Our block got a new drainage ditch and the difference is wild

I moved into my house in 2018 and every spring the backyard would turn into a mini lake. Last fall the city finally came through with a proper drainage ditch along the alley. I figured it would help a bit but I didn't expect the change to be this big. We got a huge storm last week, like 3 inches in a few hours, and my yard was bone dry the next morning. Before that I would have had standing water for days and my basement would be damp. It cost the city about $12,000 for the whole block project and I gotta say it was worth every penny. Has anyone else seen this kind of improvement from city drainage work or did I just get lucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_carr73d ago

TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS for a whole block project?? That's Absolutely insane how cheap that is! My neighbor got a quote just to fix the drain pipe from his downspout to the street and they wanted like eight grand for that alone. You got SUPER lucky with that city funding. Around here the city would probably charge us some special assessment fee and it would end up being triple that. And the fact that your basement isn't damp anymore is HUGE because moisture down there can cause so many hidden problems. That drainage ditch probably added real value to your house too honestly.

bettywilson3d ago

My neighbor spent $15k on a french drain that just moved the water into my yard instead. Guess who's not invited to the block party anymore.