French Drain Diy Cost
The average cost of a DIY French drain is $4 to $8 per linear foot or between $200 and $800 for the tools and materials or home and yard drainage kit. DIY underground drainage projects take 1 to 2 days, are labor-intensive, and require expertise.
To ensure the French drain lasts, you’ll need to use the following materials:
| $50 $100 per hour |
DIY drainage work is typically not advisable and depends on the severity of the problem and specific needs of the property. Hiring a professional saves time, guarantees a long-lasting drainage solution, and they will determine:
- Where utility lines are located.
- Which permits and inspections are needed.
- Trench depth and width needed.
- Correct pipe size and slope required.
- The final destination of the drain water.
- The type and amount of gravel needed.
- Where to place landscaping fabric.
Drain Tile Installation Cost
In order to get an exact cost on a drain tile system, whether it is interior or exterior depends on a number of factors. Some of the factors or considerations are, what kind of system will the homeowner use, it can be interior or exterior drain tile installation, flexible or rigid piping, and whether this will be for a house under construction or an existing home. Another factor to consider is whether you want to fix basement water intrusion with a foundation waterproofing membrane, which can prevent further moisture into your home.
Is this a DIY project? Potentially, the decreased costs of doing it yourself can be very tempting. Unfortunately we do not recommend that you take on this project yourself. Installing a drain tile system requires major construction in your home. This is certainly a job for professionals, you would not want to have repercussions in the future that will cost even more down the road.
In order to have an accurate estimate on the cost of drainage system installation is to have a professional come to your home. An experienced contractor can inspect your home and give you an estimate taking all of these factors into consideration.
Catch Basin & Storm Drain Installation Cost
Storm drain installation costs $8 to $15 per square foot for a system of catch basins connected to underground stormwater pipes. Plastic catch basins cost $20 to $130 each for the materials, with sizes up to 24″ x 24″. Pre-cast or cast-in-place concrete drain boxes are significantly more expensive.
Catch basins or backyard storm sewers are similar to inlets, but the basins are larger. The drain box’s grate collects stormwater and filters debris before the water flows into drainage pipes. The grate is easily removable for regular cleaning.
Recommended Reading: Best Drain Hair Clog Remover
Jackhammer The Floor’s Perimeter
A section of the basement floor around the perimeter will be jackhammered out, and the concrete is removed. A drainage ditch is created underneath your slab floor.
In the lowest point on your basement floor, a sump pit is created, and a durable plastic sump pump liner is set in place within the pit.
A drain pipe installation may generate some dust — our contractors are careful to keep this to a minimum. A hard, thick floor will create more dust than a thin one.
Before your installation, we’ll also mail ahead a brochure with some tips that will help protect your valuables and will help to keep dust out of your home.
Who To Call For Drain Tile Systems
Undoubtedly, both types of drainage systems are effective waterproofing solutions, and they each have their benefits. However, if you plan to install a drain tile system, you should always leave the work to the professionals. If you want to prevent basement flooding, dont hesitate to contact our experienced team. The Real Seal offers incomparable basement waterproofing services throughout Chicago, and both drainage systems come with a Fully Transferable Lifetime Warranty. Schedule an appointment online, or call for a free consultation!
You May Like: How To Drain Lymph Nodes In Neck
Foundation Drain Tile Installation
DrainageFoundationOutdoortext:
The builder is doing just about everything right installing this drain tile. The drain tile is the white pipe next to the footer. He should have 2 or 3 inches of gravel under the pipe. If the pipe has two rows of holes, they should point down in the 4 and 8-o’clock position. Finally, he should cover the drain tile with about 2 or 3 feet of gravel, not 3 inches like you see. He did put the pipe alongside the footer instead of on top and he’s covered the gravel with tar paper, so it doesn’t get clogged with silt from the backfill soil. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter
“The basement, before the house is built on top of it, looks just like the typical in-ground swimming pool. Once the house is built, this swimming pool gets covered.”
Identify The Seepage Problem
Most homeowners know when they have a water problem in their basement or crawlspace. Identifying where the water seepage is coming from doesn’t come natural to homeowners. Not to worry, just point out the seepage problem and well find a solution for your leaky wet damp basement. We can always deliver a dry basement every single time, and we have since 1986. Water can seep through a crack, or a cove joint , around pipes, porous concrete, window wells and other places. Having a dry basement is just a phone call away. Get a free inspection today and have a dry basement tomorrow.
Don’t Miss: Does Washing Machine Drain Into Sewer Line
How Big Is Drain Tile Pipe
The drain tile or pipe is usually 4″ in diameter and is perforated or has pre-drilled holes along its length. Depending upon the type, it can be purchased in rolls up to 250′ or in 10-foot sections. Fittings are available to allow you to go around corners or interconnect the pipe.
