Grounds-Landscaping — System Brief
The Grounds-Landscaping system covers everything outside the building envelope on a detached Metro Vancouver lot: turf, trees, water delivery, water supply protection, soil retention, and paved surfaces. The single most important thing to get right across all six components is drainage — water moving away from the house is the unifying design principle for every surface, wall, and buried pipe in this system. When drainage fails on any component, the consequences cascade into the foundation and the structural frame.
The rules that matter most (system-wide tripwires)
These are the highest-consequence items pulled from across all six components. Each one is cheap to prevent and expensive to ignore.
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All lawn watering is banned in Metro Vancouver during Stage 2 restrictions (May–October). Running irrigation during a Stage 2/3 ban triggers a $500 fine per infraction with no warning period. A brown summer lawn is expected — not neglect. → lawn (Home Systems), irrigation (Home Systems)
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Book your irrigation blowout in September, not October. Water left in lines and the backflow assembly over a BC winter cracks them. One missed blowout converts a 500–$2,000 of spring repairs. → irrigation (Home Systems), irrigation-backflow (Home Systems)
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Annual irrigation backflow testing is mandatory — overdue testing can trigger water service interruption. Most Metro Vancouver municipalities require a BCWWA-certified tester to file within 15 days; non-compliance is not a fine, it is a shutoff. → irrigation-backflow (Home Systems)
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Before removing or heavily pruning any tree above ~20 cm diameter: check your municipality’s tree bylaw and get a permit. Removing a protected tree without a permit in Vancouver costs 20,000 per tree plus mandatory replanting. Never assume one city’s rules apply next door. → trees (Home Systems)
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Dead limbs over the house or a heaving root plate mean call an ISA arborist before the next windstorm — not after. These are the two fast-failure modes. Structural tree failure gives little warning. → trees (Home Systems)
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If a retaining wall is leaning, bulging, or cracking horizontally — fence off the area and call a structural engineer today. Wall collapse is sudden, not gradual. Active structural distress is not a “monitor it” situation. → retaining-walls (Home Systems)
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Any retaining wall holding more than ~1.2 m of soil requires a permit and an engineered design under BC Building Code and EGBC guidelines. A wall built without the required permit is your liability. → retaining-walls (Home Systems)
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If any hardscape surface slopes toward the house — fix the grade. BC Building Code mandates 2% fall away from the building for the first 3 m. A patio pitched toward the foundation routes every rainstorm to the perimeter drain and basement wall. → hardscape (Home Systems)
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A paver, slab, or step edge raised ≥ 6 mm above its neighbour is a trip hazard with liability attached. Frost heave creates this every winter. Catch it in the spring walkthrough, not after someone falls. → hardscape (Home Systems)
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Moss in the lawn is a symptom of shade, compaction, low pH, or poor drainage — not the disease. Kill it without fixing the condition and it returns. Lime + annual aeration is the structural fix. → lawn (Home Systems)
Component-by-component
| Component | The one thing to watch | Owner vs. pro |
|---|---|---|
| lawn (Home Systems) | Stage 2 watering ban May–October shuts off all lawn irrigation; fall aeration + overseeding (late Aug–Sept) is the most important annual task for moss prevention | DIY for mowing/fertilizing; pro or rental equipment for aeration/overseed on larger lots; sod work = pro |
| trees (Home Systems) | Dead limbs + root-plate heave are the two fast-kill signs — call an ISA/TRAQ arborist; permit required before removing protected-size trees (>20 cm DBH in Vancouver) | Inspection and minor small-branch pruning = owner; any canopy work, removal, or assessment = ISA-certified arborist + permit |
| irrigation (Home Systems) | Fall blowout before first frost (target: mid-October) is the non-negotiable; irrigation controller must comply with the current restriction stage at all times | Head and valve swap = owner-doable; blowout = pro (185 CFM compressor required); solenoid/wiring faults = pro |
| irrigation-backflow (Home Systems) | Annual BCWWA-certified test required by bylaw; overdue filing risks service interruption, not just a fine; freeze damage to the assembly is the costliest single irrigation repair | Testing = BCWWA-certified tester only; repairs = licensed journeyman plumber; winterization = irrigation contractor or owner |
| retaining-walls (Home Systems) | Drainage is the wall’s real load-bearing element — blocked weep holes build hydrostatic pressure that causes sudden collapse; structural distress → engineer, not landscaper | Drainage check and block reset on walls under 1.2 m = owner; any structural concern or any wall over 1.2 m retained height = structural/geotechnical engineer |
| hardscape (Home Systems) | Drainage slope (≥ 2% away from house) is code and the highest-consequence item; frost heave creates trip hazards each spring; asphalt needs reseal every 3–5 years, not replacement | Polymeric sand top-up, small paver re-level, crack filling = owner; concrete lift/polyjacking, full replacement, drainage regrading = pro |
Recurring upkeep at a glance
All tasks below belong in → Maintenance Calendar (Home Systems).
