Our services
Drainage and concrete leveling for clay-soil homes
French drains, regrading, buried downspouts, surface drains, dry wells, foundation drainage and foam concrete leveling for homes in Pflugerville and the suburbs north and east of Austin.
Water and concrete are one problem
Pflugerville Drainage Pros works on residential yards and outdoor concrete in Pflugerville, Round Rock, Hutto, Manor and northeast Austin, plus the nearby towns listed on our service areas page. Our services fall into three groups. Drainage moves water away from the house and out of the yard. Foundation protection keeps the soil around the slab at a steadier moisture level. Concrete work lifts sunken slabs and seals the gaps that let water in.
The soil ties these together. East of I-35, most yards sit on dark Blackland Prairie clay that soaks up water slowly and swells and shrinks with the seasons. Rain that cannot drain sits on the surface or soaks in beside the slab. Then a dry summer pulls the moisture back out, and the ground drops under sidewalks and patios. A fix that only treats one half of that cycle often leaves you calling again in a year or two.
Each service below links to a page with the full details: how the work is done, the steps involved, what changes the cost and what is different on clay soil. If you are not sure what you need, the quick guide further down matches common problems to the right service.
Drainage
Most yard water problems on clay come down to three things: the ground is too flat, roof water lands in the wrong place, or the soil cannot absorb water fast enough. These services move water on the surface, under the surface or both, and carry it to a safe outlet like the street or a swale. Many yards need two or three of them working together.
French Drain Installation
Buried perforated pipe in a gravel trench that collects soggy soil water and carries it to a safe exit away from your home.
A French drain is a sloped trench holding perforated pipe and clean gravel that gives underground water an easy path to follow. In the clay soils north and east of Austin, it is one of the most reliable ways to dry out a soggy yard or protect a foundation edge. We explain how it works, what drives the price, and when a different fix makes more sense.
French Drain Installation detailsYard Drainage & Regrading
Regrading, swales, and surface drainage fixes that move rain off your lawn and keep it away from your home's foundation.
Yard drainage work reshapes the ground so rain leaves your lot instead of settling in it. In the clay suburbs around Pflugerville, small changes in slope often decide whether water drains toward the street or toward your slab. This page explains how regrading and swales work, what they cost, and how to tell a grading problem from a plumbing one.
Yard Drainage & Regrading detailsUnderground Downspout Drains
Buried solid pipe that carries roof runoff from your gutters well away from the foundation to a safe, legal discharge point.
An underground downspout drain connects your gutter downspouts to buried solid pipe that carries roof water to a safe outlet far from the house. It is one of the most direct ways to keep water off the soil beside your slab. Here is how the system works, what it costs, and what to check around Pflugerville and the Austin suburbs.
Underground Downspout Drains detailsCatch Basins & Channel Drains
Surface drains that capture runoff from low spots, patios, and driveways and send it through buried pipe to a safe outlet.
Catch basins and channel drains collect water that sits or sheets across the surface and send it into buried pipe. They suit low spots, patios, driveways, and the foot of a slope where grading alone cannot do the job. This page explains how each one works, how to choose between them, and what matters in the clay-soil suburbs near Austin.
Catch Basins & Channel Drains detailsDry Wells & Pop-Up Emitters
Underground gravel pits and pop-up outlets that give collected rainwater a safe place to go when your yard has no easy exit.
Every drain needs an exit, and dry wells and pop-up emitters are two common ways to provide one. A dry well stores water underground while it slowly soaks away, and an emitter releases it onto the lawn. In clay-soil suburbs near Austin, choosing the right one depends heavily on the soil and the lot.
Dry Wells & Pop-Up Emitters detailsFoundation protection
A slab on expansive clay does best when the soil around it stays at a steady moisture level. Foundation drainage keeps roof and yard water from soaking one side of the house while the other side dries out. It is drainage work, not structural repair. If your home already shows signs of foundation movement, have an engineer or foundation repair company evaluate it first.
Concrete
Driveways, walks and patios sink when the clay under them shrinks or water washes soil out from under an edge. Foam leveling lifts the slab back into place through small holes, without tearing it out. Sealing the cracks and joints afterward keeps water from getting under the concrete and starting the cycle again.
Concrete Slab Leveling
Foam concrete leveling lifts sunken patios, walkways and garage aprons back into place without tearing out the slab.
Concrete slab leveling raises sunken exterior slabs by filling the empty space under them and lifting them back to grade. It fits patios, walkways, pool decks and garage aprons that have dropped on clay soil. We level detached exterior concrete only, and we do not lift or repair the foundation under your house.
