Question
Dear Sean:
Is there any danger in the raised soil/flower bed that directly against the brick wall of the house? The person that cuts my grass said that that it damages the brick wall and that it may erode and collapse. Thank you.

Answer
Michael:
If you put the dirt in and raised it it might be a potential problem but don't listen to the lawn man, it is definitely not going to erode and collapse...unless the builder installed it wrong or used the wrong kind of mortar.
Your brick is a veneer that is applied to a wall behind it that is often concrete below grade and wood above grade. Typically there is a layer of water proofing between the two. The brick sits on a ledge formed up from the foundation below and the only way your brick will fall off is if it gets hit by a tornado. Almost all brick houses have brick that goes two or three courses (rows) below grade.

However, if you have raised the soil to a level that is higher than the waterproofing behind the brick you could cause a leak in your house, basement or crawl space. (note some brick is waterproofed on the outside with a very obvious tar-like application. The water can cause damage to the wood and house behind the brick. Most often though if the finished floor of your house is higher than the soil outside your should be ok.

Best of Luck
Sean J Murphy, LA,ISA, LEED AP
Please check out my blogs and articles on landscape topics like this on my websites.
http://www.seanjmurphy.com
http://amenityarchitects.com