Standing water, caliche infiltration, foundation grade. We trace the actual flow path before we trench. Bioswales, French drains, regrading — whatever the water tells us to build.
Bioswales · French drains · regradingCaliche specialists
Most "drainage problems" are healthy infiltration zones the property is trying to use. The actual fix is rarely a trench.
Hill Country drainage is its own discipline. Caliche caps the infiltration, clay holds the water, summer flash storms deliver three inches in an hour, then nothing for two months. Conventional contractors build to the worst event. Ecological drainage works with the rhythm.
Before we install anything, we walk the property during or after a storm. We watch where water actually goes — not where it's supposed to. About half the projects we get called for don't need trenching at all. The other half get the right system, in the right spot, for less than they were quoted.
§ 1 · How we diagnose
We walk the storm.
Drainage diagnosis is a field observation, not a desk exercise. We schedule a Site Read during the rainy season (or after a storm if we're already deep in dry summer), and we trace the water by foot. Where it pools. Where it sheets. Where it disappears. Where it shouldn't be.
Foundation check. Does the grade fall away in the first 10 feet? Six-inch drop minimum. This is non-negotiable.
Soil probe. How deep is the topsoil? When does caliche start? Is there clay holding water?
Flow trace. Where does water enter the property? Where does it leave? Where does it pool in between? Photographed with timestamp.
Existing systems audit. Gutters, downspout extensions, French drains, dry wells. What's failing, what's overbuilt, what's missing.
Slope + percolation test. Two test holes minimum. How fast does water drop? This tells us what kind of solution will hold.
By the end of the read, you have a written report with the diagnosis, the recommended fix, and a price range. About a third of clients only need the read. The fix turns out to be cheap — usually a downspout extension, a regrade of one corner, or a mulched depression that nobody knew to call a rain garden.
§ 2 · What we build
Built right. Guaranteed.
Included
Bioswales
Planted, infiltrating channels. Beat French drains on cost, look, and infiltration. Native sedges + inland sea oats.
Included
French drains
Where there's no place for water to go above ground. Geotextile + clean drain rock + perforated pipe to daylight.
Included
Regrading
When the grade is the problem. We move dirt. Often the cheapest fix, but it requires real machinery.
Included
Rain gardens
Engineered depressions planted with moisture-tolerant natives. Beautiful, functional, low-maintenance.
Included
Caliche-fractured trench
Hill Country specialty. We break the caliche cap so water can reach native soil. Often the only thing that actually works.
Included
Dry wells
For roof discharge in tight lots. Concrete or stone-lined, sized to a 1-inch storm event.
§ 3 · Pricing
Honest pricing.
Drainage costs are driven by linear feet, dig depth, and access. A small bioswale on a flat lot near street access is a different project than a 60-ft French drain through a side yard with no machine access. These are typical ranges.
Diagnostic only
$299-$499
Site Read with written diagnosis and DIY recommendations. About 1/3 of clients stop here.
Small project
$1,200-$3,500
Single bioswale, regrade, or short French drain. 1-2 day install.
Major project
$3,500-$15,000+
Multi-system, deep trenching, structural regrade, or estate-scale. Engineered.
§ 4 · Why we don't default to French drains
French drains are often wrong.
Most contractors quote a French drain because it's the answer they know. It works — but it's overbuilt for ~70% of the residential drainage problems we see in the Hill Country.
French drains cost $50-$120 per linear foot, require professional installation, and have a service life of 8-20 years before the geotextile clogs. A planted bioswale costs $30-$60 per linear foot, can often be installed in a day, looks like part of the garden, and the planting actually improves infiltration over time instead of degrading it.
We use French drains where they're the right tool — under hardscape, beside foundations, where there's no place for surface water to go. We don't default to them.
Sometimes — but not by default. Most residential drainage problems we see in the Hill Country solve with a planted bioswale at half the cost, or with regrading and downspout extensions at a quarter. We default to a French drain only when there's no place for surface water to flow, under hardscape, or beside a foundation. Read first, then choose the tool.
What is a bioswale?
A planted, gently sloped channel that catches runoff, slows it, and lets the soil infiltrate it over hours instead of minutes. In the Hill Country we usually build them 12-18 ft long with a fractured-caliche base, native sedges (Carex planostachys), inland sea oats, and fieldstone check dams every 4 feet. Lower cost than a French drain, prettier, and infiltration improves over time.
My yard floods. Is it a drainage problem or a grade problem?
Almost always a grade problem first. If the ground slopes toward the foundation, no amount of trench-based drainage will fully solve it. Regrading to a 6-inch fall in the first 10 feet is the foundation move. Drainage systems handle the runoff that regrading can't redirect.
How long does a bioswale last?
Indefinitely, if it's planted right. The plants and soil biology actually improve infiltration over time. A typical bioswale we install 5 years ago is performing better today than at install. A French drain is the opposite — they're at 100% capacity day one and degrade from there.
Do you do work in caliche?
It's our specialty. Caliche is the calcium-carbonate-cemented layer that caps Hill Country drainage. Our standard bioswale uses a fractured-caliche base specifically designed to break through the cap and let water reach native soil. Most contractors avoid caliche or just throw a French drain on top of it. That doesn't solve the problem.
How much does drainage work cost in San Antonio?
Wide range. A Site Read with written diagnosis is $299-$499. A single bioswale or short regrade runs $1,200-$3,500. Major multi-system or deep-dig projects can hit $15,000+. About a third of properties solve their drainage with the diagnosis alone — usually just a regrade and downspout extensions.
Start here
Book a Site Read.
90 minutes on the property. Walking the storm path. Written diagnosis in 48 hrs. From $299.