Landscaping in Hartford is a small yard, a brick walk, and roof water aimed at an old foundation. Three-family lots in Frog Hollow and the South End leave a rear court that takes leaders from more than one roof. West End houses have larger trees and older walls, and those trees heave the walk and fill the gutters. Grade on a tight lot often slopes toward a bulkhead. There is not a wide lawn to hide a mistake.
Downspouts that stop at the clapboard soak the sill. Patios pitched the wrong way put a film of water against the basement wall all spring. Street trees lift steps. A fence may be holding your grade off the neighbor's lower court. Snow has nowhere to go, so the berm ends on the only path or across the basement hatch. That is a design problem, not a hard winter to complain about.
Shade on the north side of a three-story house is deep, and the soil may be fill. Raised beds keep roots out of a clogged yard drain only if the overflow has a plan. Dogs turn a small dirt court into mud in a wet April. Salt from the street burns the shrubs at the front step. Replace them with something that can live there, or expect the same brown by March.
Ice on a shaded entry is often a leader and a lack of sun, not bad luck. A slope in Behind the Rocks or the West End can send grit into a window well. Ask where the water sits an hour after rain and where the snow pile always lands. Drainage first, planting second, unless the tree is already in the roof. Say which is actually damaging the house.
Describe the neighborhood and the size of the outdoor space. Say drainage, heaved walks, trees, or a court that never dries. A shared fence needs a calm note about grade. Have one priority. Call the number on this page.