Drainage, grading and site work
The ground work that decides whether everything built on top of it lasts.
Water, soil and stone
Westchester's clay soils and frequent freeze-thaw cycles punish poor drainage: stone surfaces heave and settle, and trees decline slowly in waterlogged ground. Stone surfaces are pitched to drain, typically 1 to 2 percent away from structures, with trench drains and catch basins where slopes or clay call for them. Drainage built in from the start costs less than drainage added later.
Dry-stacked stone walls let water pass through rather than build up behind them, one reason they last as long as they do.
Permits come with the ground
Moving more than roughly 25 to 50 cubic yards of soil triggers permit review in most Westchester towns. Significant drainage changes can need engineered plans, and work within about 100 feet of a regulated wetland needs its own permit, which typically adds three to twelve months.
We coordinate the applications, documentation and inspections with the town, and bring in a licensed engineer where the work requires stamped drawings.
We walk the property, talk through what you want from it, and follow with a detailed proposal covering material specifications and a timeline.
Site analysis takes one to four weeks. Design development and construction drawings typically take four to twelve weeks once a concept is chosen.
Town permits typically take four to twelve weeks depending on the town. Work near a regulated wetland typically adds three to twelve months. We coordinate permits as part of the project.
A smaller project typically takes four to eight weeks to build. Estate-scale work runs from three months to a year or more.
Common questions
Often. Most Westchester towns review grading above roughly 25 to 50 cubic yards of soil, and significant drainage changes can require engineered plans. Specifics vary by town.
Work within the buffer, typically 100 feet from the wetland edge in most Westchester towns and wider for sensitive features, needs its own permit. Expect a pre-application meeting, a site plan showing the buffer, often an engineered drainage plan, and three to twelve months added to the timeline.
Clay soils hold water and freeze-thaw cycles move it. Poor drainage causes heaving, settling and cracking in stone surfaces, and slowly kills trees.
Walls over 4 feet generally require permits and engineered design, and some towns set a lower threshold.