Land drain installation in Exeter
Professional land drain installation services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
Quote required
Typical Duration
1-3 days
Location
Exeter, Devon
Land drains installed to solve waterlogging and drainage problems. French drains dug, piped, and connected to move water away from problem areas.
Sort Out Your Bog
Garden won't dry out. Lawn's a swamp half the year. Water pooling by your foundations risking damp.
Proper land drainage solves this permanently - takes the water away before it becomes a problem.
💡 Pro tip: Land drains work best when installed before winter - get ahead of the wet season rather than scrambling mid-crisis.
Why Do It Properly?
Here's what separates working drainage from wasted effort:
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Correct fall, water flows away | Wrong gradient, water sits in pipe |
| Proper pipe and gravel spec | Cheap materials, silts up quickly |
| Drains to suitable outfall | Nowhere for water to go |
| Wrapped in geotextile | Pipe clogs with soil |
What You Get
🔧 Full Drainage Installation
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Survey | Assess problem and design drainage solution |
| Excavate | Dig trenches to correct depth and fall |
| Install | Lay perforated pipe, surround with gravel |
| Connect | Link to soakaway or suitable outfall |
| Backfill | Reinstate ground and tidy up |
📦 You're Left With
- Properly drained ground
- No more waterlogging
- Usable garden year-round
- Protected foundations
Pricing
Due to the variable nature of drainage work, I need to survey your specific problem and provide a detailed quote. Every situation's different.
Typical projects:
- Simple single-run drain: £400-800
- Complex garden drainage: £800-2000+
- Foundation protection drainage: £600-1500
These are rough guides only. I'll provide exact quote after surveying.
Perfect For When...
✅ Waterlogged lawn - won't dry out, moss everywhere
✅ Pooling water - same spot always flooded
✅ Foundation damp - water sitting against house
✅ Unusable garden - too wet to walk on
Why Choose Us for Land drain installation in Exeter?
Solves waterlogging problems
Protects foundations from water damage
Makes garden usable year-round
Professional drainage assessment
What to Expect
Step 1: Site Survey
I'll visit, look at your drainage problem, check ground levels, work out where water can drain to.
Step 2: Quote & Plan
Provide detailed quote showing what work's needed, where drains will run, how long it'll take.
Step 3: Installation
Dig trenches, lay drainage system, connect to outfall, backfill and tidy. Usually takes 1-3 days depending on scale.
Step 4: Test & Handover
Test system works (bucket of water down the drain!), explain how it works, reinstate your garden as neatly as possible.
🔧 DIY Tips
Land drainage isn't a beginner DIY job, but if you're tackling it:
🔧 What you'll need
- Mini digger or serious spade work
- Perforated land drain pipe (100mm typical)
- Clean gravel (20mm)
- Geotextile membrane
- Spirit level and string line
- Connection to somewhere water can go
📐 Getting it right
- Work out where water needs to go (soakaway, ditch, drain)
- Dig trench with minimum 1:100 fall (1cm per metre)
- Line trench with geotextile
- Lay perforated pipe (holes facing down)
- Surround with gravel
- Wrap geotextile over top
- Backfill with excavated soil
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- No fall or wrong way - water won't flow
- Pipe holes facing up - fills with soil
- No geotextile - system silts up in months
- Nowhere suitable for water to drain to
- Not deep enough - water tables higher than pipe
💡 Pro trick: Connect multiple problem areas into one main drainage run where possible - more efficient than separate drains everywhere.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Building work planned? Best time to sort drainage is before landscaping/paving - can run drains where needed without ripping up new work.
Building regs? Connecting to mains drains needs approval. Soakaways and drainage to watercourses have rules too. I'll advise what applies to your job.
Devon clay? Our heavy clay soil is why so many gardens here have drainage problems - water just sits on top. Land drains work brilliantly in clay once installed properly.
Trees nearby? Roots can invade drainage pipes over time. I position drains to avoid this where possible or use solid pipe near trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a land drain and how does it work?
A land drain (French drain) is a gravel-filled trench with perforated pipe at the bottom. Water seeps through the gravel into the pipe and drains away to a soakaway or watercourse. Takes water away from problem areas so your garden (or foundations) don't get waterlogged.
How do you know where to put the drains?
I assess where water collects, which way the ground slopes, and where we can drain to. Sometimes it's obvious (big puddle in one corner), other times I need to watch how water flows when it rains. The drain needs a slight gradient so water flows away naturally.
Can you solve my waterlogged lawn problem?
Usually, yes - but it depends on your specific situation. If it's poor drainage in clay soil, land drains work brilliantly. If it's compacted soil, sometimes aeration is enough. If you're at the bottom of a hill with nowhere for water to go, we might need a soakaway as well. I'll survey and advise honestly on what'll work.
How long does land drain installation take?
Depends on the extent of the problem. Simple single-run drain to fix one boggy area: 1-2 days. Complex drainage system for whole garden: could be 2-3 days. Need to dig trenches, lay pipe and gravel, connect to outfall, backfill and reinstate.
How much does it cost?
Every job's different - depends on length of drain needed, depth, access, where it drains to, and ground conditions. I'll survey, work out what you need, and give you a fixed quote before starting any work.
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