Who to Call for Yard Drainage Problems in Florida

Start with where the water is coming from. If it pools in the yard after rain and the house, gutters, and pipes are fine, a landscaper who does grading and drainage is the right first call. If the water comes from a roof, a leaking pipe, or a flood that reaches the house, call a roofer, plumber, or engineer.

What should you check before you call anyone?

Spend one rainy afternoon watching the yard. Three observations will save you a wasted visit and help whoever you hire give a straight answer.

• When does it pool? Water that shows up only during or after heavy rain points to grading or drainage. Water that appears on dry, sunny days often points to a leak, though irrigation runoff or a high water table can also cause it.
• Where does it come from? Look at downspouts, the roof edge, the air conditioner drain line, irrigation heads, and the slope of neighboring yards.
• How long does it stay? In Florida’s sandy soil, water that is still standing two or three days after a storm is a sign something may be off. Sand normally drains quickly, so a long-lasting puddle often means compacted soil, a low spot, or a high water table.

Take photos during the rain and a day or two after. A phone video of water moving across the yard is worth more than a long description.

When is yard drainage a landscaper’s job?

Surface water is the landscaper’s territory. That means rain that runs across the yard, collects in a low spot, or flows toward the house because the ground slopes the wrong way. The usual causes are:

• Soil that settled over time around the foundation, pool deck, or patio
• Low spots left after construction, tree removal, or stump grinding
• Downspouts that dump water right next to the house
• Paver patios, driveways, or turf installed without a plan for where the runoff goes

Many Tampa Bay yards are fairly flat, and Florida’s summer rainy season can drop a lot of water in a short time. A yard that never had a problem can suddenly have one after a neighbor adds fill or a new slab. Fixing that kind of problem is what a drainage and grading contractor does, and it is part of the landscaping work we do at From The Ground Up Landscape Design.

When should you call a plumber, a roofer, or a civil engineer instead?

Not every wet yard is a landscaping problem. Here is how to sort it out.

Call a plumber or irrigation technician if…

• The soggy area stays wet during dry weather
• The wet spot sits along the path of a water line, sewer line, or septic drain field
• Your water meter keeps moving when everything in the house is off
• The area near an irrigation zone is wet only when that zone runs

No amount of grading fixes a broken pipe. Digging a trench in the wrong place can also make a leak worse, so rule this out first.

Call a roofer or gutter specialist if…

• Gutters overflow during normal rain
• A roof valley sends a concentrated stream to one spot in the yard
• Downspouts are missing, clogged, or discharge right at the foundation

Sometimes the whole drainage problem is one undersized or clogged gutter. Fix the source before you build anything to handle the water.

Call a civil engineer if…

• Water enters the house or garage, or the lot floods repeatedly
• The problem involves a retention pond, a shared ditch, or a property line dispute
• You are in a mapped flood zone or need stamped drawings for a permit
• The site is large, sloped, or commercial, and the water volume is more than simple grading can handle

If you see foundation cracks, sticking doors, or sagging floors, add a structural engineer to the list. Landscapers can move water away from a house, but they do not diagnose structural damage.

What do landscapers actually do to fix drainage?

A typical drainage visit starts with walking the property, ideally after rain, and checking where water enters, where it collects, and where it could leave. The fix then matches the cause. The most common tools are:

• Regrading. Reshaping the soil so the ground slopes away from the house. A common rule of thumb is about 6 inches of fall over the first 10 feet from the foundation, though the right numbers depend on the site.
• French drains. A trench with gravel and perforated pipe that collects water below the surface and carries it to a better spot. They work well for wet lawn areas and along patios and walls.
• Swales. Shallow, shaped channels in the lawn that guide surface water around the house or toward an outlet.
• Catch basins and downspout lines. Drains placed at low spots or at downspouts, connected to buried pipe that moves water away.
• Dry wells or infiltration areas. A place for water to soak in when there is no good place to send it.

Florida’s sandy soil helps here because water moves through it, but a high water table means a drain still needs somewhere to go. A pipe that ends in a low, saturated yard will just back up.

Before any digging, utilities should be located. In Florida, that means contacting Sunshine 811 before the work starts, and a good contractor will know the process.

What should you ask before hiring someone for a drainage fix?

Drainage work is easy to do badly, and problems may not show up until the next big storm. Ask these questions:

1. Where will the water go once it leaves my yard? A good answer names an actual outlet, not just “away.”
2. What caused the problem, and how does your fix address that cause?
3. Will this push water onto a neighbor’s property or into a street or easement?
4. How will you protect my lawn, pavers, irrigation lines, and trees, and how will you restore disturbed areas?
5. Who handles permits or HOA approval, if either is needed?
6. What happens if water still collects after the first big rain?

Be wary of anyone who offers a fix without seeing the yard, or who suggests the same solution (for example, a French drain) for every problem. Different causes need different answers.

When do HOA, neighbor, or city stormwater issues come into play?

Drainage rarely stops at your property line. A few situations are worth checking early:

• HOA rules. Many communities require approval for regrading, drains, or changes that affect common areas. Check your covenants before work begins.
• Neighbors. Changing your grade can send water onto someone else’s lot, which can lead to disputes or liability. If the water is coming from next door, start with a friendly conversation and photos.
• City or county stormwater. Swales, ditches, and drainage easements are often public or shared, and you may not be allowed to alter them. Permit rules for regrading vary by city and county, so ask your local building or stormwater department.

We work with residential, commercial, HOA, and government customers, and the same rule applies to each: understand where the water is supposed to go before you move it.

If you are not sure which category your yard falls into, you are welcome to get in touch and describe what you are seeing.

Frequently asked questions