Answers

Not much info here to make a determination.  Drainage issues can be tricky.  Depends on what the builder was engaged to do (was the contract specific about installation of a certain system, or was it a performance specification?).  If the contractor is a member of a local chapter of a trade association, such as the NAHB or NARI, they typically have ethics panels who can look at the issue and help you determine what you should have expected of your contractor.  Likewise, if your state has a Board for Contractors.

So many people today resort to the threat of negative online reviews, but please be careful how you use those.  That may be unfair to the contractor if there are contractual stipulations or specs he was to follow, and he may have done as contractually required, so trashing him online may not be warranted and can unjustly ruin the well-meaning contractor's means of livelihood.

You may also discuss your issue by engaging a legal professional.  Again, hopefully that professional can review the agreement and determine whether there is cause for pursuit - what obligations the contractor had to you, and whether he has met those or not.

As committed industry professionals, we want to know that our peers are dealing fairly with their clients.  I hope that you can come to understand rights and obligations in this case and resolve reasonably to your satisfaction.  

A Grading and Drainage certificate should have been issued by the permitting authority along with an affidavit by the contractor performing the work ensuring the work was in compliance with the approved plans.

Jie, 

Since you are not getting satisfaction from your builder, I would take all of your documentation to your city or county permit office (call ahead to determine who to speak with).  Standing water in any developement is unnaceptable and the municipality may require them to fix it. 

If the local governement can't help, contact an attorney specializing in land or propery law and ask them to send a letter to the builder.  Spending a few hundred dollars for this may go a long way. If you have to go to court, I would do so. 

My neighbors and I had sanding water and grading problems that we were able to demonstrate to the builder, and the builder came out and put drains in, no questions asked. We did not have to go to the county or hire an attorney. They recognized the problem and fixed it. 

Good Luck! 

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Drainage is a common issue that clients don't anticipate. 

The biggest issue we run into is not having enough black dirt (quality soil) on on hand. Trucking in more soil can add thousands of dollars, and it's not often evident at the start of construction or remodeling.

Consider what the tree is worth compared to similar trees around it. Sometimes it's best to cut down and eliminate disease spreading...

There could be infection spreading under the bark. Sooty Canker is one possibilty, black powdery fingus spreading under the bark. Have an arborist look at it. May be able to remove infect branches, treat with fungicide and save the tree if it has not progressed too far