Water collecting along the side of a home can turn a narrow strip of landscaping into a recurring problem, especially when runoff is moving toward the foundation instead of away from it.
For this St. Louis homeowner, the goal was straightforward: improve drainage along the house and create a cleaner finished area that would be easier to maintain.
The project required more than adding rock at the surface. We opened the area alongside the home, installed the drainage system below grade, addressed the areas around the foundation, and then finished the space with decorative rock for a clean final appearance.
Water Needed a Better Path Away From the House
The side of the home sits between the foundation and an existing concrete driveway, leaving a relatively narrow area for managing runoff.
Rather than treating only what was visible at the surface, we needed access below grade so the drainage could be addressed where the water actually travels.
Opening the Area for the New Drainage System
The first step was excavation along the side of the house. This gave our crew room to work around the foundation and install the underground drainage components rather than trying to solve the issue entirely at the surface.
You can see in the project photos how the work followed the home and driveway, allowing the drainage route to be established through the area where it was needed.
Installing the Drainage Below Grade
The underground piping was installed alongside the home to collect and move water through the property. Working in this area required coordinating the drainage around the existing foundation, utilities, downspouts, steps, and driveway. (Suggested image caption:
Drainage piping was installed below grade along the foundation before the area was closed and finished.)
Once the underground portion was in place, we could begin restoring the areas immediately around the house.
Finishing the Work Along the Foundation
Drainage work should solve the water problem without leaving the property looking like a construction site. After the underground work was completed, the disturbed areas along the foundation were closed back in and finished.
That preparation also created a defined space for the final surface treatment.
A Cleaner Finished Area Along the Home
The completed project replaces the disturbed soil along the house with a neat decorative-rock bed bordered from the driveway. The finished area keeps the drainage work integrated into the landscape instead of leaving exposed soil alongside the foundation.
Small landscape lights were also incorporated into the finished bed, helping the completed area look intentional rather than purely functional.
The homeowner now has a managed drainage area along the home with a much cleaner, lower-maintenance finish.