Caring for Your Home

Main Topic Index » Topics E through L

Landscaping

Plan to install the basic components of your landscaping as soon after closing as weather permits. Well-designed landscaping prevents erosion and protects the foundation of your home. Note a well established lawn takes at least two years to become established.

Before installing patio additions or other permanent improvements, consider soil conditions in the design and engineering of your addition. Please contact Oliver Homes for assistance in future additions for proper placement and attachment to your existing home.

We construct the foundation of your home beginning with an excavation into the earth. When the foundation walls are complete, the area surrounding them is backfilled. Soil in this area is not as compact as undisturbed ground. Water can penetrate through the backfill area to the lower areas of your foundation. This can cause potentially severe problems such as wet basements, cracks in foundation walls, and floor slab movement. Avoid this through proper installation of landscaping and good maintenance of drainage.

Backfill areas will settle and require prompt attention to avoid damage to your home and voiding of the structural warranty.

Keep downspout extensions in the down position to channel roof runoff away from the foundation area of your home. Routine inspection of downspouts, backfill areas, and other drainage components is an excellent maintenance habit.

See also Grading and Drainage.

Do not allow edgings around decorative rock or bark beds to dam the free flow of water away from the home. You can use a nonwoven landscape fabric between the soil and rock or bark to restrict weed growth while still permitting normal evaporation of ground moisture.

Contractors

You are responsible for changes to the drainage pattern made by any landscape, concrete, deck, or pool contractor. Discuss drainage with any company you hire to do an installation in your yard. Do not permit them to tie into existing drainage pipes without approval from Oliver Homes. Make sure the drain tile, if it extends to grade is not blocked by future landscaping or fill material.

Place no plants of any type or sprinkler heads within 3 feet of your home.

Planning

Locate plants out of the way of pedestrian or bicycle traffic and car bumpers.

Space groves of trees or single trees to allow for efficient mowing and growth. Group plants with similar water, sun, and space requirements together.

Plant Selection

Plant with regard to your local climate. Favor native over exotic species. Consider ultimate size, shape, and growth of the species.

Provide good soil mixes with sufficient organic material. Use mulch at least 3 inches deep to hold soil moisture and to help prevent weeds and soil compaction.

Apply appropriate fertilizer and weed and pest controls as needed for optimal growth. Investigate organic compounds for additional protection of the environment.

A slight depression may develop in the front lawn along the line of the utility trench. To correct this spread top soil to level the area, and then re-seed.

If you leave ground unlandscaped, it erodes. Correcting erosion that occurs after closing is your responsibility.

Oliver Homes recommends careful consideration of landscape design and selection of planting materials to minimize the demands of your yard on water supplies. Detailed information about Xeriscape is available from reputable nurseries. This has the triple benefit of helping the environment, saving on water bills, and reducing the amount of moisture that can reach your foundation.

Landscape materials we install are warranted for one growing season. We will confirm the healthy condition of all plant materials during the orientation. Maintaining landscaping is your responsibility. Oliver Homes will plant grass only but will not warrant its growth.