Drains that send the water somewhere else.
French drains, channel drains and catch basins that intercept water, move it through buried pipe and release it safely away from your home and hardscape.
- Pipe: Perforated, wrapped in fabric
- Slope: At least 1% (1/8 in. per ft.)
- Backfill: Clean, washed stone
What it is, and why it matters.
Wet yards and ponding patios have one cause: water with nowhere to go. A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that collects groundwater and carries it away. A channel drain is a grated trough that catches surface water at a patio, driveway or garage. Used together with proper grading, they keep water off your foundation, off your patio and out of your neighbor's yard.
Middle Tennessee's clay soils hold water and shed it slowly, which is why so many Nashville yards stay soggy for days after rain. We trace where the water comes from, size the pipe and gravel for the flow, set the slope carefully and finish the surface so you hardly know the drain is there.
Four things done right.
Water traced to its source
We find where it comes from before we dig.
Right pipe, right slope
Sized and graded to move real flow.
Fabric-wrapped, clean stone
Built not to clog with clay.
Safe outlet
Water released where it cannot cause harm.
From first visit to french & channel drains.
- 01
Read the water
Walk the yard in dry weather and after rain.
- 02
Dig and grade
Trench to a consistent slope.
- 03
Install and wrap
Lay pipe, stone and fabric.
- 04
Restore the surface
Backfill, resod or cap and clean up.
French & Channel Drains across Middle Tennessee.
We do this work in 28 cities, from downtown Nashville to Franklin, Murfreesboro and beyond.
French & Channel Drains: common questions
Where does the water go?
To a safe outlet: a storm drain, a daylight outlet on a slope, a dry well or a rain garden, depending on your lot and local rules. We design the outlet first.
How long does a French drain last?
A properly built, fabric-wrapped drain can last decades. Poor materials and bad slope are what fail early.
How do I get a price for french & channel drains?
Fill in the form or call 615-431-3789. We schedule a free visit, measure and review your ideas and send a written proposal that lists exactly what is included.
Ready to talk about french & channel drains?
A free visit and a written proposal. A real person calls back, usually the same day.