Foundation and yard drainage in Richmond Va
Richmond Concrete Pros - The best concrete contractor in the Richmond area. No job too big or too small. Our Richmond Virginia based operation covers all facets of concrete work from foundations to patios and driveways. We also do stamping, resurfacing, and drainage systems.
Call us at 804-552-0590 for a free quote.
Additionally, we understand the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
Call us at 804-552-0590 for a free quote.
Additionally, we understand the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
The best foundation and yard drainage in Richmond Va |
Drainage makes the difference between a successful yard and garden or a lot with standing water after storms and even dead spots and poorly performing flower and vegetable gardens. Lawns and gardens need plenty of water at the right times and in the correct ways to thrive. If water has no place to go, it puddles in certain spots, drowning out the vegetation.
Adding A Drainage System Has Benefits The basics of adding a foundation or yard drainage system are not hard or overly expensive, but they do tend to be labor intensive. But, once the drainage system is in place, it adds benefits for years to come. What does a proper drainage system include? A drainage system includes piping buried underneath the ground to divert water away from the home or landscaping. This can include both pipes and a sump pump. Each landscape will have its own degree of drainage needed. Some drainage systems can rely on gravity to divert problem water to a place where it won’t cause damage. In addition to the mechanics of a drainage system, the landscape must be properly graded to slope away from buildings and gardens or lawns. This is often done as homes are being built but can be remedied at the time the drainage system is being installed. If done after the fact, this process can be very unfriendly to existing healthy lawns. |
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The benefits for drainage system installation include the following:
Proper drainage will prevent erosion when it rains or winter snow is melting. Erosion is the movement of soil away from where it is meant to be. Good drainage prevents standing water that can damage landscaping or plants, attract insects, or create a slipping hazard. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed.
Drainage that is done properly not only protects the landscaping but protects the foundation of homes and other buildings. Standing water or water pressing against a home’s foundation can cause foundation leaks and basement damage. A home or business building with proper drainage in its landscaping looks better and can be easier to sell.
The homeowner who decides they need a new drainage system must decide if they will install it themselves or hire a highly qualified landscape company to install it. We will look at a couple types of drainage systems and the basics of what is required to build it yourself. You can then make a determination as to whether you are qualfied to do it yourself or not.
Before Installing a Drainage System
Those property owners who attempt to add their own landscape drainage system must learn how to install it properly for it to be effective. Before any work is started, there are considerations that cannot be ignored.
The benefits for drainage system installation include the following:
Proper drainage will prevent erosion when it rains or winter snow is melting. Erosion is the movement of soil away from where it is meant to be. Good drainage prevents standing water that can damage landscaping or plants, attract insects, or create a slipping hazard. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed.
Drainage that is done properly not only protects the landscaping but protects the foundation of homes and other buildings. Standing water or water pressing against a home’s foundation can cause foundation leaks and basement damage. A home or business building with proper drainage in its landscaping looks better and can be easier to sell.
The homeowner who decides they need a new drainage system must decide if they will install it themselves or hire a highly qualified landscape company to install it. We will look at a couple types of drainage systems and the basics of what is required to build it yourself. You can then make a determination as to whether you are qualfied to do it yourself or not.
Before Installing a Drainage System
Those property owners who attempt to add their own landscape drainage system must learn how to install it properly for it to be effective. Before any work is started, there are considerations that cannot be ignored.
What type of system is need for drainage on the property?
The water issues must be identified before a person can fix them. The soil type will affect the project.
What hazards may be buried under the landscaping?
This might include power lines, gas lines, sewer lines, large rocks, and more. The companies that may have buried lines in the area must be consulted. There are several kinds of drainage systems to consider, including a French drain system.
The community may have rules and regulations that must be followed. Checking with the county or state is a must. The drainage system must not negatively impact the neighboring properties.
What are the requirements for excavation?
If the landscape has an improper slope, it will need to be corrected, and this can involve cutting down a steep slope or filling low areas. The correct slope for a landscape is one foot of rise for every 50 feet of run. Most drainage systems will require a certain amount of trenching or digging. Trenching might need to be as deep as six feet and as wide as two feet. This work might need to be hired out to a contractor with the right equipment.
The various drainage systems require different materials such as stone, perforated pipe, Geotextile cloth covering, the correct backfill materials, such as pea gravel or washed gravel, and the tools required to get the job done.
Before starting the drainage project, do the research into different drain systems accepted in your area and compare them to the unique needs of the landscape and the cost of each.
