French Drains & Yard Drainage in Ann Arbor, Chelsea & Jackson County
If part of your yard is always soggy, water pools by the foundation after every storm, or your basement smells like the last rain, you do not have a landscaping problem. You have a water problem, and water problems only get more expensive the longer they sit. The good news is that most of them are fixable at the source, without tearing your whole yard apart.
Blooms Landscaping diagnoses and fixes drainage across the Grass Lake, Chelsea, Ann Arbor, and Jackson area. We work on the exact soil that causes these problems here: heavy clay that holds water and a high water table that has nowhere to go.
Get a free drainage assessment → (734) 478-1644
Why Michigan yards flood
- Clay soil does not absorb water. Instead of soaking in, water sits on top and runs to the lowest point, which is often right next to your house. The fix is to give it a faster path somewhere better.
- Flat or reverse-graded lots send water toward the foundation instead of away from it. Re-grading the first few feet around the house is often the cheapest, highest-impact fix there is.
- Downspouts dumping at the foundation put roof water exactly where you do not want it. Tying downspouts into a drain line that carries water away solves a surprising number of wet-basement calls.
What we install
- French drains, a gravel-and-perforated-pipe trench that collects subsurface water and carries it to a safe outlet.
- Curtain / footing drains, to intercept water before it reaches a foundation or basement wall.
- Surface drains & catch basins, for pooling on patios, driveways, and low spots in the lawn.
- Downspout & sump discharge lines, carrying roof and sump water well away from the house.
- Grading & swales, reshaping the ground so water moves where it should, sometimes eliminating the need for pipe at all.
What it costs
For planning: a residential French drain in Southeast Michigan typically runs about $25 to $60 per linear foot installed, with most whole-yard drainage projects landing between $1,500 and $6,000+ depending on length, depth, the outlet, and whether grading is involved. A single downspout tie-in is a small job; a full perimeter system is a larger one. We tell you which you need after seeing it.
Where we work
Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Saline, Grass Lake, Manchester, Jackson, Brooklyn, the Irish Hills, and surrounding Washtenaw and Jackson County communities.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a French drain and a catch basin?
A French drain collects water below the surface (soggy ground, hillside seepage); a catch basin collects water pooling on the surface (patios, low lawn spots). Many yards need both. We match the tool to where the water actually is.
Will a French drain fix my wet basement?
Often it is part of the fix. Wet basements usually come from water sitting against the foundation, so we combine re-grading, downspout lines, and sometimes a curtain drain to move water away before it gets to the wall. We will tell you honestly if the issue is beyond exterior drainage and needs a waterproofing specialist.
How much does a French drain cost in Michigan?
As a planning range, roughly $25 to $60 per linear foot, with most yard-drainage projects between about $1,500 and $6,000 depending on length, depth, and outlet. Firm number after an on-site look.
Why is my yard always wet even days after rain?
Almost always clay soil plus a low spot or a bad slope. The water has nowhere to drain, so it sits. A French drain or a re-grade gives it somewhere to go.
Standing water and wet basements do not fix themselves, and they get more expensive every season. Book a free on-site drainage assessment and we will find the source and give you a straight plan.
Call (734) 478-1644