French drains and yard drainage in Rowlett, TX

Why Rowlett yards hold water

Rowlett sits on the same expansive clay as the rest of east Dallas County. Dry, it cracks and absorbs water quickly. Wet, it swells shut. After a long or heavy rain, water that can't run off the surface collects in flat spots and low corners. How the clay works →

Creeks, floodways and the lake

Much of Rowlett drains toward Lake Ray Hubbard through creeks such as Rowlett Creek. Rowlett's development code sets stormwater and flood-control standards that protect creeks and limit runoff, mainly for new development.

For a homeowner, the practical version is:

• If your lot backs up to a creek or channel, ask the city before any work near it.
• Don't fill or block a drainage path that carries water across your lot from upstream.
• Point drains toward an approved outlet, not onto a neighbor's property.

What it costs in Rowlett

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

• 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 →
• Ask the city before tying into a curb, alley or street inlet.
• Mind the neighbors. 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 Rowlett, and they'll contact you to look at the yard. Free, no obligation.