Grading & Pitch Correction

Grading and pitch correction is the foundation of effective drainage on Long Island. If the grade of your property directs water toward your home instead of away from it, no amount of drains and dry wells will fully solve the problem. Brothers Paving & Masonry provides professional grading and pitch correction services across Nassau and Suffolk County, reshaping ground surfaces to establish the proper slopes that keep water moving away from structures and toward designated collection points.

Proper grading means every surface (lawn, driveway, patio, walkways) slopes in the right direction at the right rate to shed water efficiently. The International Residential Code recommends a minimum slope of six inches over the first ten feet away from a foundation, and paved surfaces should pitch at least one-eighth inch per foot toward drainage collection points. Grading issues develop on Long Island from soil settlement (especially in sandy soils), landscaping projects that inadvertently redirect water, erosion from unmanaged runoff, and original construction that was inadequately graded from the start.

Our process begins with a topographic assessment using surveying instruments and laser levels to map existing grades, identify negative or insufficient slopes, and trace water flow paths. For lawn and landscape areas, we add or redistribute clean fill material in compacted layers to build a consistent outward slope from the foundation. Driveway and hardscape pitch correction may involve adding an overlay, regrading the base before repaving, or targeted surface adjustments. We recommend the most cost-effective approach for each situation. Swale construction is a common component, providing shallow vegetated channels that direct surface water to catch basins or dry wells. Long Island's flat terrain makes every fraction of an inch of grade critical, so we use laser-guided equipment throughout. After grading is complete, all disturbed areas are stabilized with topsoil and seed, sod, or appropriate ground cover.