French drain installation
We trace where the water comes from, plan where it is allowed to go, then build the drain.
For soggy lawns, water against the foundation and wet crawl spaces where a French drain is the right fix. Our own crew, based in Lynnwood.
Leave your name and number. Danny calls you back to set a time.
Prefer to talk? Call (425) 648-9443
Google reviewsRead what customers say ↗
4.5 ★★★★½Yelp · 15 reviewsA French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that catches water underground and carries it downhill to an outlet where it is allowed to go. It is the right fix when water soaks into the lawn and stays, or moves through the soil toward your house, after the downspouts, grading and sprinklers have been checked. Grizzly installs French drains across Snohomish and King County, and we find where the water comes from before any digging starts.
Every French drain
Every drain starts with where the water comes from and ends with where it goes.
We walk the yard, while it is wet if we can, because the water shows its path in the rain.
We find where the water gets in, not just where it sits, and check the downspouts before planning anything underground.
A drain needs somewhere legal and sensible to empty. We confirm that before you get a price, not after the trench is dug.
Our own crew digs the trench, builds the drain and puts the ground back when we're done.
Where we install them
A drain run through the wet area gives water in the soil a path out, so the lawn can dry between storms.
→ Lawn squishes underfoot → Puddles that last a day after rain → Moss moving in
A drain between the wet ground and the house catches water before it reaches the wall.
→ Water against the foundation → Damp or musty crawl space → Soil that stays dark by the wall
On a sloped lot, a drain across the hill intercepts water running down through the soil toward the house.
→ Lot below a neighbor's yard → Water seeping out of a slope → Wet spot at the bottom of a hill
A wall holds back wet soil. A drain behind it gives that water a way out instead of pushing on the wall.
→ New retaining walls → Terraced beds → Planned before the wall goes up
Drains go in before the pavers, so a new patio doesn't trap water against the house or get torn up later.
→ New paver patios → Walkways along the house → New planting beds
Some yards need a French drain plus downspout lines or a catch basin. We tell you which mix fits and why.
→ Roof water dumped at the wall → Low spots that collect water → Water from more than one source
What goes wrong
A French drain isn't always the answer. Here's what each sign usually points to, and whether a drain is likely to help.
Usually: dense soil that won't absorb water. A French drain can help if there's an outlet downhill.
Usually: seasonal groundwater sitting on dense till. A good fit for a French drain.
Usually: water sitting against the foundation. Downspouts get checked first, then a drain.
Usually: roof water dumped at the wall. Downspout lines fix this, not a French drain.
Usually: ground sloped the wrong way. Regrading comes first, and a drain may help after.
Usually: a leaking sprinkler valve or line. We test the irrigation before digging a drain.
Our approach
Many yards here sit on Alderwood soil, which the USDA calls extensive in western Washington. The USDA describes loose soil over dense glacial till about 20 to 40 inches down: water moves easily above the till and poorly through it, and a perched water table forms at times from December through April. Water that soaks in has a hard time going deeper, so it spreads sideways toward low spots and foundations. A French drain works when it gives that water a path out, and fails when it doesn't.
1. Dig a trench where the water sits and hope 2. Skip checking the downspouts and sprinklers 3. Leave the outlet for later 4. Put it in after the patio or planting is done
Result: a trench full of gravel and the same wet yard, or water sent somewhere it isn't allowed to go.
1. Walk the property while it is wet if we can 2. Rule out downspouts and sprinkler leaks first 3. Plan the outlet before you get a price 4. Build the drain before patios, walls or planting
Result: a drain aimed at the actual water, emptying somewhere it is allowed to go.
Timing
At Paine Field, the NOAA climate station in Snohomish County, about 70% of the year's rain falls from October through March. At Sea-Tac it's about 75%. That's when drainage problems show up, and when it's easiest to see where the water goes.
October – March
Problems show up now. A walk-through or photos in the rain show us where the water comes from.
November
November is the wettest month at both Paine Field and Sea-Tac. If water is going to pool, you'll see it.
