What you’re aiming for
The common building-code standard: the ground should drop at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet out from the foundation. Plenty of homes lose that slope over the years as soil settles.
Step by step
- Measure the slope. Drive a stake next to the foundation and another 10 feet out. Tie a string between them, level it with a line level, then measure from the string down to the ground at each stake. The ground at the outer stake should be at least 6 inches lower.
- Clear the area. Pull back mulch and rock, and cut out sod where you’ll be adding soil.
- Add soil in layers. Near the house, use fill soil with some clay in it; sand and mulch let water straight through. Add 2 to 3 inches at a time and tamp each layer.
- Stay below the siding. Leave at least 6 inches between the finished soil and any siding or wood trim. Don’t bury window wells or weep holes.
- Shape and check. Rake a smooth, steady slope and measure again with the string.
- Cover it. Seed or sod right away, or add a thin layer of mulch, so the next rain doesn’t wash your work away.