I’ve never been a fan of the rolls of black corrugated drain tile with the slits in the cracks. I prefer the more rigid white plastic pipe with two rows of drainage holes drilled into the pipe.
Why You Need To Leave Interior Drain Tile Installation To A Pro
While it may sound simple to install this type of drainage system, the reality is it takes an incredible amount of work. Several hundred feet of concrete may need to be cut out using jackhammers, and bucket loads of soil will need to be carried out of the basement when digging the trench. On top of that, you need a large amount of gravel, and you will need to know how to cut PVC pipe.
It can take a professional crew of five or six technicians two days to complete this type of job. Even if you have a lot of friends or family members willing to help, what if a mistake is made? What if you do not discover that mistake until after your work is buried under tons of soil?
Take all of that risk out of the equation by choosing Basement Flood Protector to install your interior drain tile system. Contact us online or call or to schedule an appointment.
Also Check: Grease And Hair Drain Cleaner
Foundation Drain Tile Installation Tips
- Use 4-inch white perforated pipe
- Cover with 2 feet of large, washed gravel
- Protect gravel with straw or tar paper
- Extend pipe to daylight – sumps suck
Foundation drain tile systems are one of the most important aspects of residential construction if your home has a full basement or crawlspace.
Drain tile systems are also one of the most misunderstood parts of the average home – both by most uninformed builders and homeowners.
Related Links
What Are The Most Common Backyard Drainage Problems
Here are the most common signs of backyard drainage problems:
Persistent water pooling or puddles in the yard or near the house may also be coming from hidden leaking pipes underground. The average cost to fix a leaking pipe is $150 to $850.
You May Like: Water Heater Won’t Drain
Installing A Basement Perimeter Drain
The basement in my century-old houselike most century old houses Id guesswas damp. Downright wet at times. It smelled and there was mega-mold. We kept stuff down there because we had no other choice, but it was gross. Dusty too. And when the dust got wet, it was kind of like cat litter. For a room with a higher population of spiders than people, it was a net-generator of general disgustingness for the whole house.
So the first step in the overall rescue renovation of the space was taking a big bite, jumping off the top rope, mixing some more metaphors to smash, grab and dig in a perimeter drain.
Exterior Drain Tile Drainage Issues
Even if you have drain tile installed around the exterior of your home water issues can still occur. As with other drainage pipes, drain tile is susceptible to blockages. This may be due to tree roots or dirt and debris entering the pipe. Other causes include cracked pipe allowing water to flow back to the building or a malfunctioning sump pump.
Possible signs of a problem include:
- Water stains on the walls of your basement.
- Water pooling in the basement.
- Salt like residue on basement walls .
- Puddles of water around the perimeter of your basement floor.
If you are experiencing any of these issues and cannot find an obvious explanation, then contact a professional to investigate. Finding the source of the problem can be difficult and time-consuming but the longer you leave it the bigger the problem will become.
You May Like: How To Get Sink Drain Out
Exterior Backyard Drainage System Cost
An exterior French drain to divert backyard surface water costs $1,000 to $4,000, while a deep weeping tile or footing drain tile to block and redirect groundwater costs $6,000 to $15,000.
| Type |
|---|
| $6,000 $15,000 |
Curtain Drain Cost
Curtain drains cost $10 to $25 per linear foot or from $1,000 to $4,000 for installation, depending on the number of collection boxes, length of run, and if tunneling under sidewalks or other obstacles is required.
A curtain drain is a 2′ wide shallow exterior French drain dug horizontally in front or around a house to divert surface water. Curtain drains prevent water pooling in the yard or near the home and can be connected to a larger backyard drainage system.
Exterior Weeping Drain Tile Installation Cost
Exterior weeping drain tile installation costs $1,500 to $4,000 per side of the house or between $6,000 and $15,000. Exterior drain tile or footing drain costs depend on the excavation depth, foundation repairs, waterproofing, and removing or working around landscaping, decks, patios, or sidewalks.
An exterior footing drain requires excavating 4 to 6+ feet down to the footings and exposing the foundation walls. A waterproofing coating or membrane is applied to the foundation walls. Then, an exterior French drain with perforated PVC pipe is installed next to the foundation footing, and the excavation is filled with drainage gravel.
Don’t Leave An Open Gap Along The Perimeter Of Your Basement Floor
Whether your basement walls are leaking now or not, you’ll want your system to be able to collect water that floods through cracks, seeps through the concrete, or leaks through the basement windows.
