Catch Basin Drainage in Houston, TX
Strong Landscaping installs catch basins and channel drains that grab pooling water at the surface and pipe it away from your home. When water sits on the lawn, sheets across the driveway, or floods the patio after a Gulf Coast storm, surface drains stop it. With 20+ years and 500+ projects across the Houston area, we design each system for our flat, clay-heavy yards.
Schedule a Consultation
A puddle that never dries out is more than an eyesore. Standing water rots the lawn, breeds mosquitoes, and pushes toward your slab foundation. A catch basin or channel drain captures that surface water where it collects and carries it to a safe outlet. We plan each inlet around how water actually moves across your yard in a heavy Houston rain, not a guess.
- 500+ Projects Completed
- 20+ Years Experience
- 4.6/5 Average Rating
Irrigation & Drainage Services
French Drains
Subsurface pipe-in-gravel drains that pull soggy groundwater out of the yard. We often pair them with catch basins for full coverage.
Learn More
Yard Drainage Solutions
The starting point for standing water. We assess the whole yard and pick the right mix of methods to keep it dry.
Learn More
Grading & Leveling
Re-sloping the soil so water sheds away from the house. The root-cause fix when a drain alone is not enough.
Learn More
Irrigation & Drainage
Sprinklers, drip lines, and full drainage systems, all designed for Houston clay and heavy Gulf rain.
Learn More
How We Install Catch Basins and Channel Drains in Houston
01 Drainage Assessment
We start with a free visit and watch how water moves across your property. We find the low spots, the downspouts, and the paths where water sheets toward the house, since those points decide where every basin and channel drain has to go.
02 System Design & Layout
We map where each catch basin and channel drain goes, plan the pipe runs and the slope, and pick a safe outlet away from your foundation. If a french drain or regrading fits the plan better, we tell you before we dig, not after.
03 Excavation & Piping
We dig the basin pits and channel trenches, set solid drain pipe to the outlet, and pitch every run so gravity does the work. We cut clean lines across lawn, patio, or driveway and protect the areas we cross so cleanup is simple.
04 Set Basins, Grates & Clean-Outs
We set the catch basins and channel drains flush with the surface, fit strong grates that shed leaves, and build in clean-outs so the system is easy to service. Then we tie in any downspouts so roof water joins the same path off your property.
05 Test, Backfill & Restore
We run water through the system to confirm it drains fast to the outlet, then backfill, restore the lawn or paving, and clean up. We walk it with you, show you the clean-outs, and explain how to keep the grates clear through Houston leaf season.
Trusted By Local Homeowners
Strong Landscaping, led by the creative genius, Thomas, has been doing my landscaping for 10 years. I used to pass by his work and just drool over it, never thinking I could afford it, but one day I asked him for a quote and was so shocked… Read more
Strong Landscaping has completely transformed the way I think about landscaping! They do amazing work, are professional, kind, and helpful. Before starting work at my house, they met with me several times to understand my priorities and were flexible when I wanted to do work in phases.… Read more
We used Strong to do a full front yard overhaul, new walkways, bed shaping etc. They listened to what we wanted and what was important to us, provided options and designs to meet our needs and when they went to execute it was remarkably organized, efficient, and we love the finished product.… Read more
Strong Landscaping installed my front and back patios from dirt to a beautiful, long-lasting hardscape (many) years ago. I enjoyed working with Thomas who helped design and oversee the work. It is difficult to keep pavers on solid footing in Houston with our clay soil issues.… Read more
We had an awesome experience with Strong Landscaping to refresh the backyard. The team was very enthusiastic, hardworking and responsive, plus they came with a great vision and ideas for my yard. Everything they planted looks healthy and I finally feel like I can enjoy my backyard.… Read more
The Strong team was great from start to finish on our yard overhaul and since then we have started weekly maintenance with them as well as seasonal refreshes with flowers and greenery that are seasonally appropriate and able to thrive in the wild Houston seasons. Would not hesitate to recommend to others.
For the last few years, Strong Landscaping has made our storefront look better than ever! The plants are healthy and eye catching. When our Peggy Martin roses are in bloom, clients comment almost daily about how lovely it all looks.… Read more
Thomas is brilliant! His team executes his vision flawlessly! Very professional. Superb workmanship and incredible attention to detail! Strong takes great pride in their work and creates beautiful spaces.… Read more
I am absolutely thrilled with Strong Landscaping's transformation of my yard into an oasis. Their expertise in design, creativity, and dedication to quality were critical to the project's success. I greatly appreciated their attention to detail and commitment to doing things the right way!… Read more
I recently worked with Strong Landscaping—specifically Thomas, Leah and their fantastic team—on a project to rejuvenate my front porch, and I couldn't be happier with the results. They cleared out debris from past storms, repaired and enhanced the stonework and pathways.… Read more
Cannot recommend highly enough. The team is responsive and went above and beyond in coordinating my landscaping to my interior design style and suggesting options that will have long term benefits like privacy, curb appeal, and (hopefully!) property value.… Read more
Strong landscaping is THE BEST!! Even though I live in San Antonio they have been helpful by offering advice on drought tolerant plants and helping plan out the flower beds around the front of the house. They also provided design suggestions regarding a playground in the backyard. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.
Strong landscaping is awesome. Thomas and Leah are the A Team! We are working with them for synthetic grass in the backyard and they helped us design the front. Repeat customer for life.
