Site work
Yard Drainage & Grading in the Metro East
Protect your home and reclaim your yard. We build practical drainage solutions that keep water moving away from your foundation.
- Designed and built in-house
- No subcontractors
- Free on-site consultation
Solving Water Problems at the Source
Standing water ruins a yard and threatens a foundation. We grade properties and install robust drainage systems so water goes where it should, away from the house and off the lawn.
Water always finds the path of least resistance. When a yard is sloped toward the house, heavy rains dump thousands of gallons of water directly against your foundation walls. Over time, this causes severe structural damage, flooded basements, and soil erosion. A muddy, swampy yard also prevents you from enjoying your outdoor space and kills off healthy turf. We step in to correct the grade and install heavy-duty drainage systems that capture the water and transport it safely off the property.
Drainage is also the unseen work that makes a patio or retaining wall last. If water is allowed to pool under pavers or sit behind a block wall, the hydrostatic pressure and freeze-thaw cycles will eventually destroy the structure. That is why we handle all excavation, grading, and drainage in-house on every hardscape project we build. We bury downspouts, install French drains, build decorative dry creek beds, and cut swales to ensure your landscape remains solid, dry, and beautiful for decades to come.
Our Drainage & Grading Solutions
We use heavy equipment and proven methods to control water flow.
- Yard Regrading: We use skid steers to sculpt the earth, filling in low spots and ensuring the ground slopes away from your foundation at a safe pitch.
- French Drains: A trench filled with washed gravel and a perforated pipe wrapped in filter fabric. These drains pull standing water out of the soil and carry it downhill away from trouble zones.
- Downspout Extensions: We take roof runoff, pipe it underground using solid PVC or heavy corrugated pipe, and discharge it via a pop-up emitter far away from your basement walls.
- Channel Drains and Surface Catch Basins: Installed directly into concrete, paver patios, or low points in the yard to catch fast-moving surface water before it floods a specific area.
- Swales and Dry Creek Beds: We cut shallow, broad ditches (swales) to guide water across a property naturally. We can line these with decorative river rock to create beautiful dry creek beds that handle massive amounts of storm runoff.
- Sump Pump Discharge Routing: We pipe your sump pump discharge underground so it does not dump right next to the house just to seep back into the basement.
Featured Projects
Why Choose JS Lawn
In-House Excavation
We own the heavy machinery required to move earth efficiently. We do not rent equipment and we do not hire subcontractors.
Foundation Protection
We understand the critical importance of keeping water away from concrete walls. We build systems that protect your biggest investment.
Family-Run and Local
When you call, you speak directly with the people who will be digging the trenches and laying the pipe.
Built to Last
We use thick schedule 40 PVC or heavy-duty corrugated pipe, proper filter fabrics, and clean stone to ensure our drains do not crush or clog over time.
Where We Work
We install drainage systems and regrade properties across the Metro East. If your yard in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Collinsville, Maryville, or Caseyville is struggling with water issues, our local crew is equipped to fix it permanently.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost depends heavily on the scale of the problem and the necessary fix. Extending a downspout is inexpensive, but regrading a massive yard and installing a large French drain requires significant labor and materials. We provide a precise quote after we assess the site in person.
Look for standing water that remains hours after rain, constantly soggy spots in the lawn, water pooling near your foundation walls, or deep ruts caused by erosion. If water is entering your basement, grading is often the first line of defense.
Yes. Proper drainage is built into every hardscape job we do. Managing hydrostatic pressure behind a wall or pitching a patio correctly is exactly what makes the work last for decades. It is never an afterthought.
A French drain is a trench filled with gravel containing a perforated pipe wrapped in a special filter fabric. It intercepts surface water and groundwater, redirecting it safely away from your home or yard without allowing dirt to clog the pipe.
Ready to Fix Your Yard?
Call (618) 560-4959 or schedule a free site assessment today.