Perimeter interception
A drain installed uphill of the structure intercepts water before it reaches the foundation wall.
Exterior water control · Greater Burlington
French drains that send water somewhere it can actually go.
A French drain is a perforated pipe in washed stone that intercepts water and carries it away. It works when it has a genuine outlet and fails when it does not—which is why the outlet, not the trench, is the part worth scrutinising in an estimate.
Common reasons homeowners call
Problems this service can fix.
Water standing in the yard days after rain
Runoff from a slope arriving at the foundation
A soggy strip along one side of the house
Water entering a basement wall on the uphill side
Erosion channels across a lawn or bed
An older drain that no longer seems to carry water
Downspouts discharging into ground that cannot absorb it
Repairs and systems
Work we provide.
Depending on the property, the project may use one of these repairs or combine several into a complete system.
Yard and low-area drainage
Wet lawn areas are drained to a lower outlet so the surface can dry and be used.
Footing drain replacement
A failed or missing footing drain is replaced during exterior excavation and connected to a working outlet.
Downspout integration
Roof water is carried in solid pipe to the outlet rather than dumped into the stone, which would overwhelm the drain.
Dry well or daylight outlet
Where no gravity outlet exists, a dry well or pumped discharge is designed for the volume the drain will collect.
Filter fabric and clean stone
Proper fabric and washed stone keep fines out of the pipe so the drain does not silt shut in a few seasons.
At your property
How we plan the repair.
We look at the affected area, the foundation, exterior conditions, existing equipment and access so the estimate covers the complete job.
Request an inspection- 01
Where water comes from and where it collects
- 02
Available fall from the wet area to a possible outlet
- 03
Soil type and how quickly it drains
- 04
Property lines, utilities, septic and wells in the path
- 05
Existing drains, downspouts and sump discharge
- 06
Whether the foundation is receiving the same water
Your estimate
What is included in the plan.
The outlet is the whole design
Ask exactly where the water leaves. A drain with no fall, or one ending in a low spot, moves the problem a few feet.
Do not mix roof water into the stone
Downspouts carry a large, sudden volume. That belongs in solid pipe to the outlet, not injected into the drain rock.
Silting
Fabric, stone size and installation determine whether a drain still works in ten years. Cheap installations clog.
Winter
A daylight outlet that freezes or gets buried in snow stops the whole system. Placement matters in this climate.
Already have an estimate?
Compare the complete french drain installation scope.
If Northern Basement Systems, Twin State Basements, 802 Waterproofing or another company has already inspected the property, request a separate estimate and compare quantities, materials, restoration, maintenance, warranty and price.
Common questions
French Drain Installation FAQs
These answers cover the questions homeowners ask most often. Your inspection and written estimate will address the conditions at your home.
Where does a French drain discharge?
To a point lower than the drain that can accept the water: daylight on a slope, a dry well sized for the volume, or a pumped outlet where gravity is unavailable. It cannot connect to the sanitary sewer, and in Burlington sump and drainage discharge must remain on your own property.
Why did my French drain stop working?
The common causes are silting from missing or wrong filter fabric, crushed or disconnected pipe, roof water overwhelming the stone, an outlet that settled and lost its fall, or an outlet blocked by ice, roots or debris.
Do I need an exterior French drain or an interior drain?
It depends on where the water is. Exterior drains intercept water before it reaches the wall and address surface and shallow flow. Interior systems collect water that has already arrived at the footing or below the slab. Some properties need both, and the inspection should say which conditions are present.
Request local service
Schedule french drain installation service in Greater Burlington.
Tell us what is happening at the property and when you would like it inspected.