Professional Drainage Solutions & Grading in Great Falls, Virginia

Most exterior French drains cost between $2,800 and $6,500 for a typical 100-foot run, or roughly $10-$35 per linear foot depending on trench depth, soil conditions, and whether the drain has to cross a driveway, patio, or other hardscape. Clay-heavy soil, tree roots, and buried utilities can each add to the cost. We give you an exact number after an on-site assessment — never a phone quote.

If the wet spot only appears right where a downspout empties, a buried extension routed 5-10 feet away is usually enough. If water is pooling across a broader area, coming from a slope above your yard, or showing up even without rain (a high water table), you likely need a French drain to intercept and redirect the underground flow. We check both possibilities on-site before recommending either one.

The general standard is a drop of at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet away from the house — roughly a 5% grade. Many older Northern Virginia homes were graded flatter than this originally, or have settled over time, which is a leading cause of basement dampness and foundation pressure.

There's a trench, so there is some disruption, but it's temporary. We cut as narrow a trench as the job allows, stage the excavated soil on tarps to protect surrounding turf, and restore every disturbed area with fresh sod or seed once the drain is backfilled. Most lawns look fully recovered within a few weeks.

A single-zone French drain or downspout extension is typically a one-day job. A whole-yard regrade with multiple drain runs can take 2-4 days depending on square footage and how much soil needs to move. We give you a firm timeline in your written quote. Our crews work Great Falls regularly, so scheduling is usually available within the week outside the spring rush — and every visit ends with before-and-after photos of the finished work.

It's almost always about grade and soil, not luck. Homes lower in a subdivision's original grading plan naturally collect runoff from higher lots, and Fairfax County's dense clay subsoil compounds the problem by draining slowly. Older homes also sometimes have settled or reverse-graded areas near the foundation that were never corrected. An on-site assessment identifies the specific cause on your lot.

Yes. When water isn't directed away from the house, the soil next to the foundation stays saturated, which builds hydrostatic pressure against basement walls and can lead to cracking, leaks, and long-term structural issues. Extending downspouts and correcting grade near the foundation are two of the most cost-effective ways to prevent this.