Thread: Home Inspectors Grading Evaluation

A while back JP wrote up a way to do somewhat of grading slope test using a couple of screwdrivers. I have since went kind of high tech and bought a laser level (amazing tool, use if for many other things) that I mount on a tripod and obtain "level" then I measure the distance from the laser dot to grade right at the foundation of the house, then measure the laser "eye" to grade at the level mounted on the tripod and determine a slope. Overkill, wrong or should I go back to the screwdrivers?

TREC SOPs
(1) improper or inadequate grading around the foundation (including flatwork);

(2) erosion;

(3) water ponding; and

(4) deficiencies in installed gutter and downspout systems.

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My two cents: overkill.

yup

If you cannot tell that the home has poor grading by eye then I guess you need a laser level. If it is so flat that you can not determine by eye if it has a slope away from the home or not then you should be writing it up. To actually measure the slope around the home. More power to you.

I know a couple inspectors that water level the home and draw a graph and record all the hight differences. Yes, that is overkill as well. The even worse part of it is they do that in the included low ball pricing.

You might as well do a survey for them while you are there

Originally Posted by John Arnold

My two cents: overkill.

Agreed, unless (of course) you are getting paid enough to do that, and, doing extra things like that can lead to getting paid more, and getting those referrals ... for doing more.

It all depends on what you charge for what you do.

There are inspectors who charge less for less, and inspector who charge more for more, and other inspector who do "what everyone else does" and charges "what everyone else does". Take you pick which you want to be and go for it.

Since Houston is probably one of the levelest (???) or flatest (???) places in North America, it helps to be able to quantify crappy grading. Usually I see decent grading on the front, maybe one or two sides, and usually totally flat or sloping towards the house on the back.

I dont spend a lot of time doing it. I eyeball the lot, pick the lowest spot then put a number on the report. Im not a surveyor and I explain that fully in the report. It helps me explain the issue to my clients and the occasional homeowner who complains when their deals dont go through because the grading is listed as "deficient" in the report.


Sometimes going the extra mile, when it doesnt take a lot of time or effort will pay back many times in referrals. At least that has been my experience.

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Since Houston is probably one of the levelest (???) or flatest (???) places in North America, it helps to be able to quantify crappy grading.

Sometimes going the extra mile, when it doesnt take a lot of time or effort will pay back many times in referrals. At least that has been my experience.

Sound like South Florida where it was all de-mucked and filled to a nice flat level 7-1/2 feet above sea level (most of South Florida, anyway) with the slab being at 8 feet to 8-1/2 feet above sea level.

The grading there was best described as "flat" or non-existent for a long time, until HIs and homeowners complained about the drainage, lack thereof, and things slowly started changing. Of course, though, because it was all built up on lime rock fill, there was no percolation into the soil, so what drainage there was, was from runoff.

I agree with your last statement - going the extra mile. Sooner than later you will be able to charge for that extra mile, and your referrals will recognize the value in paying you more. Every once in a while you will get a referral to cheap to pay your price and you are better off NOT having that referral anyway.