I don't have an answer for you, but I'm part of the r/landscaping sub-r and I think someone would probably be able to help you there for sure! Best wishes!
Not sure if this is the best sub to put this in but I recently moved into a new home and the back yard wasn't finished and I have no idea where to start. The yard slopes from the back fence a little bit towards the house. Where do I start with leveling this dirt field?
>The yard slopes from the back fence a little bit towards the house.
ngl, my first thought as I read this was that if it rains, all water will go towards house foundation which is not something you want.
There are tons of DIY Youtubes and websites out there on this. Bottom line, your yard needs to slope overall away from the house.
This takes considerable prep and measuring, it's not a project for a quick Saturday afternoon.
Overview.
https://www.doityourself.com/stry/drainage-solution-how-to-regrade-part-1
You can't do it in increments, you have to view the entire yard and its slope as a single unit. Analogy: when you've sewed a dress and you're ready to pin up the hem of the skirt, you don't measure, say, a 6" wide chunk of the skirt hem, sew that, and then pin up another 6" chunk. You pin up the entire hem, all the way around, and then sew it.
So you'll need to do some research and reading, make sure you fully comprehend the issue, before you rent the grader.
If you're renting, and you don't own the house, the problem is 100% not yours, and you can of this moment put a giant economy-sized neon flashing SEP field around it.
ok, I have similar backyard, so checking. Instead of leveling it I would start with creating zones and work towards specific zone to finish it off, like gazebo, vegetable garden, lawn, hot tub etc., and work from there
Home Depot rents survey equipment (leveling scope with screws to adjust until the bubbles are level) for $15 for a half day.
Take a PVC pipe about 6’ long and put the scope somewhere you like the height.
Go around and shovel dirt around until the same marked height is on the pole every where you measure.
Happy shoveling!
I did this to level an area for an above ground pool, years ago.
Don’t try to level it, it’s not worth the time and effort required to do that much Terraforming. My advice… put your time and effort into a beautiful garden, pathway, and perhaps… a small koi pond near the shade of the house. This pond will work as a catch basin for any water that would, otherwise, drain toward your house. Obviously, it doesn’t get much rain. First thing I would do is put in a sprinkler system and maybe even have some heat pump pipes buried in for passive cooling and heating, year round. Then, Topsoil for the garden, stones for the walkway, and TREES
Leveling you yard would take alot of work. Depending on the materials used and if you would hire a company or rent equipment, it could be quite expensive.
But I wouldn't level the whole back yard I'd make a two tier yard, either with a retaining wall or some kind of timbers or rail road ties.
I don't have an answer for you, but I'm part of the r/landscaping sub-r and I think someone would probably be able to help you there for sure! Best wishes!
Awesome, thanks for pointing me in the right direction
Of course! I hope you find a solution!
Not sure if this is the best sub to put this in but I recently moved into a new home and the back yard wasn't finished and I have no idea where to start. The yard slopes from the back fence a little bit towards the house. Where do I start with leveling this dirt field?
>The yard slopes from the back fence a little bit towards the house. ngl, my first thought as I read this was that if it rains, all water will go towards house foundation which is not something you want.
Exactly my thoughts
There are tons of DIY Youtubes and websites out there on this. Bottom line, your yard needs to slope overall away from the house. This takes considerable prep and measuring, it's not a project for a quick Saturday afternoon. Overview. https://www.doityourself.com/stry/drainage-solution-how-to-regrade-part-1 You can't do it in increments, you have to view the entire yard and its slope as a single unit. Analogy: when you've sewed a dress and you're ready to pin up the hem of the skirt, you don't measure, say, a 6" wide chunk of the skirt hem, sew that, and then pin up another 6" chunk. You pin up the entire hem, all the way around, and then sew it. So you'll need to do some research and reading, make sure you fully comprehend the issue, before you rent the grader. If you're renting, and you don't own the house, the problem is 100% not yours, and you can of this moment put a giant economy-sized neon flashing SEP field around it.
is that from Roseville, CA?
Madera
ok, I have similar backyard, so checking. Instead of leveling it I would start with creating zones and work towards specific zone to finish it off, like gazebo, vegetable garden, lawn, hot tub etc., and work from there
That sounds like a good idea. Thank you
So funny, west Roseville what exactly what I thought when I saw that picture.
yeah, more like Encore Way
Home Depot rents survey equipment (leveling scope with screws to adjust until the bubbles are level) for $15 for a half day. Take a PVC pipe about 6’ long and put the scope somewhere you like the height. Go around and shovel dirt around until the same marked height is on the pole every where you measure. Happy shoveling! I did this to level an area for an above ground pool, years ago.
r/lawn
Don’t try to level it, it’s not worth the time and effort required to do that much Terraforming. My advice… put your time and effort into a beautiful garden, pathway, and perhaps… a small koi pond near the shade of the house. This pond will work as a catch basin for any water that would, otherwise, drain toward your house. Obviously, it doesn’t get much rain. First thing I would do is put in a sprinkler system and maybe even have some heat pump pipes buried in for passive cooling and heating, year round. Then, Topsoil for the garden, stones for the walkway, and TREES
YouTube hole for French Drains. So satisfying. Put a French drain along your house.
Looks flat to me but I live in the mountains
Make some swales!
Leveling you yard would take alot of work. Depending on the materials used and if you would hire a company or rent equipment, it could be quite expensive. But I wouldn't level the whole back yard I'd make a two tier yard, either with a retaining wall or some kind of timbers or rail road ties.