Alan and Thomas did a great job on my yard. Unfortunately, they had to fix a mess of the yard that another landscaper had done. They went beyond what they had promised just to get the yard going in the right direction. Super creative and finish the work in a timely manner.
Great service by a great team. This company stands out to me as a quality customer oriented company. I wouldn't look anywhere else. These guys are awesome.
Thomas is a genius when it comes to design! I love working with him and his team! Love my family over at Strong Landscaping.
What Sets Our Catch Basin Drainage Apart
Anyone can drop a basin in a hole. We design the whole surface drainage system: the right inlets in the right low spots, pipe sloped to a safe outlet, and clean-outs so it keeps working. With 20+ years in Houston and 500+ projects done, we plan around flat lots, heavy Gulf rain, and clay that will not soak water up.
Houston Drainage
Basins Placed Where Water Goes
We read the low spots and flow paths first, then set catch basins and channel drains where they actually catch the water, so pooling stops instead of just moving a few feet over.
Downspouts and Driveways Tied In
We bury downspouts and set channel drains across driveways and garage entries, so roof and pavement water gets routed to a safe outlet instead of dumping next to your slab.
Built With Clean-Outs to Last
Gulf-Coast leaves and silt clog cheap basins fast. We build in access points and clean-outs and slope the pipe so debris clears, so your system keeps draining year after year.
Surface Drainage Built for How Houston Rains
Houston sits on flat land with expansive clay soil that will not soak up water fast. When a heavy Gulf storm rolls through, the rain has nowhere to go, so it pools on the lawn and sheets across the driveway toward the house. Catch basins and channel drains grab that surface water at the low points and pipe it out, which is why they matter more here than in places where the ground drains on its own.
Placement is everything. We read where the water actually collects and where it runs, then set basins in the low spots and channel drains along the lines that flood, like driveway aprons and patio edges. We tie downspouts into the system so roof water joins the same path away from your slab foundation, which helps protect it from the shrink-swell cycle that clay puts on Houston homes. Every run is pitched to a safe outlet so gravity keeps it moving.
A drain is only as good as the day you can clean it. We build in clean-outs and access points and pick grates that shed the leaf and silt load our yards drop each fall, so the system does not silt up and start pooling again. When the water is both on top of and deep in the soil, we pair catch basins with a french drain, and if the yard slopes the wrong way, we look at grading first so we fix the cause, not just the symptom.
Proudly Serving Homeowners Across Local Communities
Strong Landscaping provides premium landscaping and outdoor living services throughout surrounding neighborhoods and service areas, delivering tailored outdoor solutions designed for each property and environment.
- Downtown Houston
- East Downtown (EaDo)
- West University Place
- Montrose
- Rice Military
- The Heights
- Near Northside
- Garden Oaks & Oak Forest
- River Oaks
- Memorial
- Braeswood Place
- Texas Medical Center
- Greenway Plaza
- Spring Branch
- Galleria
- Westchase
- Energy Corridor
- Upper Kirby
- Bellaire
Outdoor Transformations Designed To Last
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a catch basin and do I need one?
A catch basin is a boxed inlet set into the ground with a grate on top. It sits at a low spot and grabs surface water, then pipes it away to a safe outlet. You likely need one if water pools in the same low spot after every rain, runs toward the house, or floods a patio or driveway. Catch basin drainage is the fix when the problem is water sitting on the surface, not soaking down into the soil. During a free visit we find your low points and tell you whether a basin, a channel drain, or a mix of both is the right call.
What is the difference between a catch basin and a channel drain?
A catch basin is a single point inlet. It works best for one low spot where water collects. A channel drain, also called a trench drain, is a long grated line that catches water across a wide path, like a driveway apron, a garage entry, or the edge of a patio. Basins handle spots, channels handle lines. Many Houston yards use both: a channel drain to stop water sheeting across the driveway and a catch basin to clear the low corner of the lawn. We size and place each one for your property.
How much does catch basin installation cost in Houston?
Cost depends on how many basins or channel drains you need, how far the pipe has to run to a safe outlet, how deep we dig, and the surfaces we cross like a driveway or patio. A single basin tied to a short run costs far less than a full system with a channel drain, buried downspouts, and a long discharge line. That is why we give a free on-site assessment and an itemized quote before any digging. After 20+ years and 500+ projects in Houston, we can walk your yard and give you an honest range the same visit.
Can you tie my downspouts and driveway into a catch basin?
Yes. Tying downspouts and driveway runoff into a drain system is one of the most useful things we do in Houston. We can bury your downspouts and route that roof water into a catch basin, and we can set a channel drain across the driveway or garage entry to stop water from sheeting toward the slab. All of it pipes out to a safe outlet away from the foundation, so roof and pavement water stops dumping right next to the house.
How do you keep a catch basin from clogging?
Leaf and silt buildup is the main reason a basin stops working, and Houston yards drop a lot of both. We build in clean-outs and access points so the system is easy to flush and check, and we set the grates and slope so debris moves toward the outlet instead of packing in. We also show you the simple steps to keep the grates clear. A basin that is easy to service keeps draining for years instead of silting up and pooling again.
Catch basin or french drain, which do I need?
It depends on where the water is. If water sits on top of the ground, on the lawn, patio, or driveway, catch basins and channel drains capture it at the surface. If the ground stays soggy and saturated below the surface, a french drain pulls that water out from underground. Many Houston yards need both, and we often pair a catch basin with a french drain for full coverage. You can read more on our french drain installation page, and our yard drainage page walks through every method and how we pick the right one for your property.
