Yard drainage that moves water away

Standing water, a soggy yard or water running toward the house all come down to how the ground is shaped. We change the shape so the water goes somewhere else.

Call (865) 346-6688

What the work is

Most drainage problems are fixed with dirt work. We grade the ground so it falls away from the house, cut shallow swales that carry water around the yard instead of across it, and clear out ditches that have filled in.

When a drain line is part of the plan, we dig the trench for it to the depth and fall you need. You, your plumber or your landscaper lays the pipe.

Why yards hold water here

Yard drainage in East Tennessee has its own problems. Red clay does not soak water in fast, so after a heavy rain it sits on top or runs across the surface. Lots on hillsides send water from the neighbors down onto you. New builds are often left with ground that slopes back toward the foundation once the backfill settles.

Ditches and culverts that fill with leaves and silt push water back into the yard and across the drive. A little grading in the right spot often does more than a lot of pipe.

How we do it

Call or send the form. The best time for us to see it is during or right after a rain, but we can read most problems from the ground too. We walk the property with you, find where the water comes from and where it can go, and give you a straight number in writing.

We use the Caterpillar 265 skid steer for grading and swales, the Caterpillar 305 mini excavator for ditches and deeper cuts, and the Vermeer mini skid steer with the trencher for narrow drain line trenches.

Before we dig

Tennessee law requires a call to Tennessee 811 (tn811.com) at least three working days before digging. 811 marks public utilities, not private lines like a sprinkler line or a line to a shed, so mark those if you know where they are. Changing where water leaves your property can affect neighbors, and some work needs a permit, so check with your county or city first.

What affects the price

How much ground has to be reshaped.
How far the water has to be moved.
Rock, slope and access for the machines.
How many ditches or trenches the job needs.

What the job covers

Walking the property to find where water comes from
Grading so ground falls away from the house
Cutting swales to carry water around the yard
Clearing filled in ditches and culvert ends
Trenches dug for drain lines others install
A straight written number

Common questions

Do you install French drains?

We do the dirt work: grading, swales, ditches and the trench for a drain line. You, your plumber or your landscaper lays the pipe and gravel in that trench.

Will grading alone fix my wet yard?

Often it does. A lot of wet yards around Knoxville just need the ground reshaped so water has a path off the property. We tell you at the site visit what we think it will take.

Water from my neighbor's lot runs onto mine. Can you help?

We can shape your side to catch that water and steer it around your house and drive. Where it goes from there matters, so check with your county or city about any rules on where it can leave your property.

Do you design engineered drainage systems?

No. We are an excavation crew. If your job needs an engineer, we can do the dirt work to the plan they draw.

Related work

Get a quote

Get a straight number

Tell us about the job and where it is. We will call you back to set up a time to come look.