An Excavation Service Will Dig A Trench For Your New French Drain And Spare You A Lot Of Work
If you need to install a French drain system to move water from a shallow place in your yard or away from your home's foundation, you may want to call an excavation service to dig the trench you'll need for the drain. Digging a trench is hard work, and all that labor could turn your project into a nightmare that takes forever to complete.
You could rent a trencher, but those make narrow trenches, and a wider one might be better so your drain can move more water faster. An excavation service might bring a mini excavator to your property so they can dig a trench of the appropriate size, depth, and slope. Here's a look at the process involved.
Plan The Route
The first step is for you to plan the route. You might need to avoid landscaping and other obstructions in your yard, so your planned route may not be completely straight. However, you'll need to allow room for the excavating contractor to work. Once you've decided where you want the trench, mark it on the ground so the contractor can follow your paint lines as they dig the trench.
Have Utility Lines Marked
The contractor will want utility lines to be marked before they start digging, so you'll want to call ahead and have the work done before the excavation service arrives. You may or may not need a permit, so you should call your city's code office to find out.
Let The Contractor Start Digging
Be sure to have all your supplies on hand so you can go to work right away on your French drain. Otherwise, you'll have a dangerous open trench in your yard. When you're ready, the contractor will arrive with the equipment needed to dig the trench to your specifications. Digging a trench with equipment goes much faster than digging by hand, so the trench should be completed quickly.
Decide If You'll Backfill The Trench Yourself
Filling a trench in is easier than digging it out. You may want to work on filling the trench with gravel and the drain at your own pace and then backfill the soil yourself when you're finished. If not, you can have the excavation service return to push the soil back in the trench over the top of your new French drain.
By using a contractor to only dig the trench instead of installing the drain too, you can save some money, get exercise, and have a feeling of accomplishment by building something useful on your property.
Contact a local excavation service to learn more.