Signs your yard needs grading
Puddles that sit for days after it rains, soggy ground along the foundation, or a lawn that slopes toward the house instead of away from it.
What grading actually does
Grading reshapes the ground so it slopes away from the house. Rain then runs off toward the yard or the street instead of collecting against the foundation.
How much slope do you need?
A common target is at least a 2% slope away from the house. That's about 2.5 inches of drop over 10 feet. You won't really see it, but the water will find it.
How to check your grade
Tie a string to a stake at the foundation and run it 10 feet out to a second stake. Level it with a line level, then measure from the string down to the ground at each stake. The ground should be about 2.5 inches lower at the far stake.
Why it matters on Windsor clay
Clay holds water and drains slowly. On a flat lot, a small, steady slope makes a big difference to where that water ends up.
Low spots in the lawn
Low spots get filled with soil and levelled out, so water doesn't pool in the middle of the lawn either.
Do it before the lawn or patio
Grading is the first step of any new lawn, patio or driveway. It's far easier to fix the ground before sod or concrete goes on top than after.
Downspouts are part of it
Where your downspouts send water is part of the same problem. The City of Windsor offers a free Downspout Disconnection Service, and disconnection is mandatory in part of the city: south of Tecumseh Road East, north of the Canadian Pacific Railway, east of Howard Avenue and west of Walker Road. The City also says it will be implementing a mandatory disconnection policy, with exemptions case by case. Call 311 to book.
Once a downspout is disconnected, that water lands on your lot, so the yard has to carry it away from the house. If it ends up pooling against the foundation, that's a grading problem we can fix.
The City's Downspout Disconnection page →
What grading can't fix
Grading moves surface water away from your house. If water is coming in through cracks in the foundation or up through the basement floor, that's a job for a waterproofing contractor.
Windsor's basement flooding subsidy
The City's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program helps pay for work like backwater valves and sump pumps, up to $3,500 per property, for eligible single-family and duplex homes. The work has to be approved first and done by a City-licensed plumber. Yard grading isn't on the City's list of eligible work, so don't count on it for that.
The City's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy page →
Don't send it to your neighbour
Water has to go somewhere, but it can't just be dumped on the next lot. On newer lots, the shallow swales along the property lines are there on purpose, so don't fill them in. Good grading sends water toward the street or a swale.
What grading costs
Yard grading runs about $1.00–$2.50 per sq ft before HST. Under a new lawn, extra grading or soil adds about $0.30–$0.75 per sq ft.
What comes next
Once the ground is right, we lay sod or turf, pour concrete or build beds, all with the same crew.
Got water where it shouldn't be?
Free on-site estimate anywhere in Windsor-Essex, with a written quote the same day. One-year warranty, fully insured and WSIB covered. Call or text 519-567-4724.
