When water threatens your yard or basement, you want to find the best drainage company to fix the problem. After all, poor drainage isn’t just an eyesore. It’s a serious problem that can kill your landscaping, destroy your yard, damage your foundation, and even create health hazards.
Any time you have to choose a contractor to complete an essential project at your home or business, you’ll feel the pressure to make the right choice. After all, you need to find a team that will do the work with excellence, precision, and professionalism—and within budget.
Ware Landscaping offers the best drainage services in Naperville, Chicago, and the surrounding communities. From our state-of-the-art equipment to our highly trained team of drainage professionals, we’re here to fix your yard problems and give you the yard and landscaping you’ve been dreaming of. No standing water, no drainage problems, and no leaky basements!
Table of Contents
How to know if you need professional drainage help
Drainage problems can seem minor at first. You may notice some puddles in your yard or water that takes a long time to drain after heavy rain. Maybe your landscaping beds are soggy or your basement smells a little musty.
The problem is that the damage from drainage problems can add up quickly. Sometimes, the small signs are simply masking much bigger problems. For example, a musty-smelling basement could be a sign of a major water problem somewhere that you can’t see.
Signs of drainage issues
-
- Standing water that remains in your yard for more than 24 hours after rainfall
- Soggy, mushy areas in your lawn that never seem to dry out completely
- Water pooling near your home’s foundation
- Basement moisture issues, including damp walls, water seepage, or persistent musty odors
- Visible soil erosion, especially around foundations, landscaping features, or along slopes
- Dead or yellowing grass patches in the yard
- Exposed tree roots
- Mulch that consistently washes out of landscaped areas
- Water stains or marks on foundation walls or basement floors
- Ice formation in winter where water accumulates and freezes
- Foundation cracks
- Mold or mildew growth on exterior walls or in basements
- Overflowing gutters
- Soil pulling away from the foundation of your house
- Excessive mosquito activity
When do you need professional drainage experts?
It’s true that some small drainage tasks may be manageable on a DIY basis. You might clean out your gutters on your own if they’re overfly full, or create a simple rain garden in a natural low spot in your yard.
However, major drainage projects are risky to take on by yourself, because drainage projects require a lot of knowledge, as well as specialized equipment.
Signs that you need professional expertise include:
-
- Improper grading that prevents water from flowing away from your house
- Soil that’s too compacted to absorb moisture effectively
- Natural underground springs that create constant moisture issues
- Damaged or insufficient existing drainage systems on your property
- Need for construction-related changes to the natural water flow in your yard
How to choose a drainage company
Not all drainage contractors are created equal. Here’s what to look for in a qualified professional:
Experience and Expertise
One of the first things you need to look for is experience with drainage work. Some landscapers may install great gardens, and others may build great patios, but you really want to trust a company that knows the ins and outs of drainage.
Find a company that has:
-
- A proven track record of successfully resolving various drainage issues
- Deep knowledge of local soil conditions and weather patterns
- Current licensing and comprehensive insurance coverage
- Familiarity with local building codes and permit requirements
Professionalism
Hiring a team to do home improvement work means inviting people you don’t know onto your property and, often, into your home. Drainage projects can last for days or weeks, and it’s important to choose a team that impresses you with their professionalism.
True professionals will:
-
- Communicate with you about every step in the process
- Clean up construction messes daily
- Answer your questions
- Be transparent in pricing and timelines
Practical tips for finding a landscape drainage company
Here are 5 of our best pieces of advice for choosing a landscaping company to fix your drainage problems!
-
- Read reviews online and check ratings from multiple sources
- Check out their portfolio of completed projects, especially ones that feature your style
- Choose a company that explains things in clear, understandable terms
- Schedule a free consultation with the landscaping company you’re interested with
- Review any contracts or agreements before signing
Red flags to watch out for
Just like you want to find a company that is professional and experienced, there are also red flags to look out for.
These are signs that should give you pause:
-
- Bids that seem unusually low compared to others
- High-pressure tactics urging immediate decisions
- Contractors who won’t provide written estimates
- Vague or incomplete project specifications
- Lots of bad reviews online
If these issues arise while you look at potential landscape drainage companies, it’s time to find someone else!
Drainage landscaping FAQ
Will I need ongoing maintenance after my drainage problems have been repaired?
Possibly! Depending on the type of drainage solutions that were installed, you may or may not have ongoing maintenance from the company that did the repairs. Some maintenance you can do on your own, whereas other tasks may be better performed by a professional team.
DIY maintenance is likely to include:
-
- Regular inspection of drainage channels and gutters for debris
- Removing leaves, twigs, and sediment from drain covers and grates
- Checking for and clearing blocked downspouts
- Monitoring for signs of erosion or new water pooling
- Seasonal cleanup of drain entries and exits
- Testing drainage flow during dry weather with a garden hose
- Maintaining proper grass length around drainage areas
- Inspecting for damaged or displaced components
Professional maintenance tasks include:
-
- Annual professional inspection of underground systems
- High-pressure cleaning of drain pipes and channels
- Camera inspection of underground drainage lines
- Repair of damaged or deteriorated components
- Professional cleaning of catch basins and sumps
- Assessment and adjustment of system performance
- Maintenance of mechanical components like sump pumps
- Professional grade snaking or rooter service if needed
Do landscape drainage companies offer warranties on their work?
Not all companies guarantee their work. We recommend that you choose a company that stands by their work and offers guaranteed satisfaction. At Ware Landscaping, we offer a 10-year guarantee on your drainage system.
Be sure to ask your customer service representative about your warranty and guarantee options.
Can I have a professional team come in after I’ve started doing work myself?
DIY projects can get out of hand quickly. Sometimes people realize the project is just too big to handle on their own. Other times, it gets expensive to do the work independently, especially when you don’t know what products to buy. When you need heavy equipment to get the job done, you might not have access to the products you need!
You can salvage a difficult DIY project by working with an established and experienced team of professionals. We can come in and work with you, based on the work you’ve currently completed.
Contact Ware Landscaping for your landscaping drainage needs
Ready to solve your drainage problems with a trusted local expert? Ware Landscaping has been providing professional drainage solutions throughout the Chicago area, including Naperville and surrounding suburbs, for over two decades.
Our team of drainage specialists brings:
-
- Comprehensive property assessments and detailed solution plans
- Expert installation of all types of drainage systems
- Professional-grade materials and workmanship
- Full licensing and insurance coverage
- Extensive experience with local soil conditions and climate challenges
- Ongoing maintenance and support services
Don’t let drainage issues threaten your property’s value or your family’s comfort. Contact Ware Landscaping today for a free professional consultation!