Home & Property Services

Flooding, poor drainage, wetlands and a mapped floodplain are four different issues, and a property can have one without the others.

Depending on the property, professionals may look at drainage improvements, stormwater design, grading, stream restoration, floodplain restoration, wetlands, culverts, infiltration, erosion and groundwater.

Some properties may have engineering, restoration or drainage options that improve usability, while others may have significant regulatory or physical limitations. A qualified professional can evaluate the specific property.

It comes up most often with commercial property, former industrial uses, former gas stations, suspected underground storage tanks, evidence of dumping, certain agricultural uses, redevelopment sites — or simply because a lender requires one.

An assessment describes conditions and risk; it isn't a legal or environmental conclusion about your specific property. That comes from a qualified professional reviewing the site itself.

Whether an approved on-lot septic system can be installed is often a deciding factor in whether a parcel suits the home or development you have in mind.

Soil evaluation and perc testing are typically done before you count on a building plan, and the local sewage enforcement officer is part of the process.