The Steps to Install a Drainage System
Installing each system requires its own set of steps, but installing a perforated drainage pipe system requires these steps:
After calling utility companies and checking local codes, you can start preparing the property. Design the system so that the trench is the proper size and depth and has the proper slant to carry water away from the property. Rental digging equipment might be needed. Frequently soil has a lot of clay, roots, or tight compaction that can make hand digging a real nightmare.
When the trench is dug, check the slant by driving stakes or markers in the bottom soil every four feet. Attach a string to them in a line and then use a level to get a level line. Then, slide the string down ½ an inch on each successive stake to create the proper slope. Each stake should have the string ½ inch lower than the last stake.
Using the proper tools, tamp down the base soil and make sure the base is the same distance from the string on each stake by adding or removing soil. Now remove the stakes. A solid base is extremely important for this to work.
Add the geofabric and two inches of gravel to the trench to prevent the pipes becoming clogged in the future. The fabric is extremely important as soil leaches into the gravel over time reducing its effectiveness until it is of no value any more. This takes less time than you might imagine.
Lay the perforated pipe for drainage on top of the gravel. Use the approved type of pipe for the community rules and codes. Add four to six inches of grave on top of the pipe and wrap the geofabric that was installed earlier around the pipe and gravel. Finally, cover the trench with soil to level to ground and replace landscaping such as sod.
This whole project is a lot of work and must be done correctly to work well. That is why people often hire out these types of projects. Large yards can be a real challenge for a lone homeowner to trench and install a drainage system.
At Richmond Concrete Pros we have all the right equipment and know how to get these projects done effectively and efficiently. We will be glad to provide you with a free quote, just give us a call.
The water issues must be identified before a person can fix them. The soil type will affect the project.
What hazards may be buried under the landscaping?
This might include power lines, gas lines, sewer lines, large rocks, and more. The companies that may have buried lines in the area must be consulted. There are several kinds of drainage systems to consider, including a French drain system.
The community may have rules and regulations that must be followed. Checking with the county or state is a must. The drainage system must not negatively impact the neighboring properties.
What are the requirements for excavation?
If the landscape has an improper slope, it will need to be corrected, and this can involve cutting down a steep slope or filling low areas. The correct slope for a landscape is one foot of rise for every 50 feet of run. Most drainage systems will require a certain amount of trenching or digging. Trenching might need to be as deep as six feet and as wide as two feet. This work might need to be hired out to a contractor with the right equipment.
The various drainage systems require different materials such as stone, perforated pipe, Geotextile cloth covering, the correct backfill materials, such as pea gravel or washed gravel, and the tools required to get the job done.
Before starting the drainage project, do the research into different drain systems accepted in your area and compare them to the unique needs of the landscape and the cost of each.
The Steps to Install a Drainage System
Installing each system requires its own set of steps, but installing a perforated drainage pipe system requires these steps:
After calling utility companies and checking local codes, you can start preparing the property. Design the system so that the trench is the proper size and depth and has the proper slant to carry water away from the property. Rental digging equipment might be needed. Frequently soil has a lot of clay, roots, or tight compaction that can make hand digging a real nightmare.
When the trench is dug, check the slant by driving stakes or markers in the bottom soil every four feet. Attach a string to them in a line and then use a level to get a level line. Then, slide the string down ½ an inch on each successive stake to create the proper slope. Each stake should have the string ½ inch lower than the last stake.
Using the proper tools, tamp down the base soil and make sure the base is the same distance from the string on each stake by adding or removing soil. Now remove the stakes. A solid base is extremely important for this to work.
Add the geofabric and two inches of gravel to the trench to prevent the pipes becoming clogged in the future. The fabric is extremely important as soil leaches into the gravel over time reducing its effectiveness until it is of no value any more. This takes less time than you might imagine.
Lay the perforated pipe for drainage on top of the gravel. Use the approved type of pipe for the community rules and codes. Add four to six inches of grave on top of the pipe and wrap the geofabric that was installed earlier around the pipe and gravel. Finally, cover the trench with soil to level to ground and replace landscaping such as sod.
This whole project is a lot of work and must be done correctly to work well. That is why people often hire out these types of projects. Large yards can be a real challenge for a lone homeowner to trench and install a drainage system.
At Richmond Concrete Pros we have all the right equipment and know how to get these projects done effectively and efficiently. We will be glad to provide you with a free quote, just give us a call.