What to watch
- water pooling beside the home
- mulch or soil washing toward walls
- wet crawl space edges
- leaking foundation cracks
Local conditions
Negative grading around foundations
Negative grading means soil slopes toward the house. It can send roof and yard water directly to the foundation.
Quick answer
Negative grading around foundations
Negative grading means soil slopes toward the house. It can send roof and yard water directly to the foundation.
- water pooling beside the home
- mulch or soil washing toward walls
- wet crawl space edges
What to check
- slope beside each wall
- hardscape draining toward the home
- buried or short downspout outlets
Use timing as evidence
Take the same photos when the symptom appears and after the next meaningful weather change. Record rainfall or dry conditions, indoor humidity when relevant, downspout behavior, and whether doors, floors, cracks, or odors change together.
Trace the path
Begin at the roof edge and high side of the lot, then follow gutters, downspouts, soil slope, hardscape, low corners, crawl space edges, and interior symptoms. The path helps distinguish a surface-water problem from a structural or plumbing condition.
Bring a repeatable record
- dated photos from fixed viewpoints
- locations that stay wet longest
- changes after rain or dry weather
- prior drainage or foundation work
- measurements and written recommendations
Research and verification resources
These public resources support property research and contractor verification. They do not diagnose a specific home.
- USDA NRCS Web Soil SurveyOfficial soil survey data used to understand why conditions can vary from one property to another.
- Alabama Home Builders Licensure BoardState consumer guidance for checking licensing, insurance, references, and contracts before hiring.
- FEMA Flood Map Service CenterOfficial flood-hazard maps for address-level research; a map is not a substitute for a site inspection.