You’re staring at puddles that won’t go away. The grass smells musty. The crawlspace feels damp. Maybe rain sweeps across your yard and hangs out by the porch—or worse, creeps toward the foundation. You’re not alone. In Autauga County and across Central Alabama, we see the same pattern: heavy rain, clay-heavy soils, and yards that don’t drain like they should.

We’re PennyEarned Concrete & Site Prep, based in Montgomery and serving Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Bullock, Macon, Tallapoosa, Chilton, Dallas, and Pike Counties. We tailor drainage plans to the way your property is built—the slope, soil, roof layout, driveway grade, and where your water naturally wants to flow. This guide breaks down what actually works here, what doesn’t, and how to pick the right fix without overpaying or overbuilding.

Spot the Signs: Do You Really Have a Drainage Problem?

You don’t need fancy tools to spot trouble. Look for:

• Standing water that lingers 24–48 hours after rain.
  

• Mushy lawn that squishes under your feet.
  

• Water stains or efflorescence (white chalky film) along the foundation.
  

• Peeling paint or musty odors in a crawlspace or basement.
  

• Erosion—bare soil, exposed roots, or channels left by runoff.
  

• Heaving or cracking concrete where water undermines the sub-base.
  

• Mosquitoes turning puddles into a breeding ground.

If you’re seeing two or more of these, you don’t just have a wet yard—you have a drainage system that isn’t doing its job.

How Alabama Soil and Rainfall Affect Your Yard

Our region gets intense rain in short bursts. Many properties also sit on clay-heavy or loamy soils that hold water. Clay drains slowly, and when it swells, it can push against foundations, shift walkways, and choke grass roots. Low spots and flat yards make it worse. If your home sits at the bottom of a gentle slope or behind a neighbor’s runoff path, water will find you.

What this means: the right answer is rarely one product. It’s usually a small stack of fixes—grading plus an inlet here, a shallow swale there, a tightline from the downspouts—aimed at moving water from A to B without causing problems at C.

French Drains Near Autauga County: When They Work—and When They Don’t

A French drain is a perforated pipe set in gravel and wrapped in fabric. It collects subsurface water and sends it somewhere safer.

When they work:

• Along a soggy fence line or the base of a hill.
  

• To intercept water before it crosses a lawn or reaches a foundation.
  

• In clay soils when paired with fabric and clean, angular stone to keep fines out.

When they don’t:

• If there’s no downhill outlet. Water needs somewhere lower to go.
  

• When used as a band-aid for a grading problem. If the yard pitches toward your house, fix the slope first.
  

• If installed too shallow, without filter fabric, or with dirty fill—clogs come fast.

Our rule: If surface water is the main problem, we start with grading and surface flow. French drains are for groundwater interception and problem zones—not a cure-all.

Channel Drains for Driveways and Patios: Pros, Cons, and Costs

Channel drains are linear drains set into concrete or paver areas. They catch sheet flow where water has no place to run.

Pros:

• Great for driveway low points, garage entries, patio doors, and pool decks.
  

• Clean look with slotted or grate tops.
  

• Moves water quickly to a safe outlet.

Cons:

• Needs solid concrete or paver support so the channel doesn’t shift.
  

• Grates need seasonal cleaning.
  

• If the outlet is too small or too flat, water backs up.

When to use: If water is crossing a hard surface and aiming for your garage or back door, channel drains are usually the right tool—simple, effective, and tidy.

Surface Grading and Swales: Low-Cost Fixes That Solve Big Problems

Often the smartest move is to regrade. We reshape the soil so water flows around the house, not toward it. A swale is a shallow, grassed channel that carries water across your yard without eroding it.

Why it works:

• Surface water wants the easy path. Give it one.
  

• Swales are lawn-friendly and easy to mow if they’re gentle.
  

• Regrading reduces how much “gadget” you need later.

Good signs for grading: You can place a level and see that the ground slopes toward the house, or you can watch rain roll in the wrong direction. Fixing slope is often the best long-term value.

