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Hi my husband and I found a house we are interested in possibly purchasing. The thing that is deterring me is that the backyard is flat and then becomes very steep. We are a young couple and want children and my fear is that my child would fall and get hurt. Can anyone tell me what the approximate cost would be to level out land? I have to say, it goes on quite a slope; maybe about a foot or so? I really can't recall. I want to be sure prior to putting an offer in on the home, that this is something we may be able to afford to get done down the road. I'm really bad with dimensions of property size. The entire property in general is .28 of an acre but the majority of the land is on the front & side of the home which is flat land. It would be moreso the backyard and this house is a corner house so most of the property is on the sides and front lawn.
Would I be looking in the range of $10k? If you've had it done, please let me know the approximation of size you had to fill and the cost.
Does the land incline or decline? If it declines and you add fill, find out what and how they will do it. And keep on them. I knew someone who had an incline filled in and it wasn't planned out properly and left alone and after a nice rainstorm, the neighbor's pool flooded with dirt. Everything was resolved eventually, but it could have been avoided.
It dips a foot max? That's nothing. Rent a Bobcat and get some top soil delivered. You may need a retaining wall (Not enough info to advise).
I had a pit aprox 40' long by 30'w that required 60 yards of fill. Took me one day and ended up costing under $2000. I now have a pool sitting on that spot.
It dips a foot max? That's nothing. Rent a Bobcat and get some top soil delivered. You may need a retaining wall (Not enough info to advise).
I had a pit aprox 40' long by 30'w that required 60 yards of fill. Took me one day and ended up costing under $2000. I now have a pool sitting on that spot.
Just level out the area as suggested above with some fill and a bobcat, then plant some trees and hedges along the property line to hold everything in place. You'll have a level property and privacy.
It dips a foot max? That's nothing. Rent a Bobcat and get some top soil delivered. You may need a retaining wall (Not enough info to advise).
I had a pit aprox 40' long by 30'w that required 60 yards of fill. Took me one day and ended up costing under $2000. I now have a pool sitting on that spot.
Well to be honest with you, I really am not sure how much it dips down. I know it goes the entire length of the yard (width wise). I really don't know how to explain it. I know, I am unhelpful. LOL.
So you did all this yourself? Yes, it would need a retaining wall built as it back Smithtown preserves. so I wouldn't have a neighbor behind me but the incline goes into the preserve. Right now where the incline is on the property, it makes it unusable. So you are saying you did all this yourself? Did you build the retaining wall as well? I just can't see my husband taking this job on himself.
Attached is a picture from the listing which shows a portion of the yard. The neighbor next door whose fence is shown leveled out his yard so maybe you can get an idea from their fence and the steepness? This doesn't even show you though how far back it goes. I'd really like to get an estimate on what it would cost to level the land prior to putting in an offer but I feel stupid asking the homeowner prior to putting an offer in.
Well to be honest with you, I really am not sure how much it dips down. I know it goes the entire length of the yard (width wise). I really don't know how to explain it. I know, I am unhelpful. LOL.
So you did all this yourself? Yes, it would need a retaining wall built as it back Smithtown preserves. so I wouldn't have a neighbor behind me but the incline goes into the preserve. Right now where the incline is on the property, it makes it unusable. So you are saying you did all this yourself? Did you build the retaining wall as well? I just can't see my husband taking this job on himself.
Attached is a picture from the listing which shows a portion of the yard. The neighbor next door whose fence is shown leveled out his yard so maybe you can get an idea from their fence and the steepness? This doesn't even show you though how far back it goes. I'd really like to get an estimate on what it would cost to level the land prior to putting in an offer but I feel stupid asking the homeowner prior to putting an offer in.
I'd ask the neighbor. This way you can get a name of the person or company and see if the neighbor was happy with their work.
I'd ask the neighbor. This way you can get a name of the person or company and see if the neighbor was happy with their work.
That's a good idea. I know the homeowner's who are selling the home mentioned something to me that they may not be the owners who originally took that job on. I know it's been sold a few times.
Do you think if I knocked on their door it would be awkward?
That's a good idea. I know the homeowner's who are selling the home mentioned something to me that they may not be the owners who originally took that job on. I know it's been sold a few times.
Do you think if I knocked on their door it would be awkward?
Certainly not. Not only are you seeking info on the work, you're also seeing who your neighbors might be. Simply knock on the door, be friendly, tell them that you've been looking at the house for sale. Then inquire about if they can tell you anything about the house, the neighborhood, the school, etc.... and also ask about the leveling of the yard. It will also break the ice.
It is a very good practice to do this, don't rely on some real estate person (no offense to those who post on here) and don't rely on the sellers to tell you how great the area is. Remember, they want to make a sale.
Remember, you're buying a house and not sure if you have kids, but if you do, or plan on having kids, you're investing in the school district. You're not buying a dish set or pots and pans. There is a lot that you're putting into this. Best to do the homework first.
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