Negative Grade
Also called: negative slope, improper grading
🧱 Foundation & Drainage — a term you may see in your inspection report.
What is negative grade around a house?
Negative grade means the ground slopes toward the house instead of away from it, so rainwater runs to the foundation rather than off it. It's one of the most common findings in a home inspection and also one of the cheapest to correct. The general target is for the ground to fall roughly six inches over the first ten feet away from the foundation. Getting this right does more for a foundation over twenty years than almost anything else a homeowner can do.
- What it means
- Ground slopes toward the house, not away
- General target
- About 6" of fall over the first 10 feet
- Why it matters
- Water at the foundation drives movement and crawl space moisture
- Typical fix
- Soil regrading and downspout extensions — usually inexpensive
What it actually is
Water goes where gravity sends it. If the dirt tilts toward your slab, every rain delivers water to the exact place you least want it.
Why it matters in East Texas
Half the "foundation problems" I see in East Texas started life as a drainage problem nobody fixed for two hundred dollars. Flower beds built up against the house, downspouts dumping at the corner, a patio poured with the fall going the wrong way — these are the quiet causes of expensive effects.
What I do when I find one
I walk the full perimeter and look at which way the ground falls in the first several feet, where every downspout discharges, and whether there's erosion, mud staining, or standing-water evidence. I'll also note sprinkler heads spraying the foundation or siding.
What it means for you
This is the highest-return item on most of my reports. Regrading soil and extending downspouts is inexpensive, and it protects the single most expensive component of the house.
More foundation & drainage terms: Settlement Crack · Normal Foundation Movement · Pier & Beam Foundation · Post-Tension Slab · Moisture Intrusion
Watch: 60 Seconds on This
Sixty seconds, no jargon. Same thing I'd tell you standing in the driveway.
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