Serving Houston & Fort Bend County Mon-Sat 7 AM-5 PM 4.9 (73 reviews) Call (832) 545-9435 Free Estimate
Get a Free Estimate

French Drain Installation & Yard Drainage in Houston, TX

French drains, downspout lines and grading that move standing water away from your lawn, beds and slab.

Get My Free Estimate Call (832) 545-9435

Water that sits in your yard after every storm kills grass, washes out beds and creeps toward your slab. Houston Landscape Images (HLI) handles French drain installation in Houston and the surrounding towns, plus the other yard drainage fixes that go with it: channel drains, downspout lines, grading and dry creek beds. We are a family-owned company based in Richmond, TX, with 30+ years in local landscaping. Our own crew plans and builds every drain, with no subcontractors, so the same people who dig the trench answer for how it works.

Yard Drainage Solutions That Fix:

  • Standing water that stays for a day or more after rain
  • Soggy, dead patches of lawn and washed-out beds
  • Downspouts dumping water next to the foundation
  • Water pooling on patios, walkways and side yards
Plastic channel drain grate set between strips of lawn at a concrete edge

Why Houston Yards Hold Water

Much of greater Houston sits on dense clay that locals call gumbo. Water moves through it slowly, so rain sits on top instead of soaking in. Add about 50 inches of rain a year, heavy summer storms and very flat lots, and you get the soggy yards we see across Harris and Fort Bend counties. Newer subdivisions with tight side yards and shared fences make it worse, because the water has nowhere to go.

Signs You Need Better Yard Drainage

  • Standing water in the yard a day or more after it stops raining
  • Mushy, dead or moss-covered grass in the same low spots every year
  • Mulch and soil washing out of beds and onto walkways
  • Water pooling against the slab or running into the garage
  • Downspouts that dump right at the foundation and dig holes in the bed
  • Puddles on the patio or pool deck that never seem to dry

Standing water also gives mosquitoes a place to breed. If you see two or more of these signs, a French drain or another drainage fix is worth a look. Call us at (832) 545-9435 and we will come see it in person.

"We asked about how to solve a water drainage problem, so also received an excellent solution."

- Youqi W., Google review
Book a Free Site Visit
Our Steps

Our French Drain Installation Process

  • 01

    Free Site Visit

    We walk your yard with you and look at where water pools, how the ground slopes, where your downspouts empty and where the water can safely leave the property. Photos or videos from your last big rain help a lot.

  • 02

    Drainage Plan

    We map the drain route, the fall of the pipe and the outlet. If the yard needs regrading, surface inlets or downspout lines too, we plan them together. We also help with the paperwork if your HOA needs to approve the work.

  • 03

    Itemized Estimate

    You get a clear, line-by-line quote before any digging starts, so you can see what each part of the drainage system costs. No surprises and no cutting corners to hit a number.

  • 04

    Installation by Our Crew

    Our crew digs the trench, lines it with filter fabric, sets perforated pipe in clean gravel at a steady slope, and ties in any downspouts or inlets. Then we backfill and put the lawn or beds back in place.

  • 05

    Water Test and Walkthrough

    Before we call it done, we run water through the system and watch it reach the outlet. We walk the job with you and show you how to keep grates and emitters clear.

Schedule Your Free Estimate

Houston Yard Drainage Solutions We Install

  • Corrugated perforated drain pipe laid on gravel in an open yard trench

    French Drains

    A buried gravel and pipe line for soggy lawns and low spots.

    Details about French Drains

    A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe in it. Water in the soil finds the gravel, drops into the pipe and runs downhill to an outlet. It is one of the best fixes for soggy lawns, low spots and wet side yards on Houston clay, and it stays hidden once the grass grows back.

    • Filter fabric keeps silt out of the gravel and pipe
    • Set at a steady slope to a real outlet
    • Cleanouts available so the line can be flushed later
    Price this option: French Drains
  • Tan paver patio with a channel drain running along its edge behind a beige house

    Channel Drains and Catch Basins

    Grates that catch water sheeting off patios and driveways.

    Details about Channel Drains and Catch Basins

    Channel drains (also called trench drains) sit flush with the surface and catch water sheeting off patios, pool decks and driveways. Catch basins are boxes with grates set at the lowest spot of a lawn or bed. Both feed into solid pipe that carries the water away.

    • Stops water from pooling on hard surfaces
    • Catch basins collect water at low spots in the lawn
    • Can tie into French drains and downspout lines
    Price this option: Channel Drains and Catch Basins
  • Gutter downspout on a brick house beside a mulched shrub bed with brick paver edging

    Downspout Extensions and Underground Downspout Drains

    Buried lines that move roof water away from the foundation.

