Situation
The owners called us to fix a 'drainage problem' — standing water in the side yard after every rain. A previous contractor had quoted a 60-foot French drain through the bed border. They asked for a second opinion before signing.
Observation
We walked the property during a slow steady rain. The standing water appeared in the same 8-foot stretch every time, dissipated within 12 hours, and traced back to a subtle grade roll under a magnolia. The water wasn't getting stuck. It was finding its low point and infiltrating exactly where it should — under the canopy that wanted the water.
What we learned
What looked like a drainage problem was a healthy infiltration zone. The French drain would have piped the magnolia's water supply 60 feet downhill into a Bermuda lawn that didn't need it. Most 'drainage problems' are conversations the land is already trying to have. We have to read where the water wants to go before we decide to move it.
Before any earthwork, observe one storm. The site will usually tell you what it needs.