Many contractors will try to address this issue by installing a large open gap along the entire perimeter of your basement floor. This is the right idea and the wrong approach to this challenge.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Your Sinuses To Drain
Stay Safe With A Sump Pump
If you already have a basement leak, StayDry will inspect your sump pump to make sure its functioning properly. A sump pump is what empties the basin that the French drain fills. If running a French drain pipe all the way to a storm drain isnt possible, you will need a sump pump to make sure your basement doesnt flood. Sump pump malfunctions are the leading cause of basement floods. After calling StayDry, ask a consultant to upgrade your sump pump.
Which Weeping Tile System Should You Choose
It’s important to remember that all basement water problems are different, and there are many challenges that a waterproofer faces when designing a system.
We have six different drain systems, many specialized to address a specific challenge that we encounter when waterproofing a basement. The chart below will give you some pointers on which of our weeping tile systems might be right for you. Click on the name of each system to see what it looks like and learn what it can do for you.
Don’t Miss: My Washer Is Full Of Water And Won’t Drain
What Type And Size Gravel
The gravel that is used most often is large 1 – 1 1/2″ diameter washed rounded gravel. This gravel is about the size of a walnut or large grapes.
Some parts of the USA have crushed gravel this size. It’s not rounded, but that really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you just put in this rock and no sandy gravel. Sand slows down the movement of the moving water.
If your soil is like this, the water would rather go sideways into your basement than down through the clay soil to the drain tile.
How Do You Protect The Gravel
You must protect the gravel with a barrier. It prevents silt and mud from the soil from clogging the gravel or the drain tile pipe.
During excavation, dirt removed from the hole is fluffed. This means that it is disturbed and broken up.
It’s volume usually increases about ten percent. It’s loosened and disturbed more during backfilling procedures.
Recommended Reading: Draining The Hot Water Heater
Cost To Install Window Well Drain
The average cost to install a window well drain is $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the foundation type, size, materials, and grading. A complete basement egress window and well system costs $2,500 to $6,500 on average, depending on if it’s prefabricated or custom-built.
Window well drains are a gravel filled base, typically with a grate and vertical pipe leading to existing drainage system. Window wells protect sub-grade egress windows and prevent foundation and basement water damage.
Laying Out The French Drain
When laying out the interior basement perimeter drain, install it along walls that meet in the corner where the sump pit is located. This directs the water to the pit to remove it easily. If the floor is sloped toward opposing corners, installing two drain systems, each flowing toward the low-lying corners, can improve drainage.
You May Like: Secondary Condensate Drain Line Dripping
How To Install A Surface Drain Tile
In theory, installing a surface Drain Tile is not much of a challenge. The hardest part of this whole process is digging up the trenches. The rest is fairly manageable.
But still, I advise that you contact a trusted construction company to get professional service.
Also, its a good idea to call your local utility company to come put beacons on their buried lines. It will prevent you from accidentally damaging the infrastructure.
Let us look at the steps involved in installing a surface Drain Tile:
Types Of Drain Tile Pipe
There are two different types of pipes used for drain tile.
The first is a rigid PVC pipe. At first glance, it resembles an ordinary drain pipe but one side of the pipe has small holes to allow water to enter. When laying the pipe the holes are placed face down so rising water enters the pipe. As with all rigid PVC pipes, you require corner fittings to change the pipes direction. The rigid pipe comes in lengths of 10-feet and costs approximately $8.95 per length.
The alternative to the rigid pipe is a corrugated flexible pipe. This pipe has small slits on all sides of the pipe. This allows water to enter from any direction, but sand, grit, and soil particles are mostly blocked. One recommendation to further protect the pipe from a possible blockage a fabric sleeve can be used along with the pipe. We dont recommend it. Filters are designed to be changed. They eventually get clogged. You will not be able to change the filter unless you dig up the drainage system.
The pipe costs approximately $0.89/foot. It is cheaper than the rigid pipe and doesnt need corner fittings because it is flexible. The pipes polyvinyl composition makes it super durable in high temperatures and cold. It will not crack like the PVC pipe when a 2800+ pound car drives over it.
Regardless of the type of pipe used it will usually be 4 inches in diameter. This is the industry standard for residential drainage, but other diameters are available up to a maximum of 18 inches.
Read Also: How To Clean Outside Drain
Professional Drain Pipe Installation
Installing drain pipe in a basement is a job that’s best done as a professional wet basement service, using heavy equipment and high-quality products. A crew of experts should usually be able to install a complete drain system in less than two days.
At Basement Systems, our professional installations include a lifetime limited warranty, provided in writing and transferable to the next homeowner. You’ll appreciate this, should you decide to sell the house.
Your local Basement Systems dealer can provide you with a warrantied installation of one of our award-winning drainage systems. You’ll love the way our drainage systems can transform your basement into dry, usable space!
To schedule your a free basement drain installation estimate, contact us by phone or e-mail today! Our dealers proudly serve throughout Canada and the United States — we have a locally owned and operated expert working in your neighborhood!