Im in the process of clearing out the wooded backyard. The yard slopes upwards and I want to try to flatten it out as reasonably possible. Im debating if it would be better to clear the dirt out completely or to push the dirt down from the high area to fill in the lower.

The plan is to rent a front loader and do the work myself. I have some area to dump the dirt if I chose to go that route but im sure im drastically underestimating how much dirt I will be moving.

I want to level out the area that is cleared in the picture.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gpbst3,

Away from the house is usually 5%. 6 inches over 10 feet. Just make sure it drains away from the house. You can also create a swale for drainage.

quote:

Originally posted by Paragon:
Away from the house is usually 5%. 6 inches over 10 feet. Just make sure it drains away from the house. You can also create a swale for drainage.

I was in the process of getting the pic to work.

There is no option to drain away from the house. As there is about 75yrd of slope that come towards the house.

How far do you own? If you own over the crest, then you could take that down and make things more level. Otherwise, your two endpoints (the crest at the back of the picture & the house) are fixed and the best you can do is make the level area (or shallowly sloped area) more level & larger and the area sloping up to the crest steeper & smaller.

You want to slope away from the house for some distance (more is better, but at least ten feet) then if necessary you can put in a swale with drains there and slope up from there. Personally, I'd have the previously mentioned 5% slope away from the house for ten or more feet, a swale with drains as appropriate, then for the "level" part I'd slope up toward the crest at 1-2% as far as I could, then slope steeply up to the crest. This would give me a larger "level" yard to use, keep it from having problems with standing water, and give me as much "useable" space as possible, consistent with good drainage. On the steep slope up to the crest, I wouldn't make it any steeper than I could trust the soil to stay still with. It all depends on the soil. Are you leaving some trees to screen the house, tank, or whatever is on the other side of the crest? If so, that may also constrain what you can do.

As far as using or hauling off the dirt, it depends. Do you have some where else to use it? If not, do you have some to pay you for it, or at least pay the trucking to haul it off? If not, I'd plan on balancing it in.

I spy with my eye two deer in your picture

If you cut and level near tree line you should plan on a retaining wall with re leaf holes.
Probably a second one also.
What are your plans for this ,a greenhouse maybe.

I own only the cleared out area where the deer are. Left and right I have neighbors. The rear (top of pic) is owned by the water company.

I just want to try to even out the area that does not have trees. I understand I will have some slopes on the borders of the other properties. I would like to avoid building any retaining walls.

Yup, at least three little deer in that pic.

If you are visualizing how much dirt you will be moving, multiply that times three. Literally. Once dug up the multiplication factor of most dirt is x3.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
I own only the cleared out area where the deer are. Left and right I have neighbors. The rear (top of pic) is owned by the water company.

I just want to try to even out the area that does not have trees. I understand I will have some slopes on the borders of the other properties. I would like to avoid building any retaining walls.

What is the soil like? Clay? Sandy? Somewhere in between?

If it is good heavy clay and you are willing to install and maintain a good ground cover, you should be able to get away with a 2:1 slope, that is two feet toward the house for every one foot down. Just looking at the one picture, it looks like the hole to the right of the stairs might eat up whatever you generate off the back.

I know a few guys that are really handy with a front end loader, but I'd use a skip and drag for that job. The Gannon bucket on the back with the side to side tilt would make the finish grading a lot easier, even if the skippy bucket was a little slower than a loader for moving the bulk of the dirt. You may be one of those artists with a loader though. If you are, my hat is off to you sir!

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:

quote:

Originally posted by Paragon:
Away from the house is usually 5%. 6 inches over 10 feet. Just make sure it drains away from the house. You can also create a swale for drainage.

I was in the process of getting the pic to work.

There is no option to drain away from the house. As there is about 75yrd of slope that come towards the house.

I believe this pic is what Paragon was referring to:


The above pic is nearly verbatim to the one in the home inspection from my house that I purchased last year. Slope away from house to swale, slope from backyard high ground to swale, and divert waters in the swale(s) in a safe direction.

Dirt work isn't as easy as it looks. Word to the wise.