Document the condition
Note the location, when it started, how it's changed, and any past work. Photos and rough measurements make the first call more useful.
Read the local context
Durham combines nineteenth-century tobacco and textile districts, early streetcar neighborhoods, postwar ranches, and fast-growing suburban edges. Piedmont clay, mature tree cover, humid summers, and rolling watersheds make drainage and existing assemblies part of nearly every exterior or structural project.
Ask what will be hidden
Excavation, compacted base, soil condition, thickness, reinforcement, slope, joints, curing, access, and runoff determine performance long after the surface is finished. A written scope should say plainly what compaction, drainage, and reinforcement work happens before the surface covers it for good.
Compare complete scopes
Weigh protection, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, exclusions, warranty terms, and change orders across every Durham proposal.
What official local sources add
Durham maintains official floodplain guidance and separate procedures for historic district, landmark, and sign designations. Parcel-level flood status and local historic designation should be checked before structural, exterior, or drainage work is scoped.
Checked June 20, 2026 — verify current floodplain and historic-district rules with the City of Durham before authorizing work.