    Details about Downspout Extensions and Underground Downspout Drains

    A roof sheds a lot of water in a Houston downpour, and most of it leaves through a few downspouts. We connect them to buried pipe that carries the water away from the house and lets it out at a curb, swale or pop-up emitter in the lawn. This is often the cheapest way to stop water from pooling against the foundation.

    • Buried downspout lines replace trip-hazard extensions
    • Pop-up emitters let water out gently in the lawn
    • Can share an outlet with a French drain
    Price this option: Downspout Extensions and Underground Downspout Drains
  • Front yard stripped to bare, graded soil in front of a brick house before new sod

    Yard Grading and Swales

    Reshape the ground so surface water flows the right way.

    Details about Yard Grading and Swales

    Sometimes the ground itself is the problem. If the yard slopes toward the house, or a flat lot has no fall at all, we regrade the soil and shape shallow swales that steer surface water where it should go. After grading, we can lay new sod so the yard looks finished.

    • Moves surface water away from the slab
    • Swales blend into lawns and planting areas
    • Often paired with a French drain on flat lots
    Price this option: Yard Grading and Swales
  • Winding gravel path with stepping stones and ornamental grasses across a front lawn

    Dry Creek Beds and Gravel Swales

    A rock-lined channel that moves runoff and looks good doing it.

    Details about Dry Creek Beds and Gravel Swales

    A dry creek bed is a shallow channel lined with river rock and boulders. It stays dry most days, then carries runoff during a storm. It works well where you want the water moved and still want the yard to look good. We often plant the edges so it reads as part of the landscape design.

    • Handles surface runoff with no pipe to clog
    • Adds texture and a natural look to the yard
    • Can hide a French drain underneath
    Price this option: Dry Creek Beds and Gravel Swales
  • Tan block retaining wall with gravel drainage backfill in front of a new house

    Drainage for Patios and Retaining Walls

    Drains planned into new patios and retaining walls.

    Details about Drainage for Patios and Retaining Walls

    Hardscapes change how water moves. A new patio can send runoff toward the house, and a retaining wall can trap water behind it. We plan drainage into these builds with gravel backfill, wall drains and edge drains, so they hold up.

    • Gravel backfill and drain pipe behind walls
    • Edge drains along patios and pool decks
    • Planned during design, not after the first flood
    Price this option: Drainage for Patios and Retaining Walls
  • Brick house entry with a downspout, curved concrete walkway and stone-edged mulched beds

    Drainage Repair and Cleanout

    Clear or replace clogged and crushed drain lines.

    Details about Drainage Repair and Cleanout

    Old drains clog with silt, roots and grass clippings. If a drain that used to work now backs up, we find the problem, clear or replace the bad section, and check that water reaches the outlet again. We also fix crushed downspout lines and stuck pop-up emitters.

    • Clears silt, roots and debris from lines and basins
    • Replaces crushed or broken pipe sections
    • Tests the whole run after the repair
    Price this option: Drainage Repair and Cleanout

Photos in this section show typical drainage parts and setups, not specific HLI jobs. Most jobs also need sprinkler heads moved or repaired around the new drain lines, and we handle that too.

Get My Free Estimate Call (832) 545-9435
Real Customers

Recent Drainage Projects Around Houston

Drainage often comes up while we build something else. Here is what a few customers wrote about drainage work we did with their projects.

  • Paver Patio With Improved Drainage

    We replaced an old wood deck with a paver patio and fixed how water drained around it.

    "We are so pleased with the paver patio and the improved drainage project that Houston Landscape Images did for us."
    Kris L., Google review

  • Subsurface Drainage Extension

    We extended an underground drain line as part of a driveway, fence and door project.

    "concrete driveway extension, cedar fence/gate replacement, subsurface drainage extension, exterior door added into brick wall. They did an outstanding job on all aspects of the project."
    Coley S., Google review

  • French Drains and Irrigation Repair

    We installed French drains and repaired the irrigation system for a family we have worked with at two homes.

    "From troubleshooting and repairing our irrigation system to installing French drains, landscaping and mulch, even setting up a basketball goal, they handle it all with professionalism and skill."
    Chris G., Google review

French Drain Cost in Houston

Typical Houston-area price ranges. Your quote is free and itemized.

