We know as home inspectors that making the right choice when it comes to your new home is extremely important. You also want a home that doesn’t come with hidden problems. We are also aware that unless you work in the construction industry, you can hardly be expected to know all the proper standards and codes that a house must meet.
It is beneficial, however, that before you begin the house-hunting process, you have at least some knowledge of property requirements so that you can avoid wasting your time with the wrong place. For example, are you familiar with how much grading a property should have? What is grading?
To explain it in very simple terms, a property is required to have a certain amount of grade (or slope) surrounding the foundations of the home. The reason for this is that if it does not have an adequate amount of slope, water will tend to pool around the foundations. This can create all kinds of problems with the home and would signal a warning sign for a potential buyer.
How much of a slope should the property have? Although it’s always best to check your location for any specific building codes that may be in place, most organizations agree that a property should have approximately 6 inches for the first 10 feet that surround the building, this provides about a 5 percent grade. Any more than this is fine, it might even be preferred.
So then, as you can see, it helps to have some knowledge of grading as this can help to determine what kind of condition the property is in before you start the buying process.
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