The absolute most important item about your landscaping is final grading. Without proper drainage you can enjoy a wet mushroom or mosquito infested yard. That’s the things you notice, the other items that you can't see will cost you in damages and could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
In the city of Edmonton
final grade requires approval within one year. The city of Edmonton also suggests that the final grade must be completed before you complete and/or start your landscaping. This is all misleading information by the city and is simply not true. If you have future plans to add a stone patio or a
pond in your landscaping, this time frame and procedure does not work for today's urban landscapes. Grades should be set for the finished landscape that includes hard and soft landscape features. The design rough grade is
typically the builders’ responsibility. The rough grade is set to allow 7 to 20
centimetres for topsoil placement of sod. It
is important, that if you are adding any additional features to your landscape,
grading should be completed for the finished landscape project. It is common practice for homeowners to do final grade and then when the city inspector completes’
inspection, they change grades by installing whatever makes them happy.
Remember there may be no landscaping police in Edmonton, but you could be harming your own
property. You should consult with the city drainage inspector or landscape designer
regarding your future landscape plans but they are definitely not experts in landscape features.
Additional things to
remember is that settling around the house has probably occurred and additional
thickness of soil may be required. A typical residential grade is 10 percent
away from the foundation of house at a minimum of 2 meters in length. It is not a
requirement from the city for certification, but you should also use this rule
when grading away from any hard landscape features. A hardscape can be a patio,
sidewalks, fire pit, shed and retaining wall. A boulder can also be considered
a hardscape feature. A
typical grade or slope for landscape features is 1 to 2 percent sloping towards
a design grade point.
If you completed your own final grade or need advice on your landscaping Outdoor Room Landscape Supplies is a great place to start. Outdoor Room Landscape Supplies also has a design center to help you plan all your landscaping dreams.For a guide to city final grade procedures go to Lot Grading Inspection Procedures
