I have a customer who wants to raise the grade of their yard by about 4 inches...to match neighbors on both sides. right now they are the lowest point and collect water from both sides. my question is this: if i bring in 4 inches of topsoil, will the existing grass grow up through it? or should i plan to seed/sod on top? thanks for any input.
will grass grow through soil
Sardean
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I have a customer who wants to raise the grade of their yard by about 4 inches...to match neighbors on both sides. right now they are the lowest point and collect water from both sides. my question is this: if i bring in 4 inches of topsoil, will the existing grass grow up through it? or should i plan to seed/sod on top? thanks for any input.
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4 inches is way too deep to expect the existing grass to grow through, you will need to reseed / sod.
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Changing the grade can also be detrimental to trees.
Drainage issues can be complicated. If you are not experienced at this, you may cause more harm than good.
Drainage issues can be complicated. If you are not experienced at this, you may cause more harm than good.
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1/2 an inch? Yes
4 inches? Hell no.
4 inches? Hell no.
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What if it was done over time?....Say 1/2 inch or so every spring and fall.
i have someone with more experience coming to look as well...there are no trees on the property to worry about...the 4 inches of soil is the homeowners idea...i personally think a drywell and perimeter french drain is what is needed...when we look later this week we are going to dig a trial pit to check the soil and water table
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Call an expert--like a good lawyer. It your city is is probably not legal for neighbors to drain their lawns onto your clients property. The developer is possibly responsible for this. Chances are your client was first, so neighbors brought in soil and built theirs up, so their downspouts and rain water water would drain toward the present victim. You do have a county drain commisioner--right?
Failing that--Phasthound is right--a drainage expert is needed. Lots of experience--a laser level--plenty of laser-guided trenching machines and drainage tubeing.
Failing that--Phasthound is right--a drainage expert is needed. Lots of experience--a laser level--plenty of laser-guided trenching machines and drainage tubeing.
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Yes that will work, if you want to take 5 years to finish the project!
Just get a sod cutter and take it up, put the soil down and replace the sod.
I believe that is for drainage from the gutters, not the natural lay of the land. But yes that is the law pretty much everywhere, can't have any drainage going onto someone elses property.
If both neighbors built it up on both sides then maybe you would have a case to make them pay for it, but I doubt that happened. Could be a lot of reasons why the grade is that way.
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I had a similar customer ask me about doing a job like this.... turned out that they werent ready to spend the kind of money needed to do a project like this, but thats a different story.... i talked to my local landscape supply store and they recogmended taking out the existing sod because the underling grass could reach up and actually kill the roots of the new grass (whether this is true or not i don't know)
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If that someone is Kirk, you're in good hands.
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