French Drain and Yard Drainage Solutions in Austin, TX
Expert Drainage Solutions for Austin Homes and Yards
Standing water and soggy spots can ruin a great yard. At GardenGOAT, we design and install drainage solutions that fix these problems for good. A French drain in Austin is one of the most popular fixes we build. It moves water away from your home quietly and keeps your yard dry. We also install catch basins, swales, and sub-surface systems based on what your property needs. Whether you have runoff from a slope, pooling near the foundation, or just bad yard drainage from a past install, we bring real fixes. Our team protects your home and restores your yard without tearing everything apart.
French Drain and Yard Drainage in Austin, TX
Austin’s soil is the main reason. Much of the area sits on heavy clay or shallow limestone that does not absorb water well. When a big rain hits, water pools in low spots instead of soaking in. Add in the city’s flash-flood-prone weather pattern and the rolling terrain of the Hill Country, and many yards end up with standing water, soggy turf, or erosion along fence lines. Poor grading from the original build makes it worse. A French drain, channel drain, or catch basin system gives that water a clear path away from your foundation, patio, and lawn so your yard stays dry and usable. For simple checks you can do before the rainy season, read our guide to fall drainage and grading for Austin yards.
- On-site inspection to find where water collects, how it flows, and where it needs to go
- Drainage plan using the right mix of French drains, surface drains, and catch basins for your yard
- Careful trenching with proper slope so water moves by gravity to the discharge point
- Quality pipe, gravel, and filter fabric installed to prevent clogging over time
- Clean backfill and turf repair so your yard looks finished, not torn up
We solve drainage problems for homeowners across the greater Austin area. Whether your lot is flat clay in Pflugerville or a rocky slope in Bee Cave, our crew designs a system that fits the soil and terrain on your property.
- Austin
- Barton Creek
- Barton Hills
- Bee Cave
- Bryker Woods
- Buda
- Cedar Park
- Davenport Ranch
- Driftwood
- Dripping Springs
- Jonestown
- Lakeway
- Leander
- Lost Creek
- Manor
- Old Enfield
- Pemberton Heights
- Pflugerville
- Rob Roy
- Rollingwood
- Round Rock
- Spanish Oaks
- Steiner Ranch
- Tarrytown
- West Lake Hills
Why Homeowners in Austin Choose GardenGOAT’s Drainage System Services
Engineered Solutions for Water Control and Property Protection
At GardenGOAT, we don’t just install drains - we design systems that solve real problems. With over 250 outdoor projects completed across Austin and 10+ years of experience in grading and water management, we create drainage plans that protect your home, landscape, and hardscape investments. Our systems are engineered to move water efficiently and invisibly, preventing standing water, erosion, and structural damage.
Custom Drainage Plans for Each Property
No two properties deal with water the same way. That’s why GardenGOAT tailors every drainage solution to the site’s slope, soil, and runoff patterns. We install French drains, catch basins, dry creek beds, swales, and full subsurface drainage systems - always with the goal of long-term performance and minimal maintenance. Our team evaluates not just the symptoms, but the underlying causes of drainage issues.
A Full-Service, Results-Focused Approach
Homeowners choose GardenGOAT because we manage every phase of the project - from site evaluation and trenching to installation and final grading. Our crews operate cleanly and efficiently, using the right equipment and proven techniques to install drainage that lasts. Clear communication, realistic timelines, and durable solutions are what set us apart when it comes to protecting your property from water damage.
Drainage Services We Offer in Austin, TX
Drainage System Design & Installation
Every custom drainage installation we do is planned to move water away from your home, lawn, or patio. Whether it’s heavy rain or poor slope, we tailor each solution to the property’s layout and runoff patterns.
- Full system design based on elevation, soil, and structures
- Combines surface and subsurface water control
- Built to reduce erosion, pooling, and foundation stress
French Drains & Subsurface Drainage
French drains are one of the most effective ways to move water underground without changing your yard’s surface. Perfect for soggy lawns, retaining walls, or areas with heavy runoff.
- Installed with gravel backfill and perforated drainpipe
- Redirects water to safe discharge points
- Ideal for flat yards or clay-heavy Austin soils
Surface Drains & Channel Systems
Catch basins, trench drains, and channel systems collect and move surface water from patios, driveways, or low spots. These solutions work well for fast-moving water in high-use areas.
