French Drain Installation: Costs and How It Works

If your lawn stays soggy, your mulch floats down the driveway, or your plants keep dying from root rot, drainage is probably the problem.

At OAK Outdoors, we’ve seen it all—from flooded side yards in Norman to washed-out beds in Edmond. And one of the best long-term yard drainage solutions we use? A French drain.

Let’s break it down simply:
What is it, how does it work, what does it cost, and when should you install one?

What Is a French Drain?

A French drain is a simple underground system that redirects water away from where you don’t want it.

It’s made up of:

• A trench (usually 8–12 inches wide)
• A perforated pipe at the bottom
• Gravel or stone to help water flow
• A fabric liner to keep dirt out

When water soaks into the ground, it enters the trench, flows into the pipe, and gets carried away—usually to a safe exit point like a dry creek bed, curb, or daylight pop-up.

Signs You Might Need One

French drains aren’t just for big yards or fancy homes. We’ve installed them in tight city lots and wide-open acreage. Here’s when you know it’s time:

• Standing water that sticks around for hours (or days)
• Mushy spots in the lawn
• Water pooling near your foundation
• Moldy smells or wet basements
• Washouts around mulch or flower beds
• Soggy zones under downspouts

If you’re Googling things like “French drains OKC” or “yard drainage experts near me,” this blog is for you.

How French Drain Installation Works

Every job is a little different, but here’s the typical step-by-step process:

1. Site Assessment

We check:

• Where the water is pooling
• Elevation changes (with a laser level)
• Soil type and slope
• Where we can safely exit the water

2. Layout and Planning

We create a drainage plan that works with:

• Your landscape design
• Sprinkler zones
• Property lines
• Utility lines (always called before we dig)

3. Excavation

We dig a trench that’s:

• Deep enough for slope (1–2% grade)
• Wide enough for the pipe and gravel
• Out of the way of trees, roots, or main sprinkler lines

4. Pipe and Gravel Installation

We use:

• High-quality perforated drain pipe
• Washed gravel (not crushed concrete or junk fill)
• Non-woven geotextile to keep sediment out

5. Cover and Restore

The top gets either:

• Gravel and river rock for open drain style
• Or topsoil and sod for an invisible finish

If it’s near your irrigation lines, we also offer full irrigation repair services and sprinkler system installation so nothing gets left broken.

What Does a French Drain Cost in OKC?

This depends on length, depth, site access, and whether we’re restoring sod or gravel. But here’s a ballpark:

• Small side yard install (20–30 ft): $1,200–$2,000
• Medium front yard fix (40–60 ft): $2,000–$3,500
• Large system (100+ ft with catch basins): $4,000–$7,000+

Prices include materials, labor, gravel, disposal, and restoration.

If your drainage problem is tied to your irrigation system, we can bundle the project with drip irrigation system upgrades or full sprinkler installations.

What Makes a Good French Drain Installer?

There’s a difference between someone who owns a shovel and someone who actually solves drainage problems. A good French drain installer in OKC will:

• Use the right slope and pipe
• Avoid shallow trenches that clog up
• Connect properly to discharge points
• Protect trees, fences, and driveways
• Offer restoration options (gravel, sod, or decorative finish)

Our crew at OAK Outdoors has fixed too many DIY or poorly installed systems to count. We make sure it works and looks good when we’re done.

Need a second opinion? We also offer French drain repair in OKC if you already have one that isn’t working right.

French Drains vs. Other Drainage Solutions

Not every water problem needs a French drain. Sometimes we recommend:

• Downspout tie-ins – Connecting gutter runoff straight to a drain
• Catch basins – Surface drains that collect water in low spots
• Grading – Reshaping the lawn so water naturally runs off
• Dry creek beds – Decorative rock channels that move water safely
• Permeable patios – Hardscapes that let water flow through

We often pair these with French drains for a full yard drainage solution that lasts.

Do French Drains Work With Irrigation?

Yes—and in fact, many of our French drain installs overlap with irrigation system upgrades.

We can:

• Reroute sprinkler system lines that cross the trench
• Add drip irrigation for beds that get too much runoff
• Improve watering efficiency with zone adjustments

This keeps your lawn green without adding more moisture to the wrong spots.

Explore our sprinkler and irrigation services.

When’s the Best Time to Install?

We install French drains year-round, but here’s the best schedule:

• Late summer or early fall – Soil is dry, and you’ll see results before winter
• Winter (if it’s dry) – Good for non-lawn areas or new builds
• Early spring – Just in time before the rainy season

We always check the forecast and avoid digging during heavy storms or saturated soil.

Areas We Serve

We offer French drain installation across the OKC metro, including:

• Oklahoma City
• Norman
• Edmond
• Midwest City
• Deer Creek
• Tuttle
• Blanchard
• Newcastle
• Choctaw

We also serve acreage properties and large estates that need bigger systems or multiple drains.

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