If you've already tried gravel, French drains from Lowe's, and re-grading — and water still pools by your foundation — the problem isn't on top of the soil. It's underneath it.
We see this almost every week in Maryville and west Knoxville. Heavy clay subsoil, a builder who graded the lot toward the house instead of away, and a back yard that turns into a swamp every March. Here's how we diagnose it, and the three solutions we actually install.
First: figure out where the water is coming from
Before recommending a single fix, we walk the property during or right after rain. Three things we look for…
- Surface flow (where water is sheeting from)
- Sub-surface saturation (clay layer ~ 12–18″ down)
- Roof + downspout discharge points
See pricing, process, and project examples for our drainage work in Blount + Knox.
Fix #1 — A real French drain (not the kit kind)
A proper French drain is 14–18″ deep, wrapped in geotextile fabric, with washed gravel and 4″ rigid pipe…
Fix #2 — Dry well + extended downspouts
If the source is your roof, the cheaper fix is moving the discharge…
Fix #3 — Re-grade + swale
Sometimes the answer is moving dirt around…
Owner of Lawngevity. Running crews in Blount + Knox since 2017. Pick up the phone — he's the one who answers.