- In-ground basins and trench drains with grates
- Helps protect hardscapes and entryways from washouts
- Discreet, functional, and easy to maintain
Downspout & Gutter Drain Extensions
We reroute roof runoff underground to keep water from pooling near your home. Extensions tie into drainage systems to direct water well away from foundations and footpaths.
- Ties gutter downspouts into French or surface drains
- Reduces erosion near homes, patios, and fences
- Helps protect slab foundations in Central Texas conditions
Grading & Swale Construction
Adjusting the slope of your yard can make a huge difference in how water moves. We regrade soil or install swales to guide rainwater naturally and prevent problem areas from forming.
- Surface shaping to promote water flow
- Swales can be grass-lined or built with decorative stone
- Often paired with drainage systems for extra control
Drainage System Repair & Cleanup
Clogged pipes, damaged catch basins, or collapsed lines can cause backups or pooling. We inspect, clear, and repair existing systems to restore proper flow.
- Jetting, root removal, or pipe repair services
- Replacement of crushed or disconnected drain lines
- Seasonal cleanup to maintain system performance
Our Drainage System Installation Process in Austin, TX
Poor drainage causes erosion, foundation damage, and standing water that ruins your landscape. GardenGOAT designs and installs custom drainage solutions for Austin properties — from French drains and channel drains to full yard drainage systems. Here’s how we solve your water problems:
We’ll discuss where water collects on your property, when it happens (heavy rain, irrigation runoff, or constant), and what damage it’s causing. This helps us identify the right drainage approach before we visit your site.
- Describe problem areas, water sources, and damage concerns
- Discuss French drain, channel drain, and dry creek bed options
- Confirm budget range and project urgency
We assess slope, soil absorption rate, existing water flow patterns, and downspout discharge points. For Austin’s clay-heavy soils, proper drainage design is critical — we map the full water path from source to discharge point.
- Assess slope, soil absorption, and existing water flow
- Map water path from source to discharge point
- $900 – $1,600 design fee is fully credited toward the build when you move forward with us
We present our drainage design — showing trench routes, pipe sizes, catch basin locations, and discharge points. You’ll see exactly how the system will solve your water issues and review a detailed, itemized project quote.
- Review trench routes, pipe sizes, and catch basin placement
- Confirm discharge point and erosion control measures
- Approve the final drainage plan with a clear installation timeline
Our crew trenches, installs pipe and gravel beds, sets catch basins, and restores the surface — delivering a drainage system that protects your Austin property’s foundation, landscape, and outdoor living areas from water damage.
- Trenching, pipe installation, and gravel bed construction
- Catch basin setting, backfill, and surface restoration
- Final walkthrough and system testing to confirm proper flow
How to Request a Drainage System Installation Quote
Book a Design Consultation
Give us some basic information about your project. We’ll follow up to schedule your consultation.
Site Visit & Design Planning
We meet on-site to review the space, gather information, and translate your ideas into an initial design.
Review, Refine, and Approve
Get a detailed quote, review the design, and make adjustments before moving forward.
How Much Does a Drainage System Cost in Austin, TX?
Spot Drainage or Surface Corrections
$3,000 to $7,000
- Great for redirecting water in small trouble spots or correcting minor pooling
- May include surface grading, downspout extensions, or simple French drains
- A practical solution for preventing water damage in targeted areas
Full Yard Systems or Multi-Zone Layouts
$7,000 to $15,000
- Ideal for resolving standing water in lawns, garden beds, or around patios
- May include catch basins, trench drains, gravel channels, and regrading
- Built for homeowners looking to protect their landscape and foundation
Full-Property Drainage Solutions
$15,000+
- Designed for larger lots, sloped properties, or ongoing water intrusion issues
- Includes integrated systems like sump pumps, dry wells, swales, and buried piping
- A long-term fix for clients needing reliable drainage across multiple zones
We provide transparent, itemized estimates upfront, so you know exactly what you’re investing in.