| Frequency | Task | Component |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (growing season) | Mow at 7–9 cm; never remove more than ⅓ blade at a time | lawn (Home Systems) |
| Monthly (May–Oct) | Walk all irrigation zones while running — check for broken heads, foundation ponding, misting | irrigation (Home Systems) |
| After every heavy rain | Check retaining wall weep holes for blockage; check hardscape drainage slope | retaining-walls (Home Systems), hardscape (Home Systems) |
| After every windstorm | Tree walkover — crown, base, root plate, lean, hanging limbs | trees (Home Systems) |
| Spring (annual) | Full hardscape inspection — lippage, slope, crack inventory; paver joint check | hardscape (Home Systems) |
| Spring (annual) | Moss treatment (iron sulphate), rake dead moss; confirm thatch depth | lawn (Home Systems) |
| Spring (annual) | Irrigation startup — slow-open, walk all zones, set controller to current restriction stage | irrigation (Home Systems) |
| Spring (annual) | Backflow assembly reactivation and annual BCWWA test booking | irrigation-backflow (Home Systems) |
| Spring (annual) | Retaining wall inspection with dated photos | retaining-walls (Home Systems) |
| Early spring (every 3–5 years) | Tree formal arborist assessment for mature trees | trees (Home Systems) |
| Late April | Fertilize lawn (nitrogen-led) | lawn (Home Systems) |
| Late Aug–Sept (annual) | Core aerate + overseed; the Metro Vancouver sweet spot | lawn (Home Systems) |
| Early Sept (annual) | Fall fertilize (potassium-led); lime every 1–3 years | lawn (Home Systems) |
| September (annual) | Book irrigation blowout appointment — do not wait for October | irrigation (Home Systems), irrigation-backflow (Home Systems) |
| Mid-October (annual) | Complete irrigation blowout and backflow winterization before first hard frost | irrigation (Home Systems), irrigation-backflow (Home Systems) |
| Every 3–5 years | Asphalt reseal; polymeric sand top-up in paver joints; concrete reseal | hardscape (Home Systems) |
| Every 3–5 years | Backflow assembly: assess rebuild vs. replace at 10–15 years of age | irrigation-backflow (Home Systems) |
| Timber retaining walls | Probe for rot at base annually; plan proactive replacement at 12–15 years | retaining-walls (Home Systems) |
Biggest-cost / irreversible decisions
These are the replace-vs-repair or high-cost decisions this system surfaces. All cross the $500 + irreversibility threshold and route to → The Decision Lifecycle and the reserves tracked in finance-replacement-reserves (Home Systems).
Trees — removal of a full-size tree: irreversible (the tree cannot be restored) and 3,500+ in Metro Vancouver. Requires a permit, arborist report (800), and the bylaw compliance check first. Never commit to removal under storm-damage pressure without an assessment. → trees (Home Systems)
Retaining walls — reconstruction: irreversible, routinely 40,000+ for a standard wall, with complex/engineered walls reaching 80,000+. Timber rot forces replacement at 10–15 years; block/concrete walls last 40–75+ years. Material choice at rebuild time determines the next generation of service life — worth taking time on. → retaining-walls (Home Systems)
Irrigation — full system replacement: a new residential in-ground system in Metro Vancouver runs 10,000. Irreversible (prior lines/zones are decommissioned). A smart controller upgrade (350 installed) often defers the system-replacement decision by improving restriction compliance and water savings. → irrigation (Home Systems)
Irrigation backflow — assembly replacement: 900 installed; a lower-cost decision that often makes more sense than repeated repairs. Freeze damage = mandatory replacement (structural crack). The decision is simpler than most: if repair quote exceeds ~50% of replacement installed cost, replace. → irrigation-backflow (Home Systems)
Full lawn replacement or sod installation: 5.50/sf installed in Metro Vancouver, or 15,000 for a typical lot — crosses the >$500 threshold. Warrants comparing sod vs. seed vs. ground-cover alternatives; drainage and shade assessment first. → lawn (Home Systems)
Full driveway/hardscape replacement: 20,000+ depending on material (asphalt 18/sf; concrete 22/sf; pavers 40/sf). Irreversible + high cost — full Decision Lifecycle. Scope in drainage fixes at the same time; fixing the slope after the pour is prohibitively expensive. → hardscape (Home Systems)
Strata vs. detached
This entire system is profile: detached. All six components assume owner responsibility for the full lot.
| What | Detached owner | Strata owner |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn, turf care | You maintain it entirely | Common-area turf is strata’s responsibility under SPA s. 72; limited common property (private yard/patio) may be yours — check your strata plan |
| Trees on lot | You own, maintain, insure, and permit-comply for all trees within your property line | Common-area trees are strata’s scope; boulevard trees are City’s scope; report concerns to strata manager in writing |
| Irrigation system | Fully yours — all maintenance, blowout, testing, and compliance | Interior suite drip/balcony watering only; no in-ground system involvement |
| Irrigation backflow testing | Mandatory annual obligation on you as service-line owner | Same if you have an in-ground system; otherwise not applicable |
| Retaining walls | Your permit, your engineering, your liability to neighbours | Almost always common property — report to strata manager; do not engage contractors independently |
| Hardscape (patio, walkway, driveway) | Fully yours for private areas; permeable impervious surface changes may need a City permit | Private patio (limited common property) is often your maintenance obligation; common driveways and paths are strata’s |
Strata residents: refer to strata-common-property-systems (Home Systems) for common-area grounds coverage and the reporting obligations under SPA s. 163 (trip hazard duty to notify).
What this brief is NOT
This is a synthesis layer — it prioritizes, cross-links, and places the system’s content on one screen. It is not a substitute for the component notes, which carry the full mechanisms, warning-sign tables, step-by-step procedures, triangulated pricing, permit thresholds, and primary sources.
For the full picture, open → Grounds-Landscaping (Home Systems) (system MOC with the component index) or → Home Systems KB MOC (the full KB entry point).