Ideal landscaping design manages water so smoothly that you never notice drainage issues. Of course, not all landscapes are perfectly designed, and even the best designs can shift or change over time. If your home is experiencing landscape drainage issues, the best answer is to hire a contractor who specializes in landscaping and drainage design.
The question most find themselves asking is how to choose the best landscape drainage contractor for your needs. We’ve put together a helpful and complete guide on how to assess your needs and choose the right contractor for the job.
Understanding Landscape Drainage Issues
Landscape drainage issues tend to be soggy in nature. They are noticed when water pools in certain places in your yard or when the ground forms deeply soggy or muddy areas after it rains. Good landscaping should channel rainwater into areas where it can safely absorb into the soil or run off the property toward a storm drain. But sometimes low areas can form or soil composition will change over time
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Unfortunately, the consequences of poor drainage in your outdoor spaces can be more serious than you might imagine. These include
- Property damage
- Foundation cracks and leaks
- Rotting wood posts
- Rusting metal stakes or patio furniture
- Sickly plants from flooding and over-watering
- Dangerous and unpleasant muddy areas
- Standing water as an insect breeding ground
What Does a Landscape Drainage Contractor Do?
A landscape contractor is someone who specializes in outdoor hydrodynamics – the flow of water. They can examine your yard and quickly determine why water is pooling, flowing, or collecting the way it is. This is done by identifying where water collects and the ground becomes soggy. They may assess the type of soil and it’s absorption rate, the grade of your yard, channels that rainwater could reasonably take to safely leave or slowly soak into your property without causing pools and soggy areas.
They will then determine the best adaptations to your landscaping design to ensure water drains safely and efficiently again. This may involve a change to the land or installation of certain new hardware to help efficiently channel the water.
There are several systems that your landscape drainage contractor might reccomend. French drains are drains hidden beneath a low area that direct water toward a safe runoff path. A dry well or soakwell is an underground structure that allows pooled water disperse safely and slowly into the soil after it rains. Even simple land grading can ensure water flows at a slight downhill angle away from your house and foundation toward an approved drainage area.
The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Drainage Contractor
The best way to solve a landscape drainage problem is by hiring a professional contractor. While there are a few potential DIY solutions, most homeowners do not have the training to see their yard as a complete water management system or implement the sophisticated solutions to most efficiently solve the problems.
A professional drainage installation offers expertise, efficiency, and even the protection of a warranty. A contractor from Anthony’s Lawn Care & Landscaping can customize your drainage solutions to fit your specific landscaping needs. This includes working with your favorite existing features, protecting your flower beds, and ensuring the solution is aesthetically pleasing as well as perfectly designed to move water in the right direction.
How to Choose the Right Landscape Drainage Contractor
Selecting the right landscape drainage contractor for your needs is easier than you might think. It’s a simple matter of identifying a team that is conveniently nearby with the right qualifications, experience, and reputation to ensure they have the skills you require.
Finding Local Landscaping Contractors
- Licensing: Ask to see the contractor’s license to ensure you are working with a legitimate team.
- Experience: Explore the contractor’s experience with landscape drainage and ask to see picture of previous drainage projects.
- Online Reviews: Check the online reviews to ensure there is a history of happy customers.
- Warranty: Ask about a warranty on the materials and work quality of your drainage solution.
- Location: Make sure your contractors are within your region so service is fast and available.
Know Your Project
Know the details of your project. While your contractor can learn a lot from an in-person assessment, they can come prepared if you are able to describe the drainage problems you have already noticed.
Make note of any special requirements like flower beds and other features of your garden that might be at risk or in need of preservation. You may be concerned based on the type of foundation your home has or drainage issues that seem to be true for several properties in your neighborhood. For example, a home on a sloping street will need more robust water management due to downhill flow than flat properties.
Prepare a Few Questions
Prepare to ask a few questions of your landscape drainage contractors before you choose the right one.
- Does your team specialize in landscape drainage?
- Are you familiar with properties like mine?
- What solutions do you typically reccomend for my type of drainage problem?
- Can I see your contractor’s license and pictures of previous drainage work?
- Can you give me an estimate?
- Can you tailor your solutions to my property and special requests?
Solve Your Landscape Drainage Problems Fast
When the rain comes, your lawn needs to be prepared to efficiently channel the water off the property or drain harmlessly into the deeper soil. This can be done with special drains, grading, or even a lovely dry creek bed that only flows when heavy rains pour over your neighborhood. Landscape drainage solutions can be invisible or charming additions to your outdoor design.
At Anthony’s Lawn Care & Landscaping, we offer expert drainage services to first assess and then custom-tailor the right drainage solution for your landscape, property, and preferences. We can also help you solve your drainage issues promptly and professionally, in time for the next heavy rainfall.
Contact us today for a consultation and we will gladly answer every question before scheduling an assessment of your landscape drainage concerns.
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