Request Your EstimateOur Customer Reviews
Nicolas is extremely talented in how he approaches landscape design and installation. I recently built a new house, and he worked in partnership with me and my developer to ensure every detail was worked out. He has a wonderful eye for design, choosing plants and flowers that resonated with me personally while also ensuring we installed what would thrive in our native Austin climate and soil. His lighting design and choices literally make the house glow at night, and he's been faithfully following up to ensure watering schedules are working as planned, replacing plants as needed, and generally making sure I'm happy. He's also a delight to work with! He has a great sense of humor, is extremely fair in his pricing, and is kind in how he shows up every day. I've gotten so many compliments on my landscaping, and I couldn't recommend him more! Nicolas - the true Garden GOAT!
Nicolas and GardenGOAT are the best at what they do! I had a rather unusual project this time around, and I felt like Nicolas genuinely cared about finding the right, outside-the-box solution - and making it work within my crazy timeline. He is friendly, reliable, and truly loves what he does. Highly recommend!
I'm very happy with the result! Pleasing aesthetic look just like how I wanted. Garden Goat has impressed me from the beginning with their presentation and communication till the end. Nicolas, the landscaper and also the owner of the company, has been very helpful and patient not just with our HOA and irrigation permit application process (over a year), but also the after-project care. I used about 5 to 7 vendors in the past for different projects, and I will say Garden Goat has most reasonable price and the best service. Totally recommended!
Working with Nicolas at Garden Goat was a great experience! He is very detail oriented and communicative. He has great suggestions on how to improve existing designs and works hard to make sure the work is done right for the client. Highly recommended for all your landscaping needs!
Garden Goat built a limestone sidewalk and entry for my project and the craftsmanship was excellent.
10/10, Nic was amazing, very patient with us from start to finish (this was our first big landscaping project), responsive, transparent on costs and process. He really helped bring our design to life, gave great advice on adjusting our plans to maximize success given the weird micro climate we are in (Hyde Park) his crew was amazing too, great attention to detail. They were just all around great to work with and our yard looks amazing. Highly recommend!
I've hired Nicholas and the Garden Goat team two times for projects and would happily recommend to others. Two years ago, we had irrigation and sod installed which went very smoothly and the sod and sprinklers have held up great over that time. The couple of small adjustments to the irrigation system that were needed have been no problem for Nicholas and team to take care of quickly. At the end of 2025 after getting a handful of quotes, we hired Garden Goat again for irrigation expansion in the back yard, a new path, and a new deck. After a bunch of back and forth on the design for the deck, I'm very happy with the outcome and can't recommend Jose and his carpentry work enough. The whole process was pretty easy and I was rarely if ever waiting on the Garden Goat team for anything.
Top notch experience from beginning to end. I was in touch with the owner/operator and he was both knowledgeable and humble in his expertise. He asked good questions and made suggestions which helped me clarify my answers. I was actually gone the day they came to do the work, but everything was done exactly how it was planned and we loved how it all looked!
We had a fantastic experience with Garden GOAT! Nicolas, the owner, was incredibly professional, attentive, and detail-oriented throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand exactly what we wanted and made sure every part of the job was done thoroughly. The team worked quickly and efficiently, laying new sod and planting additional greenery in our beds—all with excellent attention to detail. Our yard looks amazing now, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Highly recommend Garden GOAT for anyone looking to improve their outdoor space!
We had an excellent experience with gardenGOAT. They transformed my garden with creativity, care, and real attention to detail. They listened to what we wanted, offered thoughtful suggestions, and delivered. Highly recommend gardenGOAT for anyone looking to elevate their outdoor space.
I had my fence replaced by GardenGOAT and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, the process was smooth and stress-free. Nicholas was professional, friendly, and easy to work with and his crew were great. The pricing was very reasonable compared to other quotes I received. The new fence looks fantastic and really transforms my yard. Will use GardenGOAT again in the future!
GardenGoat was incredible to work with. Super thorough and extremely knowledgeable and experienced. He was able to help us fix out landscaping and irrigation issues quickly and his pricing is fantastic. I highly recommend them!
We are so happy with our experience with Garden Goat. This is our second project with them and they have succeeded all expectations! They fixed several landscaping and drainage issues. They were always easy to get a hold of and gave fair pricing. We will definitely use them again in the future!
