Improper Landscape Grade By Pete Busch A very common defect found during a typical home inspection is high grade. High grade when your yard is too high where it meets the side of your house. In most cases this problem is caused by the homeowner adding too much fill or landscape material next to their home not realizing their causing a future problem. Your basement foundation walls are typically concrete block or poured concrete. At the top of the foundation walls is where your wood framing starts. To.