Tyler, Texas
French drains & drainage in Tyler
French drains, regrading and downspout fixes for Tyler yards that hold water, starting with finding where the water really comes from.
- Smith County, Texas
- Free written estimate within a day
- Same crew every visit, never subcontracted
Who does drainage and grading in Tyler, TX?
Yard Dog Landscapes, a family-owned, fully insured company based in Longview, fixes yard drainage in Tyler and across Smith 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 Tyler online.
Drainage & Grading for Tyler yards
Drainage in Tyler follows the same rules as the rest of East Texas: sandy loam on top, clay underneath, and water that moves sideways once the top foot is full. We track down the source, which is usually roof water, a wrong-way grade or trapped subsurface water, and build the fix for that one. A small fix runs $450 to $1,000, and most full drainage projects come in at $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 Tyler
Why does water pool against my foundation in Tyler?
Usually one of three things: downspouts dumping into a flat bed, a grade that settled toward the house, or water stopping on the clay layer and spreading sideways. Each one has a different fix. We find the real source before we price anything, ideally during or right after a rain.
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 Tyler
Hardscaping & Patios
Patios and walkways are some of the best fits for Tyler, since each one is a single project where the drive is a small part of the job.
Retaining Walls
Tyler lots with a drop toward the street or a back fence are where walls make the most sense, turning a slope you can't use into level yard.
Landscaping
A full landscape in Tyler is project work, so the drive isn't an issue.
Flower Bed Installation
If you want roses in a Tyler bed, we give them full sun and pair them with tough performers like salvia, lantana and dwarf yaupon.
Christmas Lights
We install Christmas lights in Tyler for homes and businesses, in warm white or color.
Lawn Maintenance
Weekly mowing in Tyler is the one service where the distance matters most, since it means a trip every week through the growing season.
Leaf Removal
Tyler's older neighborhoods carry big oaks, pecans and pines, and the leaves end up in the lawn and the azalea beds alike.
Fertilization
Our fertilization program is four visits a year: late April once nights hold above 60 degrees, early July, early September, and a potassium winterizer in late October.
Get a free drainage and grading quote in Tyler
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