Why does grading and drainage come up so often on newer Woodbury homes?

It's one of the most frequent findings on newer homes, and Woodbury's subdivisions are a textbook example. When a home is built and graded, the soil around the foundation is freshly placed and slopes away as intended. But over the first several years, that backfill settles, and as landscaping matures and homeowners add beds, patios, and decks, the grade often flattens or even tilts back toward the house. Combined with Minnesota's clay soils and freeze-thaw cycles, that lets rain and snowmelt pool against the foundation, the leading cause of basement seepage. Downspouts that discharge too close to the house make it worse. An inspector checks the slope of the soil within several feet of the foundation, the discharge points of gutters and downspouts, and any signs of past water intrusion inside. Fixes are usually inexpensive: re-establish positive slope and extend downspouts. Catching it early protects a finished basement. To have grading and drainage evaluated on your home, build a free instant quote online.