Landscaping Contractor in Summersville, WV

What Kind of Soil Sits Under a Summersville Yard?

About a third of Summersville sits on Clifftop channery silt loam, a well drained soil of ridges and hillsides. Channery means the soil holds flat chips of rock. NRCS puts its soft shale or siltstone bedrock about 36 inches down. A deep cut for a wall or a set of steps can reach that rock.

About a sixth of the city is Udorthents, the NRCS name for cut and fill ground. NRCS also maps reclaimed coal mine ground near town. Fill like that can settle under a patio unless the base is dug out and packed down.

On footslopes and terraces, Buchanan soils carry a dense layer called a fragipan, about 26 inches down. Water moves slowly through it, so those yards can stay soggy after a wet spell. Our grading and site prep shapes the ground so runoff moves away from the house and the new work. Behind a retaining wall, drainage stone and backfill give water a way out.

Landscaping for Older Homes in Summersville

Summersville has about 1,700 homes, and about 7 in 10 are single-family houses. The Census puts the median year built at 1979. More of today's homes date from the 1990s than from any other decade, about a fifth of them. Only about 1 in 9 went up in 2000 or later.

New houses are rare inside the city limits. The Census permit survey estimates four or fewer new homes a year from 2021 to 2025. In a town of mostly older homes, the first steps and front walks may be due for a rebuild. We rebuild them as outdoor steps and paver walkways that fit the grade.

Bright Mountain Estates sits just west of the town center, toward Lonetree Mountain. Tara Estates and Holly Hills Estates sit to the northeast, and WV 41 runs through town as Broad Street. Past the city limits, Mount Nebo sits south of town off US 19. WV 129 leads west to Keslers Cross Lanes.

Do You Need a Permit for Yard Work in Summersville?

Inside the city limits, start with the City of Summersville's Building Code Official at City Hall. The city calls the Code Official a starting point for questions about permits and local rules. Its building permit application covers excavation and demolition as well as new construction. The application's site plan shows the distance to the property lines and where the water and sewer lines run.

The same form asks for a flood zone determination. The city also uses it to check zoning and setbacks. FEMA maps a small part of the city in a flood zone. Outside the city limits, a property falls under Nicholas County, so ask the county which rules apply.

Digging rules apply everywhere in the state. West Virginia law says anyone who digs or grades must call 811 first. The call goes in at least 48 hours ahead, and weekends and holidays do not count. The member utilities then mark their buried lines.

Wooded Land Near Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake is the largest lake in West Virginia, and Summersville Lake State Park sits on its northern shore. The city's water plant draws from the lake and the Gauley River. Southwest of town, Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park sits on the rim of the Gauley River Canyon. NRCS lists woodland as a major use of Clifftop soils, with oak and hickory as the native forest.

When a wooded lot needs room for a house, our land clearing takes out the brush and trees. We haul the debris off, and the stumps can be ground out after. If a job disturbs an acre or more, the state's construction stormwater permit applies. The state Department of Environmental Protection says the owner is responsible for getting it.