Question
I had a new lawn installed by my home builder in October '05.  The lawn appeared to come in fairly well in the fall, but hasn't really started to take off this spring the way I had hoped.  I have fertilized this spring, and have already had to water several times.  My concern is that the majority of the front yard (southern exposure) is growing very slowly, and there are several "bands" of grass toward the road which appear very short and look a little yellow/brown in color.  Even though the soil contains a fair amount of clay, it seems to dry out very quickly.  My concern is that when the builder graded the property, too little topsoil was applied to effectively establish a lawn.  Does this sound like a possibility or could it be something else?  If this is the case, is caring for this lawn going to be an uphill battle (constant watering, etc)?  If too little topsoil is the problem, can I slowly build up the base by applying thin layers of topsoil or compost to the lawn, or do I need to start over by adding several inches of topsoil and reseeding?  Any thoughts you have would be greatly appeciated.

Answer
I hope we can assume you live in the Northeast, and that your lawn was seeded, not sod, correct?

You point out that the new grass looked fine last fall just as it was getting established.  Autumn is the perfect time to put in most new lawns in the Northeast.  By spring your lawn should be an emerald green carpet.  But that didn't happen here.  

Your soil is high in clay -- Long Island soil? Practically 100% clay, and that's not good.  Clay dries out quickly because it won't hold a decent amount of moisture.  The roots of any plant growing in clay soil struggle from lack of air and nutrients.  Clay is a necessary part of good soil, but it has to be enriched.  The Better Lawn and Grass Institute www.turfgrasssod.org/lawninstitute/guide.html calculates that it takes 5 hours for water to soak 1 inch into clay soil.

If you want the best lawn on the block, you can do a few things to start fixing that clay soil right away, beginning with a dose of Gypsum, which will lighten the soil for a season or two.  Directions for how much to use are right on the package.  

It would also be nice to put a thin layer of organic compost down with that gypsum.  That will begin to enrich the soil.  And see if you have any earthworms down there.  If you are using chemicals you can kiss all living things goodbye but if there are earthworms down there the castings will work magic on the soil near the grass roots.  When you mow your lawn this year, leave the clippings on the grass; this returns nutrients to the soil and builds up a nice rich topsoil.  

Be careful not to overwater your grass.  Soak the lawn; then let the soil dry out between waterings, and expect the grass to slow down and be fairly dormant at the height of summer heat.  Your clay base will benefit from an annual aerating to break up any compacting of the soil and help the roots to breathe.  Don't underestimate the importance of correct watering, especially in your case.  

You say the more sickly grass seems to be located closer to the front of the property, which I am guessing might be near the street, a sidewalk or a driveway.  Remember that winter rock salt is torture for soil and grass.  If you are throwing salt down to melt snow, you will have to live with the consequences.  At my house, we use sand and cat litter and we shovel like crazy.  The rugs inside need frequent vacuuming but the grass is happy.  It's also easier on cement.  

There is also the possibility that you or someone else unknowingly dumped a little too much fertilizer on that part of the lawn.  That would burn the grass with too much of a good thing.   

I'd like to know what kind of grass you used.  I hope it was first rate.  You can't get a first rate lawn without first rate seed.  And you can't set the correct mowing height on your lawnmower if you don't know what kind of grass was sowed.  The website Organic Lawns will help you calculate that perfect height www.organiclawncaretips.com/cutting_height_for_grass.html.  
I don't know what you used to fertilize your lawn or how you put it down.  Organic fertilizer builds healthier grass and you'll worry less about things like fungus, weeds and grubs.  Healthy grass will recover faster from injuries caused by things like road salting during winter.  

If you really want healthy grass, a Reel Mower will slice your grass, unlike the rip and tear of a Rotary Mower.  Newer Reel Mowers are precise, beautifully engineered machines that require little maintenance and are very easy to use.  Mine is made in Germany and was ordered online from Clean Air Gardening www.cleanairgardening.com/index.html.

I wish I had a photo of your lawn.  It might not be a bad idea to take some shots of your lawn every week or so to see how things are progressing.  Above all, I don't think it is necessary to rip up your lawn and start all over again.  Your amended clay by the end of the year has great potential to be the finest soil in town.  Try a little spot overseeding or sodding over the sickly patches to see how the new grass looks.  

If by September those patches are not improved, a test a sample of that soil by sending it to the Cooperative Extension in your neighborhood and see what they can find.  

Please drop me a note about what you decide to do, and your results.  I'm interested in knowing how things work out for you and your new lawn.