Updated November 9, 2026
Start with where the water comes from
Surface water is rain and runoff moving across the ground. You see it during and right after a storm: puddles that drain away within a day, water sheeting toward the house, mud washing across a walkway.
Groundwater is water in the soil itself. The ground stays soft for days after rain, there are wet spots that never quite dry out, or water seeps into a crawlspace or basement.
When regrading is enough
If the problem is surface water, reshaping the ground usually fixes it. The yard should slope away from the house, with the first several feet falling noticeably. Low spots get filled, and a shallow swale can steer water around the house and off the property.
Regrading is often the simpler and cheaper fix, and on Georgia red clay, which doesn't soak water in quickly, getting the surface slope right does most of the work.
When you need a French drain
A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that collects water from the soil and carries it somewhere it can drain. It is the right tool when:
- an area stays wet long after rain,
- water is coming from uphill underground, or
- there is no room to regrade, like along a property line or a retaining wall.
A French drain only works if the water has somewhere to go. It needs a steady downhill fall and a clear outlet.
Often the answer is both
Many wet yards need the surface regraded and a drain or two added where water collects. Downspouts are another common culprit. Tying them into solid pipe that carries roof water away from the house can solve a problem on its own.
What drives the cost
- How much ground needs to be reshaped, and whether fill dirt has to be brought in
- The length and depth of any drain, and how far it is to a good outlet
- Access for equipment, and whether lawn, fences or landscaping are in the way
- Topsoil, seed and straw to finish the disturbed areas
Common questions
How much slope should my yard have away from the house?
A common rule of thumb is about 6 inches of fall over the first 10 feet from the foundation. Your local building code may set a specific requirement.
Will a French drain work in clay soil?
Yes, if it is built right. In clay the trench, gravel and pipe give water an easy path that the soil itself does not, so the outlet and the fall of the pipe matter even more.
Can I just add gutters or extend my downspouts?
Sometimes that fixes it. If most of the water is coming off the roof, piping downspouts away from the house is the first thing to try.