French drains and yard drainage in Mesquite, TX
Mesquite yards deal with the same heavy east Dallas County clay as their neighbors. Here's what causes standing water, what it costs to fix, and who to ask before you dig.
Why Mesquite yards hold water
Mesquite is built on Blackland Prairie clay. When it's dry it cracks and soaks up rain; once it's wet it swells and water barely moves through it. That's why water sits for days after a storm in low spots, along fences, and where downspouts empty onto flat ground. How the clay works →
In established neighborhoods, the common causes are:
- Settled grading. Ground that once sloped away from the house now sits flat or tips back toward it.
- Short downspouts that empty a whole roof's runoff right at the foundation.
- Yard-to-yard runoff where a neighbor's lot drains across yours.
What usually fixes it
| What you see | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| A puddle in one low spot that lasts for days | A short French drain or catch basin piped to an outlet |
| Water against the foundation after rain | Regrading plus downspouts piped away |
| The whole back yard stays soggy | A longer French drain run, sometimes several catch basins |
What it costs in Mesquite
One DFW pricing service lists French drains at about $60 per foot installed, so a 60-foot run with one catch basin comes to about $3,800. A Dallas landscape firm puts a single problem spot at $2,000–$5,000. Prices vary, so get more than one quote. Where these numbers come from →
Before you dig or hire
- Ask the city before connecting a drain to a curb, alley or storm inlet. Mesquite sends drainage questions to its Engineering department.
- Call 811 two business days before digging. It's free, but it won't mark private lines past your meter, like gas to a grill or power to a shed. What to watch for →
- Don't send water onto a neighbor's lot. Texas law bars diverting surface water in a way that damages another property. More on the rules →
- Sprinkler lines. Anyone you pay to repair them needs a TCEQ irrigation license: a licensed irrigator, or a licensed irrigation technician working for one.
Getting quotes
Use the form below. We'll pass your request to an independent drainage contractor who works in Mesquite, and they'll contact you to look at the yard. Free, no obligation.
City of Mesquite contacts
Before any drain ties into a curb, alley, street inlet or creek, ask the city what it requires.
Sources
Get a free drainage quote
Tell us what's happening. We'll send it to one independent local drainage contractor who serves your city, and they'll contact you to set up a visit. Free, no obligation.