McAllen backyard French drain
Homeowner had a cracking slab from water pooling against the foundation. We cut a French drain along the back wall and daylighted it to the alley.
McAllenDrainage · Rio Grande Valley
Drainage solutions in the Rio Grande Valley
Standing water in your yard after every rain? We design and dig drainage that actually works — for homeowners, builders, and commercial sites across McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr, Brownsville, and the rural RGV.
The Problem
The Valley doesn't drain on its own.
The RGV is flat. The clay soil holds water. When a tropical system parks over Hidalgo or Cameron County for two days, water has nowhere to go — and that's how you end up with a pool against your slab, a soggy front yard for a week, or erosion eating the side of your driveway.
Most drainage problems aren't about how much it rained. They're about grade. Builders leave lots flat, gutters dump into mulch beds, and the natural runoff path heads toward your foundation instead of away from it. The fix isn't a sump pump — it's moving the water.
We come out, look at where the water sits, where it wants to go, and where the high points are. Then we cut the grade, dig the swale or French drain, and tie it into the street drain or a daylight outlet. Done right, it should solve the problem for years — not until the next storm.
Scope
What’s included
Site assessment & grading plan
We walk the property, find the high and low points, and lay out where the water needs to go.
Swale digging & shaping
Wide, gently-sloped channels that carry surface water away without scarring the yard.
French drain installation
Perforated pipe in gravel, properly bedded and sleeved, with a real outlet — not a dead-end.
Surface drains & catch basins
Grated inlets at low spots, sized for the area they serve and connected with solid PVC.
Tie-ins to storm & street drains
Where the city allows, we connect to the public storm system so the water actually leaves the property.
Regrade & topsoil restoration
Lot regrade away from the foundation, topsoil brought back, ready for sod or seed.
Recent Jobs
Typical drainage projects we handle
Edinburg lot regrade
Builder left the lot pitched toward the house. We re-cut the grade, built a positive slope, and added a swale along the rear property line.
EdinburgWeslaco pond overflow channel
Stock pond overflowing into a barn pad after a tropical storm. We cut a controlled overflow channel and shaped a small emergency spillway.
WeslacoMcAllen commercial parking lot
Strip-center lot held two inches of water for a full day after every storm. New catch basins, tied to the city's storm line, fixed it.
McAllenPricing
Straightforward pricing
By the job
Most drainage work is quoted by the job after a free site visit. You get one fixed number that covers labor, equipment, materials, and disposal. No hidden charges.
Hourly backhoe rate
For smaller fixes or jobs where the scope isn’t clear until we dig, we offer an hourly backhoe rate. Best for unclear scope or quick repair work.
Free estimates either way.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does drainage work cost in the RGV?
Most residential drainage projects fall between $1,500 and $8,000 depending on length, depth, materials, and tie-in. Small surface drains run less. Big regrade-plus-French-drain jobs run more. We come out for free, look at it, and give you a fixed number.
How long does the job take?
A typical backyard French drain or swale takes one to two days on site. Larger jobs — a full lot regrade or multiple tie-ins — can run three to five days. We tell you the timeline up front so you can plan around it.
Do you handle permits?
Most residential drainage work doesn't need a permit. If your job ties into a city storm line or sits in a flood plain, we'll let you know what's required and handle the paperwork or coordinate with your engineer.
Do you do commercial drainage?
Yes. Strip centers, restaurant lots, warehouse pads — we handle catch-basin installs, parking-lot regrades, and storm tie-ins. We work with property managers and GCs across the Valley.
How soon can you start?
Most weeks we can have a quote out within a day or two and start within a week. Storm season gets busier — call early if you've got water in the house.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. We come out, walk the yard, and give you a quote. No charge, no obligation.
Gallery
Drainage work
Coverage
We fix drainage across the whole Valley
- ✓ McAllen
- ✓ Edinburg
- ✓ Pharr
- ✓ Mission
- ✓ Harlingen
- ✓ Brownsville
- ✓ Weslaco
- ✓ San Benito
- ✓ Mercedes
- ✓ Donna
- ✓ Alamo
- ✓ La Feria
- ✓ Los Fresnos
- ✓ Rio Hondo
- ✓ Rural RGV
Standing water? Let's fix it.
Free estimates across the RGV. Call, text, or send us a message.