Landscaping Your New Home
You’ve built your new home; now it’s time to consider landscaping. As a home builder, you understand the significance of each development phase, and these skills are now applicable to landscaping your new home. There are several steps to consider, and it all begins with planning.
Measure and Sketch the Area
Begin by measuring your lot and house and creating a drawing to scale. It doesn’t have to be art, just a guide for your next steps. Including the following:
- The direction of where the sun rises and sets and approximately how many hours of sunshine your yard will see in an average day. Taking photos throughout the day will help you picture where there may be direct sunlight or where there may be shadows.
- Include any standing features like walls and changes to grading, including hills or even trees.
- Itemize what you may want (a water feature, a play area, a garden spot?)
Evaluate the soil
Often soil that developers bring in to fill depressions or create a slope away from the house will not be ready to plant. You will likely need to do the following:
- Have a soil test done to understand what nutrients the soil requires to support growth.
- Till the soil to loosen it to allow for root development.
Check the Slope
The slope of the dirt around your house must be sufficient to have water flow away from the foundation. However, you want to avoid too much slope to avoid soil erosion:
- Minimum slope: 2 percent or 1 inch per 4 feet
- Maximum slope: 10 percent or 1 foot per 10 feet
Install Wiring and Power Cords
Understand your needs to ensure proper planning. This includes having enough power outlets and wiring to fulfill future requirements. Additionally, install high-quality insulated wire to withstand outdoor demands and set up sprinkler systems before planting grass.
Plant Zone Hardy Vegetation
Finally, from your grass to your plants, be sure to select varieties appropriate for your growing area and ensure that the sun and moisture conditions will allow your lawn and other vegetation to thrive.