What moves the price: how many feet of drain you need, how deep it goes, how far the water has to travel to an outlet, and what is in the way, like patios, tree roots, fences or tight side yards. Putting sod and beds back also adds to the cost. For a national check, HomeGuide lists yard French drains at about $10 to $35 per linear foot. We give you a clear, itemized estimate before any work starts.

Financing available through HFS Financial

Want the full breakdown? Read our French drain cost guide for Houston.

Why Houston Homeowners Choose HLI for Drainage

  • 30+ Years in Local Landscaping: more than 1,000 projects across the Houston area, so we know how clay and heavy rain behave.
  • Family Owned, Owner Involved: owner Sanson Faltine stays close to every job, which customers mention by name in their reviews.
  • Our Own Crew: no subcontractors. The team that plans your drain is the team that builds it.
  • On Site First: every drainage quote starts with a walk around your yard, not a guess over the phone.
  • HOA Help: we put together the details your HOA needs to approve the project.
  • One Company for the Whole Yard: drainage, grading, sod, beds and patios, all planned to work together.

"Sanson Faltine, the owner, met with us several times before we made the decision, gave us samples of the materials used, provided detailed information for homeowners association approval and he stayed involved in the project during the installation."

- Kris L., Google review
Start Your Drainage Project
Curved paver walkway with boulder-edged mulched beds and ornamental grasses at a brick home, built by HLI
Serving Katy, Sugar Land, Richmond + 30 more Show areas Hide areas
FAQ

French Drain and Yard Drainage FAQs

How much does a French drain cost in Houston?

Most of our French drain projects in the Houston area land in one of three ranges. A single drain run or a few downspout lines for one problem spot runs about $2,000 to $5,000. A full front or backyard drainage system with several drain runs, catch basins and downspout tie-ins runs about $5,000 to $10,000. Large lots, heavy grading or pump systems start around $10,000. For a rough national check, HomeGuide lists yard French drains at about $10 to $35 per linear foot. Length, depth, how far the water has to travel, and what sits in the way (patios, trees, fences) move the price the most. We walk your yard for free and give you an itemized quote.

Do French drains work in Houston clay soil?

Yes, when they are built for it. Houston clay is dense, so water soaks in slowly and sits near the surface. A French drain gives that water an easy path out. We line the trench with filter fabric, bed perforated pipe in clean gravel, and slope it to a real outlet so the water keeps moving. On very flat lots we often pair the drain with light regrading, surface inlets or downspout lines. A French drain alone can't fix a yard that slopes toward the house, so we check the grade first.

How deep should a French drain be?

Most yard French drains are about 1 to 2 feet deep and 9 to 12 inches wide. The exact depth depends on where the water sits and where it needs to go. The pipe has to fall the whole way to the outlet, so a long run may start shallow and end deeper. Drains that protect a slab or a retaining wall may need to go deeper than a drain for a soggy lawn. We set the depth and slope on site after we check your grade.

French drain vs. channel drain: which one do I need?

They solve different problems. A French drain is buried. It collects water that soaks into the ground and carries it away through gravel and perforated pipe, so it suits soggy lawns, low spots and side yards. A channel drain (also called a trench drain) sits at the surface with a grate on top. It catches water running across hard surfaces like patios, pool decks and driveways. Many Houston yards need both, tied into the same outlet line.

How long does a French drain last?

A well-built French drain can last for decades. Cost guides such as LawnStarter put a typical lifespan at 30 to 40 years. The two things that shorten its life are silt and roots. Filter fabric keeps soil out of the gravel, and a clean outlet keeps the pipe flowing. We can add a cleanout so the line can be flushed with a hose if it ever slows down.

Where does the water from a French drain go?

It has to go somewhere lower than where it starts. Common outlets are the street curb, a swale or ditch, a lower part of the yard, or a pop-up emitter that lets water out gently in the lawn. We pick the outlet during the site visit and check any HOA rules that apply. We never route your water onto a neighbor's lot.

Will a French drain tear up my lawn?

There is some digging, but it is a narrow trench, not a torn-up yard. We cut and set aside sod where we can, then put it back or lay fresh sod over the trench when the drain is in. If the drainage work is part of a bigger project, we can regrade and resod the whole area at the same time.

Stacked stone fire pit with blue fire glass and curved seat wall beside a Houston pool
“Working with Sanson and his crew was a pleasurable experience. Great attention to detail, accurate estimate on project schedule, and results that exceeded expectations. Have already recommended Sanson and HL Images to several others and will work with them again in the future!!”
Shawn T. · Google review

Your project could be next

Get My Free Estimate Call (832) 545-9435

4.9 from 73 Google reviews · 30+ years · Family-owned

Call Now Free Estimate