Grading provides the very foundation for your entire landscape. Proper grading will allow you to maximize your landscape’s potential and offer necessary protection against drainage problems. For years, Hyatt Landscaping has worked closely with many builders, developers, and homeowners to provide expert land grading and drainage solutions in the Charlotte area. We use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure accurate measurements, and our equipment operators have an average of 20 years of experience, ensuring the job will be done correctly and efficiently! Schedule a consultation to discuss grading, drainage, and your ideal landscape with our Charlotte landscaping experts!
What Is Landscape Grading?
Landscape grading is the art of shaping the land around your home. It’s primarily aimed at correcting or preventing drainage problems, you can also choose to grade your yard to create flat spaces or distinct levels for aesthetic purposes. Many factors must be considered before determining the final grade of a property, though none more important than allowing for proper drainage. To request a consultation for landscape grading in the Charlotte, Concord, or Waxhaw area, call us at (704) 888-5390 or contact us online! [schedule_call phone =”704-888-5390″ contact_url = “https://www.oldhyatt.zgraphdev.com/contact/“]
Importance of Proper Grading & Drainage
If water does not flow away from a home or building, serious damage can be done to its foundation. Poor drainage in the lawn and planting areas will prevent intended vegetation from thriving. Grading and drainage are often necessary to:
- Prevent foundational problems caused by water.
- Keep paved walks and driveways clear and safe during and immediately after a rain.
- Prevent standing water or soggy, wet areas on your lawn after rain.
- Reduce damage to planting beds or other vegetative surfaces.
- Safely operate lawn equipment. Lawns should not exceed a 25% slope to safely use a mower.
- Improve access to your landscape. Even if walkways and sidewalks are part of your landscape, lawn areas are often used as a means of access throughout your property.
In addition to allowing for proper drainage, it’s extremely important to create the best possible grade depending on the site’s intended use. Each element in the design of a property has a recommended percentage of slope, and not adhering to the correct slope can make areas unmanageable, unusable, and even unsafe. Grading can also enhance your property in several ways, including:
- Creating more level surfaces on your property that increase the potential for play and other outdoor activities.
- Better privacy and screening from undesirable on-site or off-site views. This can be done by building a flat area of land—or berm—and installing plant material.
- Providing defined edges between outdoor spaces. A small difference in elevation between one space and another makes each seem like a distinct place.
Need grading completed at your Charlotte home? Contact our landscaping experts today!
How to Determine the Right Slope for Drainage
Proper landscape grading is necessary in Charlotte and surrounding areas, given our relatively wet climate. As a rule of thumb, you want your land to slope at a 5% grade away from your house (for example, a slope of six inches per 10 feet). Walkways need to be graded with a maximum slope of 5% in mind. If the fixed elevations will not allow this transition, steps or ramps should be installed or created. Slopes that are too extreme will direct water where you want it, but could cause overwatering in other places and make the lawn hard to enjoy.
Professional Landscape Grading Services in Charlotte
Hyatt Landscaping offers a full array of landscape grading services in Charlotte, including drainage and irrigation. Our Charlotte landscaping installation team can grade your lawn and property for style and function. By choosing our team, you’ll get to work with experts who offer several options that will make your grading and drainage fit seamlessly into your landscape, including:
- French drains, swales, gutter drainage, and other features to improve drainage performance.
- Installation of berms and shrubs to make the yard more three-dimensional and increase privacy.
- Hardscaping such as sidewalks and stone pathways can make it more comfortable to walk on graded slopes.
- Turf, shrubs, and trees that can be selected and planted with water needs and drainage lines in mind.
To talk about yard grading and drainage in your Charlotte, Concord, or Waxhaw area home, call us today at (704) 888-5390!
Choose Hyatt Landscaping – Get an Estimate!
Choose the licensed experts at Hyatt Landscaping to take care of land grading and drainage for your Charlotte area home. We use laser-sharp measurements, soil tests to determine the proper grade, and backhoes and handheld tools for precision when creating the best grade for your Charlotte home. Call (704) 888-5390 to discuss landscape grading in Charlotte with the award-winning team at Hyatt Landscaping, or contact us online today! Hyatt Landscaping is a licensed North Carolina landscaping contractor serving Charlotte, Weddington, Matthews, Monroe, Huntersville, and the surrounding communities. We provide landscaping services including tree and shrub installation, hardscapes, lighting, irrigation, and more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our team has been serving the landscaping needs of homeowners in Charlotte and surrounding areas for decades now. In that time, we’ve handled hundreds of yard grading projects, and we understand you probably have some questions! Check out our FAQs here, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to call.
How do I fix a yard grading problem?
A proper solution is best found by first figuring out precisely where your landscape is uneven, and why. From there, the process includes removing the topsoil layer, and then adjusting the subsoil to the appropriate level by filling in gaps or slopes and addressing any other discrepancies. The process can be quite involved, which is why it’s best to call on an experienced landscaping contractor when you need yard grading.
Can I regrade my yard myself?
The temptation to DIY a landscaping job is an understandable one, and we encourage homeowners to learn more about how to care for their landscape. However, yard grading is a fairly heavy task, and one that is most safely performed using heavy machinery and cutting-edge measurement tools. Additionally, improper grading can lead to drainage issues that can endanger your landscape, and may result in serious home damage. In short, do not try to regrade your own yard!
What kind of dirt do you use for grading?
For grading in areas that aim to improve drainage or prevent foundation leaking, claylike soil is best, as it is less porous and less prone to shifting. Organic matter-rich topsoil is the best choice for topping landscape grading. Loose topsoil that has been set into place and compacted just enough is ideal for grass growing, future plantings, and planning out your softscape and hardscape features.
Can yard grading be used to address standing water in my yard?
Absolutely, yes. One of the most common uses of yard grading is to remove slopes that bowl in your landscape and create little pools. Correcting these can help the look and health of your landscape, and can also help in mitigating pest nesting like mosquitoes, flies, and gnats.
How can Hyatt Landscaping help me with yard grading?
Our team takes yard grading and regrading seriously. Not only are our landscaping professionals extensively trained, but we also utilize cutting-edge tools like laser measurement tools, soil tests, and heavy machinery to make the process both swift and precise. We offer landscape grading that focuses on improving drainage, smoothing softscape and hardscape ground, and grading to correct severe sloping and soil erosion. Did you find your question here? If not, or if you want to know more about yard grading, contact Hyatt Landscaping! We offer complete yard grading services in Charlotte and surrounding areas! Feel free to check out our yard grading gallery as well!