Question
Laura,
I actually was thinking of asking to send you pictures but was not sure if you would accept them. Yes I agree they should help.
As I was saying originally, the yard does have slopes on that side of the house - IN toward the house from the outer edge, in other words, backwards. AND the house is on a hill, but at the TOP of the hill. The part of the yard that is holding water is kind of saucer shaped - low in the center. I am going to send the pictures now, they will be coming from [email protected].
Thanks!
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Followup To
Question -
Laura,
After all the debris from construction was removed they then removed all the weeds/brush. Then it was graded with just the dirt that existed, then loam was trucked in, they spread the loam and graded it. Then it was hydroseeded. That was in early Sept. The grass is now grown in and it looks like a normal lawn (except for the pooling of the water). I've already mowed it twice and it's thickening up. So that's where we stand.
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Followup To
Question -
Hi,
I just bought a brand new house. A couple of sections of the yard are pooling water when it rains. To me its very clear when looking around that its because they graded the land the wrong way, it slopes down into that area that holds water. The builder is telling me that it's normal for the ground to NOT absorb water because it's brand new. I think this is a line of bull. In my experience new loam should absorb quicker, it's in later years that lawns become compacted and wont absorb. Thats why people aerate. Who is right?
Thanks.
Answer -
Dave,
A few questions first if I may.
Is this a newly built home and therefore a brand new lawn and top soil or is there already plantings and grass at all?
The first thing a brand new lawn needs is all the debris and any left over concrete mix completely removed, topsoil hauled in and lots of it,then leveled with a grader before sewing grass seed,then straw over the grass seed to prevent run off of the seed. Has this been done yet?
Answer -
Dave,
Where EXACTLY is it pooling. Is the yard a level flat yard or does it have slopes in several places or does the house sit on a slope?
In this instance photos would help tremendously. If you have any and would like to send them to me,my email address is: [email protected]. Many of my questioners do this for an exact pinpoint of the problem.
Pictures are worth a thousand words in many cases.
I don't blame you one bit for being frustrated! Hydroseeding a lawn is not cheap and you want what you pay for! I understand this more than you know. I NEVER leave a customer unsatisfied.It is unthinkable to do so in my book and to leave a customer with doubts and unanswered questions is deplorable. Whatever problem you see is unquestionably there and they should not brush it off by saying it is "normal".I'm not saying it is or isn't normal because I have not seen the problem.It could just be as simple as those areas needing more soil.Photos would certainly help in this situation because I don't know the layof your land.

Answer
Dave,
Got the pics. Boy what a big help photos can be! The problem is easily solvable I am glad to say! The best thing to do would be to add soil to those spots and pack it down really well.Don't sew grass yet until that soil is settled in those spots. Try to level it up with the rest of the area,but don't ruin your other well sewed areas.
More than likely the grass will grow up through the soil,but it may be spring when it does since the growing season is at an end.In my area anyway. I don't know your location.
If you are in a warm area it may go ahead and grow through.If it does not grow up through the soil,amd it may not,find the same grass seed and spread it around evenly on those areas where you place the soil and cover it just a bit with some straw so it doesn't run off.Don't mow until it is up good and the ground is compacted well.It should even out over a season.It could be spring before it is completely covered with new grass.
That's it. It should be fine after that. But it does need to be fixed or it will always pool up in that area. Good luck,it looks like you will have a gorgeous lawn!