# French Drain Project By [Lotus's Log](https://paragraph.com/@lotus) ยท 2024-03-17 diy --- ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/56880a7ad1901106d8046e32f82f278f.jpg) _This shenanigans_ So, I'm living in a house with 10 dogs with an unfinished backyard, and there are severe flooding issues basically any time it rains. When it rains, they track in a lot of mud, and then the whole day goes kaput. So I need to cover the dirt to prevent tracking in mud, and I need to solve the flooding. I called over a bunch of contractors, but they all quoted me $2,000 and up. Might be fine other times, but I made my own quote, which is what this post is. Overall Cost: **$585 with tax.** $**140** for 80ft of 4 in PVC. [https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-4-in-x-10-ft-Sewer-Drain-Pipe-PVC-Sewer-Pipe/3362194](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-4-in-x-10-ft-Sewer-Drain-Pipe-PVC-Sewer-Pipe/3362194) $**5** for 1 4 in PVC elbow [https://www.lowes.com/pd/4-in-Dia-90-Degree-PVC-Sewer-Drain-Elbow/3609586](https://www.lowes.com/pd/4-in-Dia-90-Degree-PVC-Sewer-Drain-Elbow/3609586) $**20** for 5 4 in PVC couplings [https://www.lowes.com/pd/PVC-4-in-x-4-in-dia-PVC-Hub-Coupling-Fitting/1171485](https://www.lowes.com/pd/PVC-4-in-x-4-in-dia-PVC-Hub-Coupling-Fitting/1171485) $**34** for 100ft fabric [https://www.lowes.com/pd/DRAIN-SLEEVE-100-ft-4-in-Pipe-Sock/3199149](https://www.lowes.com/pd/DRAIN-SLEEVE-100-ft-4-in-Pipe-Sock/3199149) $**150** for 3 catch basins [https://www.lowes.com/pd/NDS-9-In-Square-Catch-Basin-Kit/5001680525](https://www.lowes.com/pd/NDS-9-In-Square-Catch-Basin-Kit/5001680525) (I am probably going overboard with this one, but I _really_ don't want to have to redo this. Also you haven't seen my yard.) $**180** for gravel (I have a deal with a local person, prices may be higher elsewhere) \*_Not including sod. Drain pros recommend a special type of "geotextile fabric" which is much more expensive but has much better water flow._ **STEPS** I did a little research, here are the basic steps. 1. Find the grade of the yard. You should already know where the water is pooling, so you want to direct the drain from where the water is pooling (or wherever it is coming from) towards the lower side of the yard. Be intentional where you direct the water; you could end up flooding your neighbor's yard or ruining your foundation. Thankfully, one of the contractors pointed the elevation out to me after he used an expensive device, but the first three who eyeballed it came up with a completely different result. 2. Figure out how much drain you need. You may have 20 feet of trench to dig or 200. At that point, you may need to hire someone or rent a backhoe. _You should also decide which kind of drain you want; corrugated perforated pipe (the black one) is much cheaper and easier to position, but it's less durable. PVC (the white one) is a bit more expensive and needs connections, but you can use drain snakes and they are more durable._ 3. Get materials and call 811 before you dig to point out electric lines etcetera. You may need to get permits and contact your local authorities. 4. Dig the trench. It has to be about 10-12" wide and 1.5' deep, and it needs to slope downwards from the beginning towards the end. Slopes vary, but 1" down every 5-10' seems to be acceptable. Make sure to even the slope to avoid "bellying," or pockets where water can linger, especially for corrugated pipe. 5. Place gravel in the trench, you need a couple inches. The gravel allows the water to flow under and into the pipe! 6. Depending on your pipes, you may need to wrap them in fabric. For me, I just bought a cover for the pipes. 7. Place the pipes with the holes facing down on top of the gravel, attach the catch-basins or "buckets" and cover them with gravel. If you want to make it look nice, you can cover the gravel with fabric and then place sod on top, but since the backyard is going to be covered with rock I think it'll be fine. ๐Ÿ˜ 3.15.24 --- *Originally published on [Lotus's Log](https://paragraph.com/@lotus/french-drain)*