Question
hi, live in ny on long island.  House is set low  with water issues.  water either stands  cause of low spots or runs toward the house.  we had the front yard regraded once and put in sprinklers and 2 drywells but of course the "professional landscaper" didn't fix the problem. just pushed dirt around now we have various areas and my husband is wary of PAYING landscapers again.  How do I find someone to perhaps regrade us correctly?  What is a land engineer?  We really would like to correct these issues completely but we want someone who will look at the whole layout.  I have areas where no grass grows because it is always under water due to low spots.  some became worse when we put in a back patio.  We are done adding and just want to find a proffesional(what i don"t know) to resolve it foreverrrrr!

Answer
It is definitely work for a landscape professional, but you'll need to do some thorough checking into his qualifications.

I would make sure he submits to you a detailed plan for how he plans to rectify the problem. Make sure that in addition to his background, he has a degree in Landscape architecture that includes classes in surveying and/or civil engineering as well as drainage course work. Don't be afraid to explain your previous experience and ask him to prove himself a bit. If he's qualified for the task, he shouldn't mind.

This'll take some homework on your part, but you'll probably be able to weed out the bad ones simply by explaining your demands. They just won't pursue the lead if they know they'll have to really prove themselves first.

Well, that's my best advice here. Sorry you have to deal with this! Good luck.

-C.J. Brown