How do you fix standing water around a house foundation?
Standing water creates hydrostatic pressure that threatens structural integrity. We install perimeter French drains and deep catch basins to safely convey the peak rate of runoff away from your foundation.
Why do Kettering properties need engineered drainage?
Engineered French drains, catch basins, and yard grading to permanently mitigate hydrostatic pressure and foundation moisture.
Kettering's dense suburban core makes drainage upgrades tricky.
Kettering sits on the Miamian-Urban land and Crosby-Urban land complexes, the two largest soil map units inside the city. Miamian is well drained and Crosby is somewhat poorly drained, but both fall in hydrologic group C or C/D. The clay subsoil runs 35 to 48 percent clay, and water moves through it at 0.40 inches per hour against 1.30 inches at the surface. Below about 33 to 36 inches sits dense glacial till that takes water at 0.03 inches per hour. There is no fragipan under Kettering. The restriction is the till itself. Water soaks in, slows by two thirds in the subsoil, and stops at the till. A Kettering low spot drains on a schedule of days, not hours, and a patio or wall base that stops short of the till heaves when that water freezes. Crosby lots are the ones still wet in spring.
Kettering straddles a drainage divide, sending its west side to the Great Miami River and its east side to the Little Miami. Holes Creek carries most of the west side, draining 27 square miles at a channel gradient of 17.5 feet per mile through ravines that cut 50 to 100 feet below the surrounding ground. Neighborhoods north of I-675 were built out before 1985, ahead of modern detention, so those channels run flashy and their banks erode. The city maintains close to 8,000 storm drains and names clogged drains as a leading cause of road flooding. On a ravine lot the water is moving fast and taking the bank with it, which is a wall-and-erosion job before it is a drainage job. On the flat pre-1985 streets a yard drain only works if the street drain it empties toward is clear, so we check where the water goes before we price where it starts.
Sources: USDA-NRCS Soil Data Access, SSURGO survey OH113 clipped to the Kettering city boundary (map units, drainage class, clay and Ksat), with the Miamian Official Series Description, pulled 2026-09-10, https://sdmdataaccess.sc.egov.usda.gov/; Ohio EPA approved Holes Creek nonpoint source plan (2024-05-01); City of Kettering stormwater pages, https://www.ketteringoh.org/; pulled 2026-09-10
In Kettering, we regularly work in Oakwood Border, Springboro Pike Corridor and Shroyer Park.
Learn more about our drainage approach, pricing factors, and process. Or pick up the phone and describe what you're seeing.
COMMON SYMPTOMS WE FIX IN KETTERING
Why is my backyard a swamp after it rains?
This is severe surface water accumulation resulting directly from the impermeable nature of local hydrated clay soils. Once the clay reaches its hydration capacity, water has nowhere to go but up.
Why is my grass dying in low spots?
Prolonged submersion in saturated clay deprives root systems of vital oxygen, causing root rot and creating breeding grounds for pests.
"Communication was awesome. He was very prompt in coming out, he did everything I asked and more. I would definitely recommend him and will use him again."
Lori F.
How do you avoid a bad drainage contractor in Kettering?
Major drainage projects are intimidating. We eliminate the stress, hidden fees, and property damage associated with fly-by-night contractors.
- ✔ Property Protection We utilize heavy-duty plywood track mats and mandate 811 utility locating services prior to arrival to ensure zero damage to your existing driveway or underground utilities.
- ✔ Transparent Pricing We conduct precise topographical laser measurements prior to issuing quotes, eliminating financial "surprises" and transferring the risk from the homeowner to us.
KETTERING DRAINAGE FAQS
How much does drainage cost in Kettering?
Drainage projects in Kettering start at $3,500. Cost depends on trench length and depth, soil and access, outlet engineering, and restoration. Pricing comes off a laser topographical measurement taken during the free estimate, so there are no hidden fees. Call (513) 849-3279.
Will heavy equipment destroy my Kettering lawn?
No. We put heavy-duty plywood track mats down under any machinery that crosses your lawn, and we put the turf and beds back when the job is done.
Prefer to start online? Tell us about your drainage project and we'll call you back with a straight answer.
REQUEST A FREE ESTIMATE ONLINE