April – September
The yard dries out. Note where water sat over winter so the drain can be planned around it.
Before any patio or wall
If hardscape or new beds are coming, the drain goes in before them, whatever the month.
70%
Share of the year's rain that falls October to March (Paine Field)
4.97 in
November normal, the wettest month (Paine Field)
0.84 in
July normal, the driest month (Paine Field)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly precipitation normals, Everett Paine Field (USW00024222) and Seattle-Tacoma Intl (USW00024233). More about yard drainage →
Why Grizzly
01
We trace where the water gets in before recommending any fix.
02
Irrigation is our main trade, so a leaking valve or line gets ruled out before we dig a drain.
03
If downspout lines, a catch basin or regrading will do the job instead of a French drain, we tell you.
04
Where water is allowed to drain changes from city to city. We check before we dig.
05
Never subcontracted. The people who find the problem are the people who fix it.
06
We put the ground back when we're done, not just the pipe in.
How it works
01
Call or send the form. Photos taken while it's raining help the most.
02
We trace where the water comes from and check the downspouts, the grading and the sprinklers.
03
We show you where the drain runs, where it empties, and the price before any work starts.
04
Our own crew digs the trench, lays the drain and puts the ground back when we're done.
Reviews
★★★★★
"Grizzly recently provided landscaping for my property including installing a French drain, removing an old (failed) sod lawn, importing new soil, installing a new sod lawn, installing a paver block sidewalk, installing a cobble landscape feature, installing trees, and grading the backyard and finishing off with installing about 12 yards of bark. Danny and his crew did a great job. He was easy to work with, honored his schedule commitment, and was competitively priced for the work. … He was responsive and knowledgeable and easy to work with. Thanks, Danny!"
Rolf W. · Google review
★★★★★
"… Weeks after installation, I had an issue with one garden area getting oversaturated along with water build up so I called Danny and he came right over that same day and found that there was a faulty valve and he took care of it right away. Grizzly is competitively priced and Danny is very knowledgeable. …"
Ronald H. · Google review
★★★★★
"… He did a great job and was very thoughtful to not tear up the yard, and cleaned up the sidewalk as well. It turned out very nice! I appreciated the time he spent with me answering questions about my sprinkler system and other landscaping related questions I had. …"
Eric H. · Google review
Where we work
From our base in Lynnwood, we install French drains across Snohomish and King County. Near the edge of the map? Call and we'll tell you straight away.
Related services
Catch basins, downspout lines and regrading for when a French drain isn't the whole answer.
A spot that stays wet in summer is often a leak. We find it and fix it.
Questions
A French drain is a trench filled with gravel around a perforated pipe. Water in the soil moves into the gravel, gets into the pipe, and runs downhill to an outlet where it is allowed to go. It's one of the most effective fixes for soggy yards and wet crawl spaces.
If water soaks into the lawn and stays, or moves through the soil toward the house, a French drain is often the fix. If roof water is dumping at the wall or the yard slopes toward the house, downspout lines or regrading come first. We check all of these before recommending anything.
Many yards sit on Alderwood soil, which the USDA describes as loose soil over dense glacial till, with a perched water table at times from December through April. Water soaks in but has a hard time going deeper, so giving it a path out through a drain is often what dries the yard. At Paine Field, about 70% of the year's rain also falls from October through March.
Yes. If a spot stays wet in summer between watering cycles, a leaking valve or line is a likely cause. We test the irrigation before recommending a drain, because a drain won't fix a leak.
Yes. Drains go in before pavers, walls or planting. Adding them later means tearing up finished work.
Yes. Grizzly Landscape & Construction LLC is registered with Washington L&I as contractor GRIZZLC755LL, and is bonded and insured. You can look the number up on L&I's Verify a Contractor tool.
It depends on where you live, because the rules on where water is allowed to drain change from city to city. We check the local rules and confirm there is somewhere legal and sensible to discharge to before we dig.
It depends on how long the drain runs, how easy the yard is to reach, and where the water can go. We walk the property and give you a clear price before any work starts.
Free consultation across Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace, WA.
