DIY guideGround and drainage
Check the ground slopes away from the house
With a straight board and a level, find where the ground runs toward the walls instead of away, and mark it.
- 20 to 45 min
- 7 steps
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Walk round the house and look where the ground meets the foundation: dips, puddle marks, and gaps between the soil and the wall.
Set a long, straight board on the ground, one end touching the wall, pointing straight out.
Set a level on the board. The bubble should show the board tipping down, away from the house.
Where the board sits flat or tips toward the wall, push in a stake or a garden flag.
Do the same where a walk, patio or driveway meets the house. It should tip away too, with no gap at the wall.
Fill each marked spot with soil that packs, sloping away from the wall and kept below the siding.
Water in the basement, or a slope you can't fix without burying the siding: ask Handyman for a landscaper or drainage pro.
What you need
- A long, straight board
- A level
- Stakes or garden flags
Call a pro if
- Water gets into the basement
- A walk or patio tips toward the house
- You can't build up the ground without burying the siding
Handyman says: Water getting in? I'll find a drainage pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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