Okay, sorry to keep trolling for home improvement advice but you guys are so good I can't resist.

We have a low spot in the yard that ends up with standing water and want to put in a drain. Not sure if it would be considered a french drain but draining off that low spot is the objective. We've gotten an estimate to put in a register, run a seeping pipe under the fence to the south about 10-15 feet, then east about 75 feet (into the pasture) ending with a popup deal. They'll run a trench, rock the trench, put in the pipe, fill it back, blah blah.

This same bunch did something similar on the other side of the house but it was a bit more complicated. We paid $1,300 for that and I thought that was steep but it has worked pretty well. They want 1,000 for this new job. That seems really high, to me. Am I being unrealistic or what do you think?

Yeah, yeah, I'd do it myself if husband wouldn't have a canniption and I was younger, and he wants someone else to do it so there you go.


Thanks for your thoughts.

I would dig a big old hole and fill it with gravel/rock and then put dirt on top. That should do the trick. Unless we are talking pond like standing water.

I think the price sounds pretty good, actually. Materials should be $250 or so at least. I figure that with a crew of two, it will be an eight hour day, including procuring materials and returning to their shop. That works out to about $47/hour. That's pretty reasonable when you consider it is burdened with the cost of tools (excavator, truck, trailer, hand tools), insurance, and other overhead costs of running a business and having employees.

I'd ask them to encase the rock and pipe with a non-woven (felt-like) filter cloth. It will extend the life of the drain immensely by preventing the piping of finer surrounding soils into the rock and decreasing it's flow capacity.

I think the price sounds pretty good, actually. Materials should be $250 or so at least. I figure that with a crew of two, it will be an eight hour day, including procuring materials and returning to their shop. That works out to about $47/hour. That's pretty reasonable when you consider it is burdened with the cost of tools (excavator, truck, trailer, hand tools), insurance, and other overhead costs of running a business and having employees.

I'd ask them to encase the rock and pipe with a non-woven (felt-like) filter cloth. It will extend the life of the drain immensely by preventing the piping of finer surrounding soils into the rock and decreasing it's flow capacity.

Yes, they put that cloth in it on the last job so I'd guess they'd do that, again. Okay, that is super helpful and I appreciate the input. OKCRT, It's no pond but it is deep enough that it results in a flooded concrete driveway and that portion of the yard and is degrading the asphalt nearby. I like the idea of spreading the water along an area where my crepe myrtles are.

13.33 a foot is really high. I had numerous contractors bid 10 to 12(12 is high) a foot.

I caught a crew that was recommended by a sod installer (his cousin) and got it for 8 dollars a foot because we both wanted to cut out the middle man and I was putting in enough to make it worth their time (over 3k).

Edit read your message wrong. 15+75. So around 11 dollars a foot isn't bad if you trust them to do quality work.

But honestly if it's a straight shot in a pasture and you aren't going around utilities and sprinkler lines I would say rent the trencher and do it yourself.

Ylouder, I'd do that if it was up to me. It isn't. :)

Ylouder, I'd do that if it was up to me. It isn't. :)

A trencher is great for gas and water lines, where minimum burial depth is all that is important. Trenchers depth of cut follows the ground surface and it is difficult to accurately adjust it. Moreover, the cut is too narrow for this application. This trench and pipe need to be on a constant downhill grade with no low spots for sediment to accumulate in and the gravel should be at least four inches thick around the pipe on the sides and top. Two inches on the bottom is fine. That's hard to accomplish with a trencher.

Paseofreak is brilliant.

Paseofreak is not brilliant. Simply a long time civil designer and construction manager. But thanks!

P.S., You only need the perforated pipe and gravel in the low area that needs help draining. Once the pipe reaches the area where it is sloped sufficiently to drain away from the problem area you can change to non-perforated pipe, omit the gravel and fabric, and backfill with native soil. That could save you a chunk. I know it would save the contractor a bunch.

Prior to commencing, on a vaguely perceived path, in the direction of a solution, to a problem/opportunity for improvement, resembling, in part, an actual solution to an as yet unseen and imperfect as yet perfectly , apparently one involving the Local Hydrosphere in terms of annoyance or the lack thereof . . . (i used to know a guy . . .) the journey . . . fuggedaboutit . . .

He never quilted. He fixed "these sorts of" 'problems'.;.=)

Probably he gave up on that.

So did I.

Good Luck.

Sounds like your contractor knows how to do it right (along with the suggestions by Paseofreak). If he's done satisfactory work before, then I'd stick with him. His price is not bad at all.

I've done french drain work and paid to have it done. Just so happens I was researching it pretty in-depth when my mom bought her new construction home in Edmond. I immediately noticed the builder (Neal McGee Homes) had his people do an absolutely terrible french drain job - virtually non of the steps mentioned above. They simply laid some pipe down literally ground level and covered it. It didn't even extend to the downhill slope to run off. Had to have the entire thing removed and re-done by someone who knew what they were doing. McGee Homes apparently just used their construction guys. I asked them (the workers - they were next door) and they said they had no training in french drains. So, find someone who knows all the proper steps and just know its not cheap.

I appreciate all the input, so much. I didn't want to make a decision in a vacuum. These guys have done additional work for us (putting in a drain, installing a sidewalk, grinding stumps, planting trees) and have done good work. I think a lot of people who are ignorant about certain work underestimate the time and expense involved ("It's just a ditch..."). I have people asking me to make them a nice bed quilt on a regular basis and they mean well but think $100.00 would be steep. They don't realize that just the backing and batting might cost that much and that, depending, it could take 2.5 weeks of nonstop labor (and $18,000.00 worth of equipment) to make one. Drop the longarm quilting machine and it might be $3,000 in equipment (including a decent sewing machine - which is different from a longarm quilting machine) but prepare to wait three years...

Sounds like you have a great contractor! Care to share their name?

Sounds like you have a great contractor! Care to share their name?

Green Country. If you can't find them, let me know. I'd send you a pm with the contact information but I'm still grounded. :(