Downspout Extensions and Catch Basins: Small Parts, Big Impact

We see this every week: giant roof, tiny downspout, and a splash block stopping the water two feet from your foundation. That water goes straight back into your crawlspace.

Downspout extensions (buried “tightlines”) carry roof water to the curb, a daylighted slope, or a legal discharge point. Catch basins collect surface water at low spots and send it away through a solid pipe.

This is the easiest win for many homes: route roof water out and down. It protects the foundation, avoids puddles near steps and beds, and saves the lawn.

Sump Pumps and Yard Drains: What to Know Before You Buy

Sump pumps help when gravity won’t. If your outlet must go uphill or there’s no lower spot to daylight, a pump basin can lift water to a safe discharge.

Pros: Works on flat lots; solves an outlet problem.
Cons: Needs power, a protected discharge, and regular checks. Pumps can clog if they pull silt or leaves. We add cleanouts and set basins in washed rock to extend life.

Yard drains (area drains) collect water in a box grate. They’re helpful in specific low spots—just don’t expect one little box to fix a whole yard. It’s a point solution, not a plan.

French Drains vs. Channel Drains vs. Grading: Which Is Right for Your Property?

• If water is pooling across grass → Start with grading/swales; add catch basins if needed.
  

• If water races across concrete → Choose a channel drain with a proper outlet.
  

• If the ground stays spongy near a slope or fence → Consider a French drain to intercept groundwater.
  

• If the roof dumps near the house → Downspout extensions first, before anything else.
  

• If your lot is dead-flat → A sump system may be necessary to move water uphill.

Most properties need two or three of these, working together.

Common Mistakes in DIY Drainage (and How to Avoid Expensive Do-Overs)

• No outlet or a flat outlet. Water must go downhill or be pumped.
  

• Using pea gravel or dirty fill. Fines clog systems fast.
  

• Skipping fabric around French drains. Clay will creep in and choke the pipe.
  

• Too few downspouts or undersized gutters for big roof areas.
  

• Connecting roof water to perforated pipe. That adds water to your soil—do the opposite.
  

• Burying cleanouts. You’ll need them later.
  

• Ignoring neighbors and easements. Discharging water against a fence or into someone else’s yard causes conflicts and, sometimes, fines.
  
  

What Good Drainage Installation Looks Like: Our Step-by-Step Process

1. Walk the lot after or during light rain when possible. Watch where water goes.
   

2. Map elevations and pick an outlet with real fall.
   

3. Fix the roof first. Right-size gutters and route downspouts away in solid pipe.
   

4. Shape the yard. Regrade to create gentle flow paths and swales that blend with the lawn.
   

5. Add collection points. Catch basins at low spots; channel drains at garage or patio thresholds.
   

6. Intercept groundwater where needed with a properly built French drain: fabric-lined trench, clean angular stone, perforated pipe holes down, wrapped and backfilled.
   

7. Protect outlets. Use riprap or splash pads where water discharges to prevent erosion.
   

8. Cleanouts and access. We leave you a way to service what we built.
   

9. Final touch. Soil compaction, sod or seed, grate alignment, and a quick homeowner walkthrough.
   
   

Realistic Pricing in Central Alabama: What Drives the Cost

Every property is different, but a few things set the price:

• Length and depth of trenches.
  

• Soil type (clay is slower to dig and needs better stone/fabric).
  

• Hardscapes to cut through or restore (driveways, patios, sidewalks).
  

• Distance to a viable outlet and elevation drop.
  

• Access for equipment and material.

Typical ranges we see locally (ballpark, not quotes):

• Downspout extensions (buried): Often a modest cost per run depending on length and obstacles.
  

• Channel drain across a driveway: Higher if concrete demo and replacement are needed.
  

• French drain (per linear foot): Varies with depth, stone, and fabric; larger projects scale cost.
  

• Regrading and swales: Depends on square footage and whether we’re importing/exporting soil.
  

• Sump systems: Pump, basin, power, discharge line, and protection add up.