Concrete Slab Leveling detailsDriveway & Sidewalk Leveling
Lift sunken driveway panels and sidewalk squares back to grade to remove trip hazards and stop water from pooling.
Driveway and sidewalk leveling lifts sunken concrete panels back to grade, so you do not have to demolish and repour. It removes trip hazards, restores drainage, and helps panels meet at the same height. We work on driveways, sidewalks and curb aprons, and we do not do structural foundation repair.
Driveway & Sidewalk Leveling detailsConcrete Crack & Joint Sealing
Seal cracks and control joints in driveways, patios and walks to keep water out of the soil and slow further damage.
Concrete crack and joint sealing fills gaps in driveways, patios, walkways and pool decks so rain stays out of the soil below. On expansive clay, water in those gaps softens the base and can lead to sinking panels. We seal exterior concrete only, and we do not repair structural foundations.
Concrete Crack & Joint Sealing detailsMatch what you see to the right service
You do not need to know the name of the fix before you call. Find the line that sounds most like your yard and start with that page. If two or three fit, that is normal on clay soil, and we sort it out on the visit.
- One side yard stays soggy for days, even with no puddle on top French drain installation
- The yard is flat or slopes back toward the house Yard drainage and regrading
- Downspouts dump next to the slab or wash out the flower beds Underground downspout drains
- Water pools on the patio, at the bottom of the driveway or in one low spot Catch basins and channel drains
- There is no slope to the street and roof water has nowhere to go Dry wells and pop-up emitters
- Water stands along the foundation after rain Foundation drainage
- A patio, pool deck or walk has dropped or tilts toward the house Concrete slab leveling
- A driveway panel or sidewalk has a trip edge Driveway and sidewalk leveling
- Open joints or cracks let water and weeds into the concrete Concrete crack and joint sealing
What to expect from any service visit
Every job starts with figuring out where the water comes from and where it can go. We look at the roof lines, gutters and downspouts, the slope along the slab and across the yard, low spots, neighbor runoff and the curb or swale where water can leave the lot. On concrete jobs, we check how far each slab has dropped and what is feeding water under it.
Then you get a plain explanation and a written estimate. You will hear what is causing the problem, which fixes fit and which ones can wait. If something we see points to a structural foundation issue, we will tell you and suggest you have an engineer or foundation repair company look before any drainage work.
Some jobs need a few steps before work starts. Anything that involves digging gets called in to Texas811 so buried utilities can be marked. Many HOAs want to approve grading and drainage changes, and some cities have rules for curb outlets and drainage easements. Those rules are not the same in every town, so check with your city and HOA. Our service areas page explains how conditions differ across the region.
Choosing the right service
These are the questions Pflugerville and northeast Austin homeowners ask most when they are not sure which fix their yard needs.
Full FAQHow do I know if I need a French drain or just better grading?
Watch the yard during a hard rain. If you can see water running across the surface toward the house or into a low spot, the shape of the ground is the main issue, and regrading or a surface drain is usually the first fix. If there is no puddle but the ground stays soft and wet for days, water is moving through the soil, and a French drain may help. On clay, a lot of yards need some of each.
Can you level my concrete without fixing the drainage?
We can, but it may not last as long as it could. Concrete on clay usually sinks for a reason, and the most common reason is water. A downspout that empties at the edge of a walk, or a patio that catches runoff from the roof, will keep washing out or swelling the soil underneath. Fixing that water first, or at the same time, gives a lifted slab a much better chance of staying put.
Is foundation drainage the same as foundation repair?
No. Foundation repair is structural work, such as installing piers to support or lift a house. We do not do that work. Foundation drainage controls the water around the house so the clay under the slab stays at a more even moisture level. It can help limit future movement, but it will not undo movement that has already happened. If you see signs of foundation trouble, have a structural engineer or foundation repair company check it first.
Where does the water go once it is collected?
It has to go somewhere safe and legal. Common outlets are the street curb, a drainage easement, a natural swale or a pop-up emitter in a part of the yard that drains well. Some cities have rules about connecting to the curb or working in easements, and many HOAs want to review the plan. Texas Water Code Section 11.086 also bars diverting surface water in a way that damages a neighbor. We plan the outlet before anything else.
Do all of these jobs need digging and an 811 call?
Any job that breaks ground does. French drains, buried downspouts, catch basins, dry wells and regrading all involve digging, so the job is called in to Texas811 first and buried utility lines are marked. Concrete leveling only drills small holes through the slab, but checking for lines nearby is still smart. Private lines like sprinkler pipes and yard lighting are usually not marked by 811, so it helps to know where yours run.
Water pooling or concrete sinking?
Call or send a request. We will look at where the water goes, check the grade and give you a written estimate.