Frequently Asked Questions

Cost depends on the length of the drain, how the yard is laid out, and what it takes to discharge the water safely. This site does not publish generic pricing. A drainage contractor serving the area can evaluate the property and discuss cost for that layout. Call 815-940-9441 or submit a service request.

It depends on the size of the job and access around the house. After a drainage contractor sees the yard, they can give a timeframe for that property.

If the yard stays wet, water pools after rain, or runoff collects near the house, a French drain may help. A qualified drainage contractor can evaluate how water moves across the property and whether a French drain is the right solution.

It gives groundwater an easier path. Water in saturated soil can move into a gravel trench, enter a perforated pipe, and travel to an outlet instead of sitting in the lawn.

The drain only works if collected water can leave. An outlet that points back toward the house, a neighbor’s yard, or another low spot can recreate the original problem.

No. A catch basin takes water at the surface through a grate. A French drain collects water in a gravel trench below the lawn. They solve different parts of a wet-yard problem.

It can replace a drain that was proposed for a surface puddle caused by a low spot. It cannot replace a drain needed for groundwater that stays in the soil after the surface is reshaped.