Expert: Dan Griffin - 4/14/2008

Question
I have a brick house that was built in 1961. I moved in last summer. This spring I have seen a lot of cracks in the walls around the doors...welcome to East Texas! But, on one end of the home the dirt is built up about 4 bricks high. I think I need to remove it. and grade the yard. But, single Mom, school teacher budgets do not allow for a lot of extra help. I have a shovel and wheelbarrow ready. Now what? Any advise? Thank You, Caren Lewis

Answer
Caren, an unusual spelling to me I might add, we need to decide a few more things first.  We need to know where the dirt is in relation to the finish floor.  Does the house sit on a basement or crawl space or is it a slab home?  The cracking you mention - is it on the inside drywall or on the exterior brick work?

Drywall cracking may have nothing to do with exterior grading.  They are most often a combination of wood shrinkage and poor drywall installation.  They can be fixed with drywall expansion joints, re taping, and re painting.

Measure or follow a course of brick from a doorway to see where this dirt is from finish floor.  As long as it is one brick below finish floor or more, you really don't have a problem.  There often are weep holes in one course of brick which are meant to establish the relationship to finsh floor and provide a system to allow condensation to vent.  If you have them, they will be empty vertical head joints in one of the lower brick lines about every 4'.

If the dirt is too high, it is time to do some work.  Establish where water is meant to go.  When it is deep enough does it go to the front street or drain away in the backyard?  Where ever this happens is the direction you want to move water.  Establish a finish grade at the house at the farthest place away from the low point, measure out from the house 10 feet, dig down 6", now dig enough ditch to create a path for water to that low point.  Remove dirt as required.

I know I make it sound simple and you probably have flower beds, patios, garden sheds and all type of stuff in the way, but the basic method is improtant.  This initial start will give you some indication of the scope of the job.

It might make a great social event.  Please bring your shovels and wheelbarrows, hubbies and teenagers, I am making spaghetti, garlic bread, and cool aid.  I hesitate to mention beer to a fine lady and school marm.