Drainage installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering drainage installation

Drainage work is valued when it solves a wet basement or yard the first time, and customers remember the pros who traced the water before they dug. Win the job by showing the water path, the outlet and the pipe plan before you quote the trench.

What customers ask

  • Where will the water go once it leaves my yard?
  • Will the French drain fix my wet basement?
  • How deep will you dig, and what happens to my lawn?
  • Will the drain clog, and how do I maintain it?
  • Can you connect the downspouts to the new drain?
  • Do I need a permit for the outlet?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask where the water shows up, when it appears, and whether the basement or crawlspace is wet from the outside or the inside.
  • On site, watch the water in a storm if possible, trace its path and check the discharge point, then explain the plan before you quote.
  • Call for the utility locate and check the septic and the lines on the plan before you mark the trench.
  • In the quote, list the pipe, the stone, the fabric, the cleanouts and the outlet as separate lines so the customer sees the build.
  • Show a section drawing of the trench, the pipe slope and the fabric wrap, so the customer understands why the drain will last.
  • Explain the restoration plan in writing, including the lawn repair, the plants you will replant and the timing.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of the trench and the pipe in the stone before backfill, with the slope and fabric visible
  • Finished drainage photos from the outlet side and the yard, showing the water leaving the site
  • Drain types you install, such as French drains, catch basins, downspout lines and swales
  • Your service area and whether you also handle grading, sump connections and waterproofing referrals

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a yearly check of the outlet and the cleanouts, explained as protection for the drain
  • Suggest downspout extension or gutter cleaning where water is still reaching the foundation
  • Mention grading or a swale as information if the water path changes after the drain is in

Licenses and permits

Drainage installation is commonly done under a contractor license in many areas, and trenched drains and outlets to public or septic systems often need a permit. Confirm what applies where you work with your state or local licensing agency and local building department, and keep your insurance current, including for work near septic fields.

Questions

What do I do when the customer wants the water sent to the neighbor's yard?

Decline to create a discharge onto a neighbor's property and explain why in writing. Offer an outlet that stays on the customer's lot or a route that local rules allow.

Should I use a sump pump on a drain with no gravity outlet?

A pump can be the right answer when the outlet is lower than the drain, but it needs power, a backup plan and a discharge that is allowed. Explain those requirements in writing before you install the pump.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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