Edmonds · Snohomish County
French Drain Installation in Edmonds, WA
French drains, curtain drains and downspout tightlines in Edmonds that collect water before it reaches the house and carry it to an approved outlet. Serving Downtown Edmonds, the Bowl, Five Corners and Westgate.
Why Edmonds yards hold water
Glacial till and outwash sands over much of the city, with layered silts and clays in the bluffs that become unstable when saturated. That is the root of most soggy lawns, wet crawlspaces and ponding patios we see in Edmonds: water that cannot soak in perches on the hard layer and runs to the lowest point.
The downtown "bowl" faces Puget Sound, and the land climbs steeply east to Five Corners and Westgate. North toward Meadowdale and south toward Woodway the shoreline is high bluff with mapped landslide hazard areas. Slopes push water onto the next lot down, and flat ground leaves it nowhere to go, so the drain route and the grade around the house matter as much as the pipe.
Puget Sound shoreline, Shell Creek, Perrinville Creek and the Lake Ballinger edge all carry critical-area or shoreline rules. Drainage on the slopes is a big deal here, because water in the wrong place moves hillsides. Where a drain can legally discharge depends on these features, so we plan the outlet first and the trench second.
Common french drains projects in Edmonds
Soggy lawns
French drains for Edmonds lawns that stay wet all winter because water perches on the hard till below.
Wet crawlspaces
Curtain and footing-side drains that keep water away from foundations and crawlspaces in Downtown Edmonds and the Bowl.
Downspout tightlines
Roof water carried in solid pipe away from Edmonds foundations to an approved outlet.
Hillside water control
Curtain drains across Edmonds slopes that stop water before it sheets over a bank or onto the next lot.
Flat-ground drainage
Drains, catch basins and ditch work for flat, low Edmonds properties where water has nowhere to go.
What our french drains work in Edmonds covers
- French Drains
- Curtain Drains
- Downspout Tightlines
- Catch Basins
- Yard Regrading
- Material Delivery
Permits & Rules
Drainage rules in Edmonds
Small yard drains usually do not need a permit, but connecting to a storm system, working near a stream or wetland, or changing how water leaves the property can need approval from the City of Edmonds. Outside city limits, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) handles it.
Water can go to an existing storm system, a dispersion area or an infiltration trench where the soil allows. It cannot be pointed at a neighbor or dumped over a slope.
Cost & Timing
What affects the cost of french drains in Edmonds
We do not publish flat prices because no two Edmonds sites are the same. These are the things that move the number most here.
Slope and access
Steep Edmonds lots take smaller machines, more careful staging and sometimes engineering, which adds time compared with flat, open ground.
Tight lots
Narrow side yards and alley access in Edmonds mean compact equipment and shorter truck loads. We plan it so it costs less than it could.
Soft ground
Where Edmonds soils are soft or wet, over-excavation, fabric and imported rock are often part of the job, and we price that in up front.
Buffers and permits
Work near Edmonds's rivers, creeks, lakes or shoreline can need permits and limits on where machines go. That affects scope and schedule more than price.
Haul-off and disposal
How much material leaves the site, and what it is, drives cost. Our own trucks keep that predictable on Edmonds jobs.
When to schedule french drains in Edmonds
French Drains in Edmonds goes best in the drier months, when soil compacts properly and trenches stay open. Wet-season work is doable with erosion control and the right material, and we plan for it in the quote.
Edmonds's till soils hold water through the winter, which is when drainage problems show up. That is a good time to see where water goes, and the dry season is the time to fix it.
Where We Work
Drainage work across Edmonds
Edmonds is a waterfront city with a ferry dock, a walkable downtown and a lot of view property. Much of the work here is on steep or tight lots, where access, slope stability and the neighbors' view all matter as much as the digging.
We install French and curtain drains, catch basins and downspout tightlines across Downtown Edmonds, the Bowl, Five Corners, Westgate, Perrinville, Seaview, Firdale and Meadowdale. Everything from 1920s bungalows near downtown to mid-century view homes and new construction replacing them. Teardowns and driveway replacements on steep lots are typical Edmonds work.
Drain rock, fabric and pipe are delivered on our own trucks, and the excavated soil is reused for regrading or hauled away.
We also do french drains nearby in Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Shoreline and Brier. See everything we do in Edmonds, read our full guide to french drains, or browse all service areas.
Why DirtRaptor
Why Edmonds owners call us for french drains
Owner on the machine
On Edmonds jobs you talk to the person who walks the site, writes the quote and runs the equipment.
Trees and dirt, one crew
If trees are in the way of your Edmonds project, we take them down ourselves instead of waiting on a separate tree service.
Our own trucks
Haul-off and deliveries run on our schedule along SR 104 and SR 524 (196th St SW), not a subcontractor's.
Built for slopes
We plan machine placement, drainage and erosion control for Edmonds's sloped ground before we start.
How a french drains job runs
- 01
Find the Water
- 02
Plan the Outlet
- 03
Trench, Fabric, Rock & Pipe
- 04
Backfill & Grade
Real Jobs
Recent DirtRaptor work in Edmonds
Demolition · Edmonds, WA
Driveway Removal & Concrete Prep
Tearing out an old blacktop driveway and prepping the ground for a new concrete pour — broken material hauled off, base left clean and ready.
Demolition · Everett, WA
Condemned 100-Year-Old Shed Teardown
A 100-year-old shed, condemned and unsafe, brought down and hauled off — the site left graded flat and clean.
Questions
French Drain Installation in Edmonds: FAQs
Will a French drain fix my wet yard in Edmonds?
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Often, especially combined with regrading. Glacial till and outwash sands over much of the city, with layered silts and clays in the bluffs that become unstable when saturated. A drain plus better grading handles most of what that causes.
Where can drainage water go in Edmonds?
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To an approved outlet: a storm system, a dispersion area or an infiltration trench where the soil allows. Puget Sound shoreline, Shell Creek, Perrinville Creek and the Lake Ballinger edge all carry critical-area or shoreline rules.
Do I need a permit for a French drain in Edmonds?
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Usually not for a small yard drain. Storm connections or work near streams, wetlands or slopes can need approval from the City of Edmonds. We confirm before digging.
How much does french drains cost in Edmonds?
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It depends on the site, so we quote after a free site walk rather than guessing on the phone. The biggest drivers in Edmonds are usually slope and access, tight lots, soft ground. You get a written number with inclusions and exclusions spelled out.
When is the best time to schedule french drains in Edmonds?
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French Drains in Edmonds goes best in the drier months, when soil compacts properly and trenches stay open. Wet-season work is doable with erosion control and the right material, and we plan for it in the quote.
Can you work on a steep Edmonds lot?
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Yes. On steep ground we choose machines by footprint and weight, control water during the job, and avoid stockpiling soil at the top of a slope. If the lot is in a mapped landslide hazard area, a geotechnical report may be part of the permit.
How did you handle the Edmonds driveway job?
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We broke out the old asphalt with the excavator, loaded it straight onto our own trucks and hauled it off, then prepped the base for the new surface. One crew and one schedule from tear-out to clean ground.
What is the difference between a French drain and a curtain drain?
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They are built the same way. A curtain drain is placed across a slope to intercept water before it reaches the house; a French drain collects water where it already pools.
Ready for a real number in Edmonds?
Send the address and a few photos. We walk the site for free and come back with a written quote.
