French Drains & Yard Drainage Systems | Federal Way & Pierce County, WA

Standing water in the yard, soggy ground, a driveway that floods the garage, or water against your foundation all come down to water with nowhere to go. We design and install French drains, curtain drains, catch basins, downspout tightlines, and channel drains that carry it to a proper outlet.

Systems we install

French drains. Perforated pipe in a gravel-filled trench wrapped in filter fabric.
Curtain drains. These intercept groundwater uphill before it reaches the house or yard.
Footing drains. They collect water at the base of the foundation.
Catch basins and area drains. For low spots where surface water collects.
Downspout tightlines. Roof water piped away instead of dumped at the foundation.
Channel drains. Narrow trench drains across driveways, patios, and walkways.

How a French drain works

A French drain is a sloped trench lined with filter fabric, filled with clean drain rock, with a perforated pipe at the bottom. Water takes the easiest path into the rock and the pipe and flows away. Done right, it’s out of sight and out of mind. Done wrong, with no slope, no fabric, dirty rock, or no outlet, it clogs or just moves the puddle somewhere else. The details we care about are the slope, the fabric, the clean rock, cleanouts, and a legal outlet.

Where the water goes

Every system needs somewhere to send the water. Depending on the site, that can be daylight on a slope, a dry well or infiltration trench where the soil allows, or an approved connection to a storm system. Water generally can’t go onto a neighbor’s property or into the sanitary sewer. We settle the outlet before we dig.

Why drainage is such a common problem here

Dense glacial till under much of the Puget Sound lowland keeps rain from soaking in deeply. Water sits in the top layer of soil or runs along the top of the till until it finds a low spot, which can be your yard. A drain that intercepts that water before it gets to the house is often the cheapest, most lasting fix.

Before we dig

We call for utility locates before any excavation. We also walk the site for septic drain fields, wells, trees, and neighboring property lines, because they all affect where a drain can go.

Where we do this work

See every city we serve on our service areas page.

Common questions

What’s the difference between a French drain and a curtain drain?

They’re built the same way, but they do different jobs. A French drain is a general term for a gravel-and-pipe drain. A curtain drain is a French drain placed uphill of a house or problem area to intercept groundwater before it gets there.

How long does a French drain last?

A well-built French drain can last for many years. Over time, fine silt can clog the fabric and rock, so clean rock, quality fabric, and cleanouts you can flush or inspect all extend its life.

Will a French drain fix my wet basement or crawlspace?

Sometimes. If the water comes from groundwater or runoff near the house, a drain can intercept it. If the cause is a failed footing drain or a cracked wall, that needs repair too. We diagnose before we recommend.

Do I need a permit to install a drain?

Drainage by itself often doesn’t need a building permit, but where the water goes matters. Connecting to a city storm system, working in the right-of-way, or disturbing a lot of soil can trigger permits. We check before we dig.

French drains and drainage systems that send water somewhere safe