You may want a flatter lawn for aesthetic reasons, but there’s a lot more to grading than looks. Investing in professional grading has a litany of benefits that you will enjoy for years to come. Read up on the top four perks you’ll enjoy when you let the pros level out your lawn.

More Usable Space
Hilly lawn can be difficult to mow and even harder to landscape. A flat or properly terraced lawn opens up your possibilities to gardening beds, playgrounds, patios, decks and even water features. You’ll also have a much easier time with lawn maintenance.

Reduced Erosion
In uneven yards, all the topsoil and fertilizers you put at the top of rises will wash right off in a matter of months. It’s aggravating at best and contributes to pollution at worst. Regrading will prevent topsoil loss, help keep fertilizer where you put it and keep pollutants out of groundwater.

Improved Drainage
If you have a soggy, mosquito-infested yard, poor grading may be to blame. Water washes down the hills and into dips where the soil becomes even more compacted and impermeable with every passing rainstorm. Meanwhile, the grass up top might not be getting enough water. Regrading can cure these drainage woes and give you a chance to add soil amendments to fix sandy or clay-dense problem areas at the same time.

Dry Basements
Improper grading can ravage your home’s foundation and basement. Cracks, floods, musty smells and ongoing issues with mold or mildew are often the direct result of grading issues. During a professional regrading, experts will evaluate your lawn and can fix these problems while giving you a beautiful yard.

Regrading your lawn isn’t a DIY job. It can require a permit, and if it isn’t done correctly, you could accidentally cause more problems than you fix. Professional landscape grading is the best way to go to get the results you want.