Our goal is to solve the problem once, not sell you the biggest package. We’ll show side-by-side options with what each actually accomplishes so you can choose what fits.

Seasonal Timing: The Best Time of Year to Install a Drainage System

You can fix drainage any time, but timing helps:

• Fall and early winter: Great for shaping yards, adding channel drains, and moving roof water before long wet spells.
  

• Late winter to spring: Good for French drains and sump work, but we plan around saturated soils.
  

• Late spring and summer: Ideal for regrading, soil compaction, and establishing new grass.

If your yard floods now, waiting usually costs more—erosion gets worse, and water keeps pressing on your foundation.

Permits, Easements, and Codes in Autauga and Neighboring Counties

Most small residential drainage upgrades don’t require a building permit, but there are rules to respect:

• Right-of-way and ditch connections may require approval.
  

• Easements limit where you can place pipes or outlets.
  

• Discharge rules prevent redirecting water onto neighbors.
  

• Stormwater features (like tying into a public system) can need a green light.

We check these early. It’s part of doing the work right and keeping you out of trouble.

Maintenance Made Simple: Keeping Your System Working for Years

• Clean grates on channel drains and catch basins each season.
  

• Check downspout outlets after big storms for clogs or damage.
  

• Flush cleanouts annually if you have long runs.
  

• Watch the discharge point for erosion and add rock if needed.
  

• Keep swales mowed and free of mulch or leaves.
  

• Mind the landscaping. Fresh beds can block flow if set too high.

A one-hour yearly check can add years to your system’s life.

How PennyEarned Customizes Drainage for Your Home and Soil

We’re builders and dirt workers who live with the same weather you do. Our approach is simple:

• Listen first. You show us what happens when it rains.
  

• Design small-to-large. Start with roof water and slope. Add the right pieces, not all the pieces.
  

• Match the fix to your soil. Clay needs different trench design than sandy loam.
  

• Respect your property. Clean edges, tidy sod, and clear explanations of what we did and why.
  

• Plan for service. Cleanouts and access points so future maintenance is easy.

We’re based in Montgomery (Montgomery County, AL) and serve Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Bullock, Macon, Tallapoosa, Chilton, Dallas, and Pike Counties. Every yard is different; our job is to read yours.

Service Area: Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Bullock, Macon, Tallapoosa, Chilton, Dallas, Pike

If you’re near Prattville, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Pike Road, or anywhere across Central Alabama, we’ve likely handled a yard just like yours—flat lots, clay pockets, driveway low points, and rooflines that dump thousands of gallons during a storm. We’ll bring that experience to your address.

Next Steps: How to Get a Site Visit and a Straightforward Estimate

1. Tell us your top problems. Puddles, crawlspace dampness, driveway flooding—be specific.
   

2. Walk the yard with us. If rain is in the forecast, even better—we can see flow paths in real time.
   

3. Review options side-by-side. We’ll show you the “small fix,” the “balanced plan,” and the “complete system,” with what each solves.
   

4. Pick the plan that fits. We schedule work, protect your property, and leave you with a system you can maintain.
   
   

What Works—and What Doesn’t (Quick Takeaways)

Works in Autauga County and nearby:

• Regrading and swales to set the basic flow.
  

• Downspout extensions to move roof water far from the house.
  

• Channel drains for driveways and patios with sheet flow.
  

• Properly built French drains where groundwater pushes in.
  

• Sump systems when gravity won’t cooperate.

Doesn’t work long-term:

• Throwing a French drain at every problem.
  

• Letting roof water dump at the foundation.
  

• Tiny outlets with no fall.
  

• Pea gravel, no fabric, or mixing perforated and solid lines the wrong way.
  

• Ignoring maintenance.
  

You don’t need a mystery system. You need a plan that respects your yard’s shape, your soil, and Alabama rain. When we’re done, water moves where it should—away from your home, quietly and reliably.

Ready to fix the root cause—not just the puddles?
We’ll tailor a drainage plan for your property in Autauga County, AL or any of our neighboring service areas. Let’s walk it together, design it right, and get your yard back to normal.