Bonded Contracting, LLC
Drainage, Hardscapes, and Landscapes by Dan Bond
Water Mitigation
Here in the mountains of North Carolina, water is an ever present concern for home owners. Many mountain springs and streams run into and over properties. While water is essential for life, it can also be damaging for properties and assets. There are many options for mitigation of water around your property from purely functional to decorative.
Surface Drains
Surface water can be easily directed. Sometimes it is only an issue of grading the land properly, but with earth and rocks, we can mitigate surface water so that it poses no threat at all. With swales and pan drains, the wet, soggy, problem spots of your lawn can become beautiful river-rock beds, opening the rest of the previously-saturated area for use. With growing environmental awareness about erosion and wastewater, surface water is more and more being used to create wetland habitats. Whether it gets put to use on your property or not, surface drainage will stop erosion and give you piece of mind that your home is safe from deluge.
French Drains/Subsurface Drains
French drains, when properly installed, will alleviate even the worst of drainage sutiations. Constant standing water in your yard? Water in your basement? Digging below the footer of your home and installing fabric, pipe, and then refilling with gravel creates both a filter and a drain, so that all water near your home will be piped away. A french drain will lower the water table of your property so that the affected area will be bone dry no matter how much rain falls. There are also "b-dry" systems, where water is allowed into an underground drainage field and then pumped out. These are useful when there is no practical place to exit a full-depth french drain. .
Downspout Systems
These are often thrown in at the end of the building process. The thought seems to be "it's not getting in the house, close enough!". This is NOT the case! Failing downspouts can cause basement flooding and foundation failure!. One inch of rain on a 1500sq/ft roof puts almost 500 gallons of water down a single downspout! Repairing and replacing downspout exit pipes can be a relatively inexpensive way to protect your home.
CUSTOM DRAINAGE BOXES
Many builders install "box store" drains from Lowe's or Home Depot. These can work, but for a large area with heavy water flow, they are often inadequate. I offer custom fabricated drain boxes with large, sturdy steel grating that can handle the largest of water flows.
Concrete Drains
- Channel Drains - in driveways, walkways, and patios
- Basins - for fields or large driveways, anywhere with a high volume of water
