Tree Removal and the 8 Inch Rule
Southfield requires a permit before anyone removes a tree 8 inches in diameter or larger, on public or private property, and that applies to homeowners and their contractors alike. Every such tree gets an inspection first. The permit is free through the Planning Department, and the city says processing can take up to five business days. Trees inside a mapped woodland area need a permit at any size.
The exemptions are narrow: completely dead trees, orchard trees such as apple and cherry, trees damaged in a disaster, and moderate trimming. Ash trees do not need a permit, but ash wood cannot be moved out of Southfield to other parts of Michigan. If a tree is leaning over the house, build those five business days into your plan rather than waiting for the next storm. The Planning Department schedules inspections at (248) 796-4156.
Grading Around Older Foundations
Soil around a house settles for years after it is backfilled, and on a home built in the 1950s or 1960s that settling has had a long time to work. The ground that once sloped away from the foundation often ends up flat or sloping back toward it, and short downspout extensions dump water right where it can find a crack in the basement wall. Clay soil makes it worse because the water has nowhere to go.
Regrading a few feet around the house so it falls away again, and carrying downspout water farther out in a buried line, solves a lot of wet basement complaints before anyone needs to talk about waterproofing. Where the lot itself is low, a French drain collects the water and moves it to where it can drain.
Replacing Cracked Walks and Steps
Original concrete walks and stoops on older Southfield homes have been through decades of freeze and thaw and road salt. Once a slab has heaved or tilted, patching does not last. Replacing the walk with pavers or new concrete on a proper compacted base, and pitching it away from the house, fixes both the trip hazard and the water it was sending toward the foundation. Tree roots are often part of the reason a walk lifted, which is one more reason to decide on the tree before the new walk goes in.
Fall Cleanup Under Mature Trees
With the tree canopy Southfield has, leaves are a real job every fall. Southfield collects yard waste on your regular rubbish day from mid April through mid December, weather permitting. Leaves need to go out in approved paper yard waste bags or in a container of up to 32 gallons marked with a city yard waste sticker, which you can get by calling (248) 796-4860. Yard waste in plastic bags is not accepted.
Plan for the leaves to keep coming into November. A first cleanup once most have dropped, then a final pass before the ground freezes, keeps the lawn from being smothered over the winter.
