Key Takeaways
- New-home drainage plans use both roof-water controls and site grading to direct runoff away from the foundation.
- Gutters and downspouts carry roof runoff to an approved discharge point, sewer or rainwater-management system, or suitable underground catchment.
- Finished ground should slope away from the home so surface runoff does not collect around the foundation.
- Impermeable surfaces such as patios, sidewalks, and driveways have separate slope requirements that help move water away from the building.
- A complete drainage plan coordinates roof-water discharge, ground grading, and hard-surface slopes rather than relying on a single drainage method.
Jabari Mosley is an experienced business leader and licensed home builder based in Birmingham, Alabama. For more than two decades, he has owned Driven Properties and Investments, a real estate acquisition, remodel, and rental business whose portfolio has grown to more than 100 properties. In 2022, Mosley became owner of Cornerstone Quality Construction, a licensed home builder specializing in new builds, flips, and contract work for universities and municipalities in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. His earlier business ventures include ownership of Trilogy Technology, a computer sales and repair company, and Paramount Auto, an award-winning dealership he led until 2021.
Mosley also owns Infinity Investments, a real estate development company he has run since 2010. His hands-on experience with new-home construction gives him practical insight into how builders route rainwater away from a home’s foundation.
A new home manages roof runoff and surface runoff through different parts of its drainage plan. Gutters and downspouts carry roof water to a discharge point. Site grading controls water moving across the ground. Each route directs runoff away from the building.
Roof water can enter an approved sewer or rainwater-management system. It can also enter an underground catchment that discharges at least 10 feet from the foundation. When runoff empties onto sloping finished ground, the outlet is at least five feet from the foundation.
Finished grade slopes away at least half an inch per foot for 10 feet or to a swale or drain. Impermeable surfaces such as patios, sidewalks, and driveways slope away at least one-quarter inch per foot. That slope continues to the surface edge, to a swale or drain, or for 10 feet.
Ground and hard surfaces therefore follow different slope conditions. Roof-water discharge and site grading remain separate requirements. A permitted roof-water route does not replace the required ground or hard-surface slope.
The completed drainage plan combines both controls to direct runoff away from the building.
FAQs
How does a new home manage rainwater?
A new home typically uses gutters and downspouts to collect roof runoff and direct it toward an appropriate discharge point. Site grading separately controls water that moves across the ground around the building.
How far should roof-water discharge be from a foundation?
The article describes different minimum distances depending on how the water is discharged. Underground catchment systems discharge at least 10 feet from the foundation, while outlets on sloping finished ground are at least five feet away.
Why does the ground need to slope away from a house?
Sloping finished grade away from the building helps prevent surface water from collecting around the foundation. The article specifies a slope of at least one-half inch per foot for 10 feet or toward an appropriate swale or drain.
Do driveways and patios have the same slope requirements as finished ground?
Impermeable surfaces such as patios, sidewalks, and driveways have a separate slope condition. The article specifies at least one-quarter inch per foot toward the surface edge, a swale or drain, or for 10 feet.
Can proper roof drainage replace site grading?
No, roof-water drainage and site grading address different sources of runoff. A permitted roof-water discharge route does not replace the need for appropriate slopes on finished ground and hard surfaces around the home.
About Jabari Mosley
Jabari Mosley is a Birmingham, Alabama-based business leader who owns Driven Properties and Investments, Infinity Investments, and Cornerstone Quality Construction, a licensed home-building company operating in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. He previously owned Trilogy Technology and Paramount Auto. A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he studied information systems, Mosley stays active through cycling and gym workouts.