Expert: Dan Griffin - 11/28/2007

Question
I am building a new home and have the pad sites set.  they are even with the road and the foundation will be 6 inches above the crown in the road.  Is this enough?

Answer
Not enough information.

Which way will the rain water go?  If the drainage is toward the road I would say you're not in the ball park.  Let's talk about it a different way.  I don't know what your exterior finish is, but the reqirements are about the same.  Let's assume some type of siding because it is easier to see the problems and requirements than on brick.  The siding has to go below the finish floor, maybe 1 or 2 inches (more is always better).  YOu are required by code to expose 6" of concrete below the bottom of the siding to the top of the grass.  This is minimum and marginal.  From that top-of-grass elevation, grade is required to fall a minimum of 6" in the first 10 feet.  Once that eleveation is established, the water has to be able to go somewhere.  Grass requires 1/2" per foot of fall to be well drained.  Pavement require much less, but usually 1/4" per foot.  If your house is 30 feet back from the street, grass will require about 15" of fall to the top of the curb or flow line of the street gutter.  These are code minimums, but you and I both know that many builders don't meet these minimums.  You, or at least I, know many home owners with water problems.  The situation can only get worse as the years go by due to silt and dirt getting caught in the lawn and the lawn continuing to grow up higher.  Maintaining drainage swales in grass is problematic.  I would never buy a house that was down hill from the street/roadway unless major drainage was well in place to move the water around the house to the back and ultimately off the property.  Many new subdivisions don't have room at the side of house to create the swale and the problem gets worse.

I don't know that I helped, but you hit a pet peeve of mine.  Once built, the cure becomes impossible and/or expensive.