Home above grade home below grade

Home above grade home below grade (with respect to roadway or to slope of driveway): 
The inspector may indicate above grade though most of the lot is below the street and below grade though most of the lot is above the street The deciding factor for most real estate inspectors is driveway slope ABOVE GRADE SITE Above grade generally means the lot is above the servicing street or that the driveway, should there be one, slopes away from the garage vehicle door and away from any buildings. With the exception of hillside lots modern lots usually are between two and five feet above the street and are usually sloped slightly towards the street. Maintain this slope if at all possible to provide good site drainage. Often yard drains will be installed as part of the site drainage. Although the inspector may indicate the existence of yard drains the inspector does not test site drainage systems or site drainage in any way BELOW GRADE SITE Below grade means that the lot is below the street or that the driveway slopes toward the garage vehicle door. Driveways which slope toward the garage or other buildings can be drainage problems especially if debris or dirt is allowed to direct the water improperly Below grade lots can sometimes be more difficult to drain This particular site condition may be conducive to moisture migration through concrete foundations and slabs. The inspector cannot ascertain if water migration through the slab is occurring and/or is causing or contributing to indoor air quality concerns This may include, but is not limited to, fungi, mold, volatile organic compounds, etc.  This is an exaggerated example of a "Below Grade" condition. The inspector may not be able to determine whether drainage or sump pumps are adequate.
 
 Note: This inspection, being a visual inspection, cannot possibly reveal whether soil contamination exists from fuel tank leakage or from any other source. If this item concerns you it is recommended that you contact the present owner of the property or previous owners for further information 

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File last updated February 07, 2012 * Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved by: Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection firm 56 Woodland Drive, Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) NJ 07424 973-812-5100 providing New Jersey Certified Home Inspections in NJ, by New Jersey Licensed home inspectors. Inspector of record Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector License GI 0121.

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