Fixing an infill lot

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hi,

I purchased a home over the winter that had previously annexed a vacant lot next door. Good news is I have a big yard. Bad news is that with the spring rains, I now realize the extent of the side yard wetness (other section is 100% fine). It's probably due to 3 factors:

1. There is a depression in center of the vacant side yard (probably 6 inch drop over a 20x20 area) which is causing the water to pool (The city didn't properly grade the single large yard).

2. There are built up flower beds along the rear garage and side yard (separating the old and new lots) that are contributing to the drainage issue

3. And, I've learned that the city, when demoing the house that previously sat on the now vacant lot, likely used the construction debris as infill. I am working now to get the original plot plan so I know where the demoed house previously sat (as well as the city's approach to demoing houses). Per another resident (similar situation) his side lot only has 6-12" of topsoil above the construction debris.

This side yard will never be built upon....but I would like to fix the wet issue. How far down does one need to tamp/refill to account for the debris infill? I know I should get a soil engineer out to the house, but I'm trying to get a sense of scale first. I want to redo the deck anyways, so I have no problem removing it to fix the wet yard issue.

Area in blue is the depressed area with poor drainage.

Thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

krnuttle
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
The quickest way to see the house that was in the lot is to go to Google Earth Pro, and look at the history images. If you have not used this Google Earth Pro feature it is accessed by clicking View, Historical imagery. in the Google Earth Pro menu. This will put a slider on the screen so depending on the location you can go back 40 years. It has been free for downloading.

In some ways this will be better that the drawing as you will not only know where the house was, but gardens and out buildings. Using the ruler function you can measure the lot in feet or use another function to determine the acreage in the property.

https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#earth-pro

To my knowledge the historical imagery is only available in the Windows program, and not the web version.
navi_jen
Original Author
5 years ago
Already done the Google Earth, scans (at the plot level) are illegible before 1990. Thanks though.
Related Professionals
Middletown Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fargo Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Murfreesboro Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · San Luis Obispo Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Denver Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Ocala Landscape Contractors · Sioux Falls Landscape Contractors · West Plains Home Builders · Toms River Home Builders · Milwaukee Home Builders · Gainesville Home Remodeling · New York City Home Remodeling · Honolulu Home Remodeling · Salisbury Bathroom Remodelers · Allentown Bathroom Remodelers
krnuttle
5 years ago
I did not realize the lots were merged that long ago.

I would survey the lot, and the surrounding are. Sit in various areas of the lot to understand where the high ground is located. You will also need to understand the general drainage of the surrounding lots.

It may be possible to drain the wet spot by creating a swale through one of the "dikes". I recently drained an area above my patio with swale. After understanding the area, and in a nice rain storm I went out with a shovel and dug a ditch to drain the area. After a couple more good rains to see that the ditch did what I wanted, I remove the dirt to create a swale about 3' wide. to the bottom of the ditch I had previously create.

Please understand when I say ditch, I mean a ditch that is about the width of a shovel and about 4" deep. To create the 6' long by 3' wide swale I had to remove about to bushel of dirt.