French Drain Installation and Repairs

A French drain is necessary when:

• Surface water creates a soggy lawn or causes a driveway to wash out.
• You're building a retaining wall on a hillside.
• Flooding is causing water damage to your yard and home.

A French drain is a perforated pipe that allows surface water to immediately move away from houses and landscaping. The system relies on gravity to direct water flow downhill toward the suitable location for water drainage.

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We say that approximately 80% of our clients were satisfied with their results when only French drain was installed. For total reassurance, we recommend adjusting the soil structure by topdressing the designated area. The combination of a French drain and topdressing is guaranteed to work. We have worked for some of the most discerning families in Washington, and we have never had a client upset with the outcome if they have built out the French drain to our specifications and done an 1.5-2” top dress. 

A top dress is a high sand content soil — around 80% sand and 20% compost. Topdressing maintains its structure even when it is hyper saturated. It can also be awesome for people with dogs because the sand is easier to brush off than mud.

Topdressing improves the soil structure, water holding capacity and cation exchange capacity. Many lawns have fine topsoil, but similar to soil found around lakes, this topsoil is very mushy when wet. It's great for growing lots of plants, but it's not great for people who have to mow or want to play. Topdressing acts more like the sand at the beach, where you can walk right next to the ocean and trust the sand to stay firm under your feet.

In the first year of receiving topdressing, you have to fertilize a bit more and possibly water a bit more, but once the roots of the grass reach the soil below, your lawn will have access to all the nutrients and hydration. You and your pets will only see and feel the dense upper layer.