Henderson, Texas
French drains & drainage in Henderson
French drains, regrading and downspout fixes for Henderson yards that hold water, starting with finding where the water really comes from.
- Rusk County, Texas
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who does drainage and grading in Henderson, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes, a family-owned, fully insured company based in Longview, fixes yard drainage in Henderson and across Rusk County. We've worked East Texas yards since 2017 and hold a 5.0 rating across 143 Google reviews. We trace the water first, then regrade, reroute downspouts, cut swales or install French drains with sock-wrapped pipe and #57 stone. Most projects run $2,000 to $3,750. Request a free walkthrough in Henderson online.
Drainage & Grading for Henderson yards
Henderson's low spots and flat backyards hold water because rain stops at the clay under the sandy topsoil and has nowhere to go. We check downspouts and grade first, then add swales, pop-up emitters or a French drain only where the water calls for it. Fixing a single problem spot runs $450 to $1,000, while most drainage projects cost $2,000 to $3,750.
Half the yards we get called to for a French drain don't need one. Standing water is a symptom, so we start by finding the source. Roof water dumping at the foundation gets rerouted in solid pipe. Ground that tips back toward the house gets regraded to fall away, about six inches over the first ten feet. Only water that's trapped in the ground calls for a French drain.
What's included
- French drains with sock-wrapped pipe and #57 stone
- Surface grading and re-sloping away from the foundation
- Downspout extensions and solid-pipe reroutes
- Catch basins, channel drains and pop-up emitters
- Swales and dry creek beds
- Erosion control on slopes
- Drainage behind retaining walls
- Site prep for new builds and additions
How the job goes
We fix drainage year-round, but the best time to see the problem is during or right after a rain. Digging goes faster in a dry stretch, when the clay isn't saturated. Getting it done before the spring rains means you don't spend another season with a pond in the back corner.
Watch the water
We walk the property during or right after a rain when we can, and trace where the water comes from and where it sits.
Pick the right fix
Downspouts, regrading, a swale or a French drain. You get a written, itemized estimate that says what we're installing and why.
Trench to a real outlet
We dig with a steady fall toward somewhere the water can actually leave: daylight, a curb, a lower part of the lot, or a pop-up emitter.
Build the drain
Pipe, fabric and stone go in to spec, backfilled with stone so clay fines can't clog it.
Put the yard back
We cap the trench with soil and sod, or finish it in river rock or a dry creek bed.
Examples of our drainage and grading work
Real jobs by our crew around East Texas. Each photo says where it was taken.
Drainage & Grading questions in Henderson
Do you install French drains in Henderson?
Yes, when a French drain is the right fix. We use sock-wrapped 4-inch perforated PVC set in #57 stone and tie it to a daylight outlet or a pop-up emitter. A standard single run usually costs $1,900 to $3,000, and sometimes a downspout reroute or a regrade solves the problem for less.
How much does a French drain cost in East Texas?
Most of our drainage projects run $2,000 to $3,750. A standard single French drain run is usually $1,900 to $3,000. Small fixes like a downspout reroute run $450 to $1,000, full systems $3,000 to $4,500, and large or combined projects $4,500 and up. Pipe length, dig depth, the outlet and what goes back on top set the number.
Do I really need a French drain?
Maybe not. Most soggy yards are fed by surface water: roof runoff, a neighbor's lot that sits higher, or a driveway sloping back toward the house. Those get fixed with downspout reroutes and regrading, for less money. A French drain is for water already in the ground, like a spot that stays spongy for days, a seep at the bottom of a slope, or the back of a retaining wall.
Why does my Longview yard hold water after it rains?
Our soil. Most yards here are sandy loam over dense red clay that water can't soak through, so once the top foot saturates, the water sits or runs sideways. Settled grading, downspouts that dump at the foundation and dead-flat lots make it worse. We trace the flow path first, then fix the source instead of guessing.
More we do in Henderson
Lawn Maintenance
Henderson lawns run from shaded St. Augustine in the older neighborhoods to open bermuda on newer and country lots, and each one gets mowed at its own height.
Tree & Shrub Care
Mature azaleas, camellias and dogwoods are a big part of Henderson yards, and they reward patience more than a hard hack.
Hedge Trimming
Older Henderson foundation hedges, like hollies, ligustrums and photinias, often get sheared flat on top until the bottoms go bare.
Leaf Removal
Between the oaks, pecans and pines on older Henderson lots, leaf season runs from October into winter, and pine straw keeps coming after the hardwoods are bare.
Landscaping
Landscaping an older Henderson home is often renovation: beds planted decades ago that have grown into the windows, lost their edges or thinned out under shade.
Fertilization
Like most of East Texas, Henderson lawns tend to run a little acidic from pine needles and rain, and fertilizer doesn't do much when the pH is off.
Tree Planting
When an older Henderson yard loses a big tree, the replacement should be picked for the next 50 years, not the next two.
Flower Bed Installation
For shady Henderson beds under pines and oaks, azaleas and hydrangeas do well when they get morning sun and afternoon shade.
Get a free drainage and grading quote in Henderson
Tell us what you need and where. We call within a day, walk the property with you and send a written, itemized estimate. No pressure and no surprise add-ons.
- Free on-site walkthrough
- Written estimate, usually within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
- Fully insured, 5.0 on Google from 143 reviews