Drainage & Grading
Drainage & Grading Built for
Lincoln Clay
Standing water, soggy spots, and water against the foundation — solved at the source. Regrading, French drains, dry wells, and buried downspouts, on one fixed written price.
Why Water Pools Here
On Lincoln Clay, Grade
Is the Whole Ballgame
Lincoln's heavy clay soil sheds water instead of soaking it up, so anything graded the wrong way ends up as a soggy lawn, a low spot that won't dry out, or — the expensive one — water sitting against the foundation. We diagnose where the water actually comes from and where it needs to go, then move it there for good. It's the same underground work that makes our patios and retaining walls last, applied to the whole yard.
What We Install
The Right Fix for
Where the Water Goes
There's no one-size drainage fix. We match the solution to your lot — and tell you straight when the cheap fix is the right one instead of selling you a system you don't need.
Regrading & Surface Grading
Re-establishing positive slope away from the house and out of the low spots — about 6 inches of fall over the first 10 feet from the foundation. Often the cheapest, most durable fix when the problem is surface water, not groundwater.
French Drains
A gravel trench with perforated pipe wrapped in filter fabric that collects water and carries it to a safe outlet. The fix when water seeps toward the foundation or sits in a low area that grade alone can't drain.
Downspout Extensions & Burial
Roof water dumped at the foundation is the #1 cause of a wet basement. We extend or bury downspout lines and daylight them well past the house — usually the highest-impact dollar you can spend on drainage.
Dry Wells
An underground gravel-and-chamber pit that catches a heavy surge — from downspouts or a French drain — and lets it percolate away over time. Useful when there's no good place to daylight the water on a flat lot.
Catch Basins & Channel Drains
Surface grates that capture water from a pooling low spot, a patio edge, or the bottom of a driveway and pipe it away underground. The clean fix when the water collects in one obvious place.
Swales & Sump Discharge
Shallow shaped channels that move sheet water along a property line or between houses, plus buried sump-pump discharge lines that carry water away instead of recycling it back to the foundation.
How It Works
From Soggy Yard
to Solved
Free Assessment
We walk the property, find where the water comes from and where it's going, and figure out the right outlet.
Fixed-Price Plan
One written, itemized number — and an honest call on the simplest fix that actually works, not the biggest one.
We Dig & Install
Trench, pipe, gravel, grade, and a tested outlet — then we restore the lawn we disturbed with seed or sod.
We Test It
We run water through it and walk the finished job with you before we call it done. If it's not right, we fix it.
Recent Work
Grading & Wall Work
Around Lincoln
Drainage is underground by nature — here's the grading and retaining-wall work it ties into. Tap through to the full gallery.
FAQ
Drainage & Grading
Questions Answered
Why is my yard always wet and soggy in Lincoln, NE?
Usually a combination of Lincoln's heavy clay soil, which drains very slowly, and grade that runs toward the house or into a low spot with no outlet. Downspouts dumping roof water right at the foundation make it worse. The fix depends on which of these is the main cause — that's the first thing we figure out on the visit. For the long version, see our guide on fixing a wet, soggy yard.
What is a French drain and do I need one?
A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe wrapped in filter fabric that collects subsurface and surface water and carries it to a safe outlet. It's the right fix when water sits in a low area or seeps toward the foundation and regrading alone can't move it. If the problem is purely surface water from a bad slope, a regrade or a swale is often cheaper and enough — we'll tell you which your yard actually needs.
Can you fix water pooling against my foundation or in my basement?
Yes — and water against the foundation should be treated as urgent, not a someday project. We re-establish positive grade away from the house (about 6 inches of fall over the first 10 feet), extend or bury downspouts to carry roof water well past the foundation, and add a French drain or dry well where the water needs somewhere to go. We handle the exterior drainage; if there's an active interior leak we'll tell you honestly when a waterproofing specialist should be involved too.
How much does drainage work cost in Lincoln, NE?
It depends on the length of the run, how deep we dig, and where the water can be daylighted. Downspout burial and a simple regrade often land in the $800–$2,500 range; a French drain or dry well system more commonly runs $3,000–$8,000; a full multi-part fix on a tough clay lot can reach $10,000+. Every job is a fixed, written, itemized price after we see the property — no surprises once we start digging.
Do you regrade yards, and will it kill my grass?
Yes, regrading to move water the right way is some of the most common work we do on Lincoln's clay. Where we have to disturb the lawn, we restore it with seed or sod as part of the quote, so you're not left with a mud strip. Most drainage runs are surprisingly narrow and recover within a season.
Do retaining walls need drainage?
Always. A retaining wall is a dam — without gravel backfill and a drain behind it, water builds up and eventually pushes the wall over. When we build a wall we build the drainage into it. If you have a leaning or bulging wall, failed drainage behind it is the usual cause — see our hardscaping page or the retaining wall cost guide.
What Our Customers Say
Rated 5.0 Across Lincoln, NE
"They overseeded my lawn that was in terrible condition and did a lot of landscaping for me. Wonderful to work with — they advise, but also listen to what you want."
"They were hard working and did a great job on our retaining wall. Great price."
"Reasonable price. Great experience overall. Quality work — 10/10 recommendation."
Our Promise
Don't Leave Your Yard to Luck
That's our job. Every project we take on is backed by the Four-Leaf Guarantee.
On Time, Every Time
We tell you when we'll be there — and we show up.
Fixed Price, No Surprises
A written quote with no hidden fees bolted on at the end.
Fully Insured
Your property is protected from the first day to the last.
Not Done 'Til You're Happy
We walk the finished job with you, and back our workmanship for a full year. If it's not right, we fix it.
Get the Water Out of Your Yard
Free on-site assessment — one written, fixed price to fix the standing water for good.