Question
I need to regrade my lawn because it currently slopes to the house, causing water to more easily get into our basement. Can you offer some specific advice on how to regrade and how to tell when the slope is significant enough away from the house? Thanks.

Answer
Good Morning Brian:
Rough grading should include removal of any rock or other debris. Avoid burying construction debris such as wood scraps, as this could cause mushrooms or fairy ring problems in the lawn later. Eliminate any depressions or raised areas. Final slopes should be 1 to 2 percent away from buildings (1 to 2 feet drop per 100 feet) to assure good surface drainage.
Before seeding or sodding, it's important to thoroughly work the soil to a depth of six inches or more (by rotary tiller). Amend poor soils, such as heavy clay, by adding organic matter such as compost, rotted manure, peat, and quality topsoil. Incorporate these materials into the existing soil, rather than layering them on the surface. Sand is not suggested as a material to improve clay soils for home lawns.
Starter fertilizers may also be mixed into the soil surface prior to lawn establishment. Starter fertilizers typically have balanced ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N, P, K), such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12. Soil test results (which I strongly recommend) may reveal a shortage of phosphorus or potassium, which would influence the decision of how much starter fertilizer is needed.
Good luck on your new lawn.
Floyd McMahon