Yard Drainage Solutions in Houston, TX
Standing water, a soggy yard, or water creeping toward your foundation? Strong Landscaping finds the cause and fixes it with the right yard drainage solutions for our flat terrain and heavy clay soil. From regrading to french drains and catch basins, we match the method to your yard. With 20+ years and 500+ projects across the Houston area, we start with a free drainage assessment.
Get a Free Drainage Assessment
A yard that will not drain is a symptom, not a single problem. The water might be pooling on a low spot, saturating the clay below, or running off the roof and driveway toward the house. Each cause has a different fix, so we diagnose first, then use the method that fits: grading, french drains, catch basins, or a combination. This page walks you through your options and links to the details on each one.
- 500+ Projects Completed
- 20+ Years Experience
- 4.6/5 Average Rating
Drainage Methods We Use
French Drain Installation
Subsurface perforated pipe in gravel that relieves water trapped in saturated clay soil.
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Catch Basins & Channel Drains
Grated inlets and channels that capture pooling, downspout, patio, and driveway water and pipe it away.
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Yard Grading & Leveling
Re-sloping the soil so water sheds away from the house. Often the root-cause fix behind standing water.
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Irrigation & Drainage
See our full range of irrigation and drainage services for Houston-area homes and yards.
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How We Solve Yard Drainage in Houston
01 Free Drainage Assessment
We walk your yard and find the whole story: where water stands, where it comes from, and how the ground falls. We check your downspouts, low spots, and the grade near the foundation, since flat Houston lots and clay soil drive most of the trouble.
02 Diagnose the Real Cause
Standing water can mean a low spot, a negative grade toward the house, saturated clay, or roof water dumping in one place. We pin down which of these is driving your problem, because the cause decides the fix, not the other way around.
03 Build the Right Plan
We match methods to the cause: regrading to shed surface water, a french drain to relieve saturated soil, catch basins and channel drains to grab pooling and downspout water, and buried downspout lines. Most yards get a combination, and you see it all in an itemized quote.
04 Install and Route to a Safe Outlet
Our in-house crew does the work, from earthmoving to setting drains and pipe. We always plan where the water goes and route it to a safe outlet, never toward your slab or onto a neighbor’s lot, so the fix does not just move the problem.
05 Restore, Test & Walk Through
We restore the yard with sod, mulch, or gravel to match, run water through the system to prove it flows, and walk it with you. You see the dry result before we leave, and we clean up so the yard looks whole again.
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 Yard Drainage Work Apart
A lot of companies sell one product and use it on every yard. We diagnose first, then use the method that fits, whether that is grading, a french drain, catch basins, or all three together. With 20+ years in Houston and 500+ projects done, we know how our flat, clay-soil yards hold water and how to move it off for good.
Houston Drainage
We Diagnose Before We Dig
Standing water has more than one cause. We find the real reason your yard floods first, so you pay for the fix that works, not a one-size product that treats the symptom.
Every Method Under One Roof
Grading, french drains, catch basins, channel drains, and buried downspouts. We use the full toolkit and combine methods so the whole yard drains, not just one corner.
Foundation and Mosquito Minded
Standing water saturates the clay around your slab and breeds mosquitoes in our humid climate. We move it off to protect your foundation and your yard’s comfort.
Why Houston Yards Flood and How We Fix It
Houston makes drainage hard. The land is flat with little natural fall, so water has nowhere to run on its own. The soil is heavy clay that soaks up water slowly, so rain sits on the surface and saturates the ground below. And Gulf storms, including big events like Hurricane Harvey, can drop inches of rain in a short time. Put those together and standing water becomes a chronic problem, not a one-time thing.
That is why we do not sell a single product for every yard. Some yards just need regrading so water sheds away from the house. Others need a french drain to relieve water trapped in the clay, or catch basins and channel drains to grab water pooling on patios, driveways, and downspout lines. Many need a mix. We diagnose the cause, then combine the right methods and route every drop to a safe outlet.
Fixing drainage is about more than a dry lawn. Standing water keeps the clay around your foundation saturated, which feeds the shrink-and-swell cycle that stresses slabs, and it breeds mosquitoes in our warm, humid air. To go deeper on any one method, see our french drain installation, catch basin and channel drain, and yard grading and leveling pages. Or book a free drainage assessment and we will tell you exactly what your yard needs.
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
Why does my Houston yard hold water and stay soggy?
Three things stack up in Houston. The land is flat with little natural slope, the soil is heavy clay that soaks up water very slowly, and Gulf storms drop a lot of rain fast. So water sheets off the roof and hard surfaces, then sits on ground that cannot absorb it. The fix is not always the same, which is why we start with a free assessment to find where the water comes from and where it needs to go.
What are the best yard drainage solutions for clay soil?
There is no one answer, because clay yards flood for different reasons. The main tools we use are regrading to slope water away from the house, french drains to relieve water trapped in the soil, catch basins and channel drains to grab pooling and downspout water, and buried downspout lines. Most Houston yards need a combination. We match the mix to your yard during the assessment rather than selling one product for every problem.
How much does yard drainage cost in Houston?
It depends on what your yard needs and how big the job is. Adding one catch basin at a low spot costs far less than regrading a yard and running a french drain the length of the property. Because the right fix varies so much, we give a free on-site assessment and an itemized quote before any work starts. After 20+ years and 500+ projects in Houston, we can look at your standing water and give you an honest range the same visit.
French drain, catch basin, or regrading, which one do I need?
Each fixes a different problem. Regrading re-slopes the soil so water sheds away from the house, and it is often the first fix. A french drain relieves water saturating the soil, best for ground that stays wet. Catch basins and channel drains capture surface water pooling on patios, driveways, and downspout lines. Many yards need two or three of these together. Our french drain, catch basin, and yard grading pages go deeper on each one.
How do I stop water pooling near my foundation?
Water against the slab is worth fixing quickly, because Houston clay swells and shrinks with moisture and that movement is hard on foundations. We usually regrade the soil to fall away from the house, bury downspouts so roof water discharges well away from the slab, and add a french drain or catch basins where water still collects. The goal is simple: move water off before it sits against your foundation.
Do you offer a free drainage assessment?
Yes. We come out, walk the yard, and find where water comes from and where it stands. We check the grade, your downspouts, and the low spots, then lay out a plan and give you an itemized quote. There is no charge for the assessment, and you get an honest recommendation, whether that is grading, a french drain, catch basins, or a combination of methods.
