Drainage channel installation in Exeter
Professional drainage channel installation services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£210-£360+
Typical Duration
4-7 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Surface drainage channels installed to stop water pooling on drives, patios, or pathways. Properly bedded, connected to drainage, and finished flush with your existing surface.
Fix Standing Water Problems Properly
Got a puddle that never drains? Water running toward your house instead of away? Driveway that turns into a skating rink in winter?
A drainage channel is the proper fix - a linear drain that intercepts surface water before it causes problems.
💡 Pro tip: Don't just live with standing water. It damages your driveway surface, creates slip hazards, and can cause damp problems in your house if it's running toward the walls.
Why DIY Drainage Usually Fails
| ❌ Common Mistakes | ✅ Done Properly |
|---|---|
| Wrong fall - water doesn't run | Minimum 1:60 fall calculated |
| Channel not bedded properly | Concrete bedding, won't move |
| Poor connection to drains | Properly connected and tested |
| Surface finish is a mess | Clean edges, no trip hazards |
The channel itself is cheap. The skill is in:
- Working out the right drainage route
- Cutting and preparing properly
- Getting the fall correct
- Making a neat job of the surface finish
What's Involved
🔧 The Installation Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Plan | Work out drainage route, fall direction, connection point |
| Cut | Cut channel into existing surface (disc cutter) |
| Prepare | Dig out, prepare base, calculate levels |
| Install | Bed channel in concrete, connect drainage pipe |
| Connect | Link to existing drains or create soakaway |
| Finish | Make good around edges, test flow |
📦 You're Left With
- No more standing water
- Proper surface water management
- Clean professional finish
- Connected to drainage system
Typical Costs (Guide Only - Needs Site Visit)
| Job Size | Time Estimate | Likely Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3m channel across drive | Half to full day | £210-£360 |
| 5m+ channel with complex routing | 1-2 days | £360-£560+ |
| Multiple channels and connections | 2+ days | Quote needed |
Based on labour @ £60 first hour + £50/hr after, plus materials (channel, connectors, concrete, fittings). Exact quote depends on access, existing surface, and drainage routing.
Perfect For Your Property If...
✅ Standing water - puddles that don't drain for days
✅ Sloped drive - water runs toward house or garage
✅ New driveway - installing hard standing and need drainage
✅ Ice problems - standing water freezes, creates hazard
Why Choose Us for Drainage channel installation in Exeter?
Stop water pooling on drives and patios
Protect building foundations from water
Prevent slippery ice in winter
Properly connected to drainage system
What to Expect
Step 1: Site Survey
I come and look at the problem, work out where water needs to go, check where existing drains are. We discuss options - sometimes there are multiple ways to solve it.
Step 2: Installation Work
Cut the channel into your existing surface using a disc cutter. Dig out, prepare base, bed the channel in concrete with correct fall. Connect drainage pipe and route to existing drains or soakaway.
Step 3: Finish and Test
Make good around the channel edges. Test water flow with a hose - should run freely to drainage point. Clean up, take away waste.
🔧 DIY Tips
This is a proper job - not really a DIY project unless you're handy. But if you're determined:
🔧 Tools and materials needed
- Petrol disc cutter (110mm/230mm blade)
- Spade, shovel, wheelbarrow
- Spirit level (long)
- Tape measure, string lines
- Concrete (ballast and cement)
- Drainage channel (ACO or similar)
- Underground drainage pipe and connectors
- Eye and ear protection, dust mask
📏 Planning the job
- Find existing drains - you need to know where to connect
- Calculate fall - minimum 1:60 (that's 16mm per metre)
- Mark out exactly where channel will go
- Check you're not cutting through services (water, gas, electric)
🔨 The actual work
- Measure multiple times - you only get one cut
- Disc cutting creates enormous amounts of dust
- Channel must be bedded in concrete, not just sat in the gap
- Drainage pipe needs correct fall too, not just the channel
- Test before you backfill anything
⚠️ Why this often goes wrong DIY
- Cutting straight and accurate is harder than it looks
- Getting the levels right requires experience
- Poor bedding means channel moves or cracks
- Connecting to drains without causing problems elsewhere
- Making a neat finish on the surface
💡 Pro trick: If you're doing a new driveway, install drainage before laying the surface. Retrofitting is always messier and more expensive.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🏠 Building regs: Domestic surface water drainage doesn't usually need building control, but if you're creating new hard standing over 5m² you might need planning permission.
Multiple drainage issues? It often makes sense to sort them all in one go - driveway, patio, path. I'm already set up with the equipment.
Soakaways vs mains drainage: If your property doesn't have surface water drainage to mains, we can create a soakaway. I'll advise what works best for your ground conditions.
Exeter clay soil? Our Devon clay doesn't drain naturally. Soakaways need to be bigger and deeper than you'd expect, or you need to connect to mains drainage where possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a drainage channel and why do I need one?
It's a linear drain (usually ACO or similar brand) that sits flush with your driveway or patio surface. Water runs into it rather than pooling. You need one if water sits on your drive, or if you're directing water toward your house foundations.
Can you connect it to my existing drains?
Usually yes - I'll need to see where your existing drainage runs. Sometimes we connect to a soakaway if mains drainage isn't nearby. Part of the job is working out the best drainage route.
Will it work with my block paving/concrete/tarmac?
Yes - drainage channels can be fitted to any hard surface. The channel needs cutting in and properly bedded, then we work the surrounding surface back to it. Most common on driveways but patios work too.
How long will this take?
Depends entirely on length and what we're cutting into. A 3-meter channel across a driveway is typically a day. Longer runs or complex drainage routing takes longer. I'll give you a proper time estimate once I've seen it.
Do I need planning permission?
Not usually for domestic drainage improvements, but if you're creating new hard standing you might. I can advise when I see your property.
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