Drainage was never equal across South Bend's eras
Dense, close-set lots platted before modern drainage codes existed near downtown often need retrofitted grading solutions that newer subdivisions were simply built with from the start.
What a drainage plan should specify
- Downspout and grading routes suited to lot age and density
- Sump and interior drain sizing for lots nearer the St. Joseph River
- Retrofit options for older, close-set lots with limited side-yard grading room
- Sequencing drainage correction before structural repair
- Documentation of the finished grade for future reference
Structural repair rarely holds without this first
A pier or brace installed on South Bend clay without first fixing the water path around it, especially on an older platted lot, tends to need revisiting after the next wet season.