Check yard drainage before new landscaping

Start with what the water is doing

A wet lawn is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Before selecting a product, record where water arrives, where it collects, and what happens after rain or snowmelt. Photos taken from the same safe position at different times can help explain the pattern.

• Mark the wet area and estimate its size
• Note when pooling starts and how long it remains
• Describe nearby downspouts, slopes, hard surfaces and past landscaping
• Mention any water entering a building separately; that needs the appropriate specialist

Grading, surface collection and subsurface drainage

Grading changes ground levels to guide water along a suitable surface route. Surface collection gathers runoff in a basin or channel. Subsurface drainage uses appropriate buried components to manage water below ground. These methods answer different conditions and can sometimes be combined.

A French drain is not a universal fix. Soil, the source of the water, surrounding grades and a suitable discharge route need to be reviewed before any system is included. This guide does not prescribe slopes, depths, pipe sizes or engineering details.

Check the water route before adding finishes

Fresh sod will not resolve a low spot or compacted ground on its own. A new patio, deck or fence can affect access to work that needs to happen first. Discuss drainage, demolition and excavation before deciding the order of the visible improvements.

• Include restoration of disturbed lawn or beds in the quote
• Keep an access plan for machinery and material movement
• Identify any existing drainage feature that must remain functional
• For phased work, review what will become difficult to reach later

Use the guidance for your municipality

Calgary's lot-drainage guidance describes directing surface water away from buildings without harming neighbouring properties or public infrastructure. Check the City's current guidance and the requirements for the proposed discharge route before work proceeds. Calgary rules do not automatically apply in Airdrie, Cochrane or Okotoks.

Arrange utility locates before ground disturbance. Utility Safety Partners also advises checking privately owned buried facilities; a public locate request should not be treated as confirmation that every private line has been marked.

Prepare a focused drainage enquiry

Share the address, water pattern, existing surfaces, approximate dimensions and desired timing. An uncertain budget is fine. Picasso can review yard drainage and grading as one focused job or alongside other landscaping.

The agreed landscape work may involve grading, collection, specified subsurface components and surface restoration. Foundation waterproofing, structural failure, municipal mains and hidden plumbing are outside that landscape scope. A repair or a particular system is confirmed only after reviewing the property.