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When it comes to grading for construction work, you may not consider it to be that important. As long as the ground looks solid around your building, what’s the problem?
The problem is that grading is designed to provide adequate drainage. If you allow groundwater to surround a building, it can put pressure on the foundation, causing it to crack. This will allow water to then enter your foundation, causing a whole heap of new issues including weakening and the intrusion of mold and mildew.
When it comes to commercial grading and residential grading, there are minimum standards that should be adhered to. These are minimum standards, though – a professional builder should always strive to do much better.
The advice is that should you measure out from a building at an angle of ninety degrees, then the soil ten feet away from the building should be at least six inches lower than the soil immediately adjacent to the house.
Additionally, there should be a minimum of six inches of foundation extending above the line of the ground. This is to stop groundwater from flowing over the foundation and into areas where it can cause real problems.
These are both minimum requirements designed in order to ‘persuade’ groundwater under the force of gravity to move away from a building, and not towards it. The key word in that previous sentence is ‘minimum’ – six inches is the minimum but most builders and landscapers would recommend any measure between nine and twelve inches as being more comfortable.
Remember, not only is commercial grading important to the future integrity of your building, the accumulation of groundwater will result in a damp, water-soaked yard. You will not be able to enjoy your yard if, every time it rains, you are splashing about in puddles that take days to drain!
To avoid grading mistakes on large-scale projects, the best that you can do is hire the services of professional contractors. For the best in commercial and industrial development, please contact us here at Price Construction, Inc. We have been in business since 1973, and have a massive portfolio of satisfied customers. Contact us at (864) 578-1008, or use the online contact form that’s available on our website.
