How does high-soil build around older homes? (how much, houses)

[VintageGirl]

Since I am dealing with high-soil in some parts of my house that I bought (an older home) how does this happen? Excluding foundation issues, does it mean that a house has sunk down or that just throughout the years that soil moves around? How does this happen. We plan to move the high soil and get some good drainage system going, but just wondering........

[crone]

Through the years it just gets there. Initial grading was incorrect, landscaping by homeowner, soil compaction. Trees cut down by builder eventually decay, ground sinks. The professional landscaper hired by my neighbor piled soil so high it covered the weep holes and water came into his house. Changes in thought. In the olden days, they told us to expose 3 inches of the slab, now it is 6 inches.

[VintageGirl]

Thanks Crone, I have so much to learn about older homes....... and all these things are good to know. I went from new construction to older construction so the issues between both are different.
I definately want to get the soil lower all around the high areas, specially like you mentioned to avoid water through the weep holes.........its wierd how only one side of this house has weep holes though..........the rest of the house does not have any.......I also know this can be an issue but I think at this point messing with it will probably make the situation worse. Suddenly I am having buyers regret.......or remorse........I keep telling myself all will be ok.

[TimBomb]

If the driveway was repaired at some point then the house probably sank

[crone]

We have bought and sold 13 houses, 2 of which were new. We rented another 10. We prefer houses built in 1916 or 1952 to new construction. Especially in Texas. It is all a learning process.

[VintageGirl]

Wow Crone! this is my second home so far........its a 70's home we shall see how much I learn from it......... specially for a non handy person like me :-/

[mtgmike]

My last house was built in 1979. I had drainage issues. I finally had a tiny amount of water come in the house after a really bad rain. There wasnt any damage, past pulling some carpet up to dry and replacing laminate wood with real wood in the living room. No mold, got lucky by cleaning up fast. I hired a contractor buddy to come regrade the back yard. They took out a dumpster truck load of dirt.

When I went to sell the house, the buyer wanted even more done. I split the cost to have another contractor come in and take out more dirt, and put in drains.

Dirt high up on a house is now something I take very seriously. Everybody(seller) tries to shrug it off. It is a big deal.

[VintageGirl]

Yeah I did not realize it was such a big deal............I should have looked into this before I bought the home, I just never paid attention to these type issues........live and learn I guess.......

How much did you pay for services when they regraded your yard?

[mtgmike]

Originally Posted by VintageGirl

Yeah I did not realize it was such a big deal............I should have looked into this before I bought the home, I just never paid attention to these type issues........live and learn I guess.......

How much did you pay for services when they regraded your yard?

I want to say I paid the first guy(poker buddy) $1000. The second one was more expensive, but I only covered half, and that was rebated to the buyer through closing.

I had a fairly small backyard(big corner lot, small in the back) though, so YMMV.

[VintageGirl]

Well we shall see what solution we come up with........eek hate home issues.