We had a great experience working with Nicholas and the Garden Goat team! Despite being a smaller project for them, we felt like we were treated with as much priority and care as any big project. Nicholas was very communicative throughout the entire process, offering honest and thoughtful advice, as well as fair prices. We never felt pressure to do more than what we needed and appreciated his and his team’s patience with our questions and modifications. They brought our vision to life, the end result is great. We’d be happy to recommend Garden Goat to others!
I had a fantastic experience working with Garden Goat! Nicholas was extremely communicative from the start, taking the time to really understand my goals for my backyard renovation. He stayed on schedule and within budget, and was available and responsive every step of the way—right up until every detail was complete. I was so impressed with the quality of work and professionalism that I referred two friends during the project! Before & after photos provided - 5 days for project. Thank you Garden Goat !
Nicolas and his team leads, Jose and Ezekiel, from Garden Goat Landscaping did a great job on my yard. We compared three landscaping companies before deciding, and Garden Goat offered a fair price with quality work. The project took about two months, with phase 1 in winter 2024 and phase 2 in spring 2025. They were very easy to work with, listened to my ideas, and provided helpful suggestions on grass, patio stones, boulders, and even a pergola and deck. At one point, Nicolas even redid the pergola because the original version wasn’t secure, which really showed their commitment to quality. They also fixed my old irrigation system and made sure everything was working well. I’m very happy with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend Garden Goat Landscaping to anyone looking for a reliable and easy-to-work-with landscaping team.
We had an excellent experience working with Nicolas and his team to rebuild our elevated pool deck. The team was punctual, hard working and reliable. They were very honest and professional through the process and we are delighted with the results. Thank you Garden Goat!
I've worked with Garden Goat twice now and have been delighted both times. Really easy to work with, communicative and punctual, no hassles and really great work. Will definitely have them back any time we need landscaping or irrigation work in the future!
Nicholas did an amazing job! I love the outcome of my front and backyard. He exceeded my expectations. I got a new driveway, irrigation, sod, plants, firepit, and pathways. I would highly recommend him to everyone!
Nicholas and his team were a pleasure to work with on our side and in our backyard. They removed a huge slab of exposed aggregate and installed lueders and pea gravel. We also had some drainage problems when it rained that they were able to address/fix the issues. We have had several heavy rains since the French drain was installed, and it works beautifully.
The Garden Goat crew have been a GREAT FIND! Nicolas and his super hard working crew are fantastic! Great communication. Show up when they say they’re going to. The guys truly get that each job will change a little as you start and help you tweak things as needed on the fly. They pivot really well. If anything goes wrong, because that’s the reality of projects, they are so quick to fix it! We will be working with Garden Goat on a lot of future projects!! I recommend that you absolutely give them a call and a chance to show you what they can do! Oh! And let’s make sure this is noted… THEY ARE SO NICE! The crew is absolutely delightful to have around.
I hired Garden Goat to install turf and irrigation in my backyard. In the beginning Matt was great with getting us an accurate estimate and was super helpful with the design. He answered any and all questions and has the experience with these types of projects. Once we agreed to the job Nicolas contacted me and set up the install date. Nicolas was personable and also answered any questions with the process. All the workers were great and respectful. If you're looking for turf install or any kind of landscaping these guys were great from start to finish. Thanks Matt, Nicolas and Ezekiel!
Frequently Asked Questions About Drainage Systems
Drainage system installations typically range from $3,000 to $15,000+, depending on the size of the area, type of system, and site conditions. Small corrections like grading or downspout extensions are less expensive, while full-yard systems with subsurface drains cost more.
We install French drains, trench drains, catch basins, swales, dry wells, and regrading solutions. We’ll assess your property and recommend the right system to manage runoff, prevent pooling, and protect your foundation.
Common signs include standing water, soggy soil, erosion, mildew near your home, or water intrusion after storms. If your yard holds water for more than 24–48 hours, a drainage system is likely needed.
We take care to minimize disruption, and many systems are installed below grade and restored with sod or mulch after completion. Our process ensures long-term performance while keeping your yard looking clean and finished.
Permits are not usually required for residential drainage systems, but if we’re connecting to a storm drain or working near easements, city approval may be needed. We handle permitting when necessary and ensure all work meets local codes.
Yes. We retrofit drainage systems into existing landscapes all the time. Whether you’re experiencing new issues or never had proper runoff management, we can install a system without tearing out your whole yard.
