Our soil/landscaping grade is between about 4" and 8" above the foundation. I've read and been told that this is a problem. I believe the soil should be ~4" below the foundation line. We have a hundred year-old house with a brick foundation.
Fixing it by uniformly lowering the soil line will likely be very costly, as we have a lot of landscaping planted around the house. Furthermore, on one side of the house, if we lower the grade 12", we will almost certainly go below the level of our neighbor's house.
I have several questions:
- How significant of a problem is having the grade above the foundation line?
- Are there reliable technological solutions that would prevent us from digging up and replanting all of our trees and shrubs surrounding the house?
- What kind of professionals do I need to consult to get this done properly?
Best Answer
Soil above the foundation means that critters (rodents, worms, reptiles, etc.), bacteria, molds, and water can easily access the siding and infiltrate the walls. Some of these can rapidly deteriorate the structure in a matter of a year or two in contrast to a building lasting 100 or more years.
Yes. Use a shovel to remove the soil next to the house. You do not have to regrade the whole lot. A foot wide trench next to the house is plenty for this concern, though channeling runoff away from the house should also be addressed. That could be as simple as putting in a few drain lines at strategic points.
I would start by looking around your neighborhood and see what works and what does not. Imitate the successes.