011)

hey guys, just about to start regrading and need some advice.

we've got a relatively flat lot sloping out to the street ever so slightly, and this wouldn't be a problem, but since the dirt is pretty much right up against our siding, I want to dig down some to expose the foundation about 8" (some of the wood is exposed and I want to prevent any rot and insects from getting in there). 
i've heard others talk about gravel and clay and compacting, etc, but i'm uncertain. i've got the idea that everything would pretty much work out if I dug around the perimiter of the house and threw dirt out to lower elevations, minding the slope. 
am i missing something? love to hear anyone else's experience doing something similar. thanks!


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

> we've got a relatively flat lot sloping out to the street ever so slightly
> and this wouldn't be a problem but since the dirt is pretty much wood is
> exposed and I want to prevent any rot and insects from getting in there).
> 
> ...


First order of business, excavate around the house so the dirt does not touch 
the wood siding. It is possible that immediately you run into a problem that 
the rain water no longer flows out to the street.

Then you would need to regrade all the way from the foundation out halfway 
to the street so water will flow away from the house. Or maybe all the way 
to the street so the water collects out at your front property line.

Another idea is to dig a 1 foot wide by 1 foot deep trench all the way along 
the foundation. Line the trench with seamless plastic sheeting end to end
with the sheeting coming up to surface level (U cross section) and adhered
to the foundation along that side. This will reduce water going down the
foundation. Fill the trench with gravel. The top of the gravel also needs to be 
below the start of the wood siding by a few inches or so. Continue the 
trench past the foundation by several feet at both ends and dig dry wells. 
(The dry wells should not be against the foundation hence the need to 
extend the trench.) It may be necessary to put a sump pump in each dry well 
to send the water some distance from the house.

You will also need an underground perimeter drain system at basement 
footing level since some of the water in the vicinity will go directly down 
against the foundation as opposed to go to the side, to one dry well or the 
other.

You should have a roof gutter along the front of the house so all the roof 
water does not come down right in front of the house. The downspouts 
should also not dump the water against the foundation.


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## eddytheflow (Mar 8, 2011)

thanks allan, the gravel leading to a drywell is exactly the sort of thing i was curious about and might end up doing that as a last resort.
i do plan on installing a french drain on one side of the house where water does seep into the basement.
i planned on a "simple" regrading type of project, primarily for the purpose of raising the foundation height, so that dirt isn't touching any wood parts of my house. i didn't initially plan on installing a perimeter drain system below the foundation because water doesn't seem to seep in in large amounts. 
if it ain't broke..? 
i guess a concrete skirt wouldn't really help all that much either..


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

A concrete skirt should also be a few inches below the wood. You don't want a driving rain to hit the more or 
less horizontal top of the skirt and splasn on the wood just above.


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## eddytheflow (Mar 8, 2011)

i'm thinking a concrete skirt might not be right for me.
while doing some searching i found this article which explains what i think i might end up doing.

http://doverprojects.blogspot.com/2008/12/french-drain-design.html

not exactly the french drain design that i'll use for my backyard (which also floods), and i'm not going to replace my gutters with this, but i think that overall it may help prevent moisture in my basement/crawlspace.
i think, anyways.
plus it just seems like something to do while i'm at it, digging around the perimeter of the house already.
eh?


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