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Residential Drainage Design & Solutions

Standing water in your yard is more than just an eyesore — it damages your lawn, breeds mosquitoes, and can impact your foundation. Our drainage engineering solutions address the root cause of water problems for Florida homeowners. From pool drainage to full-property stormwater design, our licensed professional engineers create PE-stamped plans that meet Florida’s jurisdiction-specific requirements and get approved the first time.

Licensed Professional Engineers 100% Permit Approval 1,000+ Projects

Florida Drainage Problems We Solve

“My yard floods every time it rains”

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“I don’t know who to call about my drainage problem”

When You Need an Engineer

“My neighbor’s construction is flooding my property”

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“French drains didn’t work — we need a real solution”

Why Florida Is Different

“I need a drainage plan for my pool installation”

Pool Contractor Services

“Standing water is destroying my foundation”

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If any of these sound familiar, you need a drainage engineer — not just a contractor. Engineers design the solution. Contractors build what engineers design.

Our Residential Drainage Engineering Process

1
Phase 1

Initial Consultation & Assessment

  • Property walk-through (1.5–2 hours) to diagnose water flow issues
  • Evaluate slopes, soil conditions, and water flow patterns
  • Identify root causes of drainage problems
  • Review FEMA flood zone status and local regulatory requirements
2
Phase 2

Survey & Data Collection

  • Boundary and topographic surveys (LiDAR or RTK GPS)
  • Soil and geotechnical evaluation
  • Existing drainage system documentation
  • Setback, easement, and utility verification
3
Phase 3

Engineering Design

  • Custom drainage layout with engineered blueprints
  • Drain lines, catch basins, cleanouts, flow directions, and outlet strategies
  • Material lists with quantities and specifications
  • Hydraulic modeling (ICPR, HydroCAD) for pipe elevations and flow capacity
  • Design storm performance verification
4
Phase 4

PE-Stamped Documentation

  • PE-stamped grading and drainage plans
  • Stormwater calculations and drainage statements
  • Erosion control plans
  • Permit-ready drawing packages
5
Phase 5

Permitting Support

  • WMD, FEMA, and county code compliance review
  • Permit application preparation and submission
  • Agency liaison and comment response until approval

We engineer the solution. Our network of installers builds it.

When You Need a Residential Drainage Engineer

Not sure if you need drainage engineering? These common situations call for a licensed professional engineer.

New Home Construction

Building a new home that requires drainage plans for permit approval.

Room Additions or Expansions

Adding square footage changes site drainage patterns and may require engineering.

New Driveways, Patios, or Impervious Surfaces

Impervious surface additions can trigger stormwater calculation requirements.

Pool Installation

Especially in South Florida jurisdictions (Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade) where drainage compliance is strictly enforced.

Property Flooding or Persistent Drainage Problems

Recurring flooding requires engineered solutions — not trial-and-error contractor fixes.

Grading Changes in High Water Table Areas

Modifying site grades near high water tables demands engineering calculations.

Renovations That Alter Site Drainage

Any renovation changing how water moves across your property may need engineering review.

Insurance Claim Requiring PE Documentation

Insurance companies often require PE-stamped documentation for flood damage claims.

Building Permit Rejected for Missing Drainage Plan

We produce the PE-stamped drainage plans needed to satisfy building department requirements.

Neighbor Construction Redirecting Water

Adjacent construction projects can redirect stormwater onto your property — engineering documents your situation.

Not sure if you need drainage engineering? Contact us for a free initial consultation.

Why Florida Drainage Engineering Requires Expertise

Florida’s unique geography creates drainage challenges that standard solutions from other states simply cannot address.

Flat Terrain

Most of South Florida is under 10 feet elevation — gravity-fed drainage is limited.

High Water Tables

Groundwater often just 1–3 feet below surface in coastal areas.

Intense Rainfall

50–65 inches annually, with tropical storms delivering 6–12+ inches in 24 hours.

Sandy Soils

Rapid water movement but poor structural stability — pipe misalignment common.

Regulatory Complexity

5 Water Management Districts, 67 counties, each with jurisdiction-specific requirements.

Pre-1984 Development

Older neighborhoods built before modern stormwater regulations.

French drains that work in other states often fail in Florida. PE-designed drainage systems account for Florida’s unique conditions — flat terrain, high water tables, and intense rainfall.

Source: VOC_SYNTHESIS.md — real customer feedback: “Installed 4 inch french drains… Still not a match for Florida downpours”

For Pool Contractors

Pool Contractors: Drainage Engineering for Pool Installations

Every pool installation in South Florida is a potential drainage engineering project. Pool decks increase impervious surface area, and South Florida jurisdictions — Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties — are especially strict about drainage compliance.

What we provide for pool contractors:

  1. 1 Sealed site plans showing drainage patterns
  2. 2 Stormwater calculations (pre- vs. post-development runoff)
  3. 3 Soil compaction certification (Florida PE, Chapter 471)
  4. 4 Drainage statements for permit packages
  5. 5 Flood zone compliance statements where applicable
Partner with CivilSmart for Your Next Pool Project

Frequently Asked Questions

For Florida yard drainage problems, start with a licensed drainage engineer (civil engineer specializing in drainage/stormwater). A drainage engineer can diagnose the root cause, design the solution, and produce PE-stamped plans if permits are required. This prevents the common frustration of ‘three different companies giving three different ideas.’
Residential drainage design typically ranges from $3,000–$8,000 for standard properties, with complex projects (flood zones, retention/detention systems, large lots) ranging from $5,000–$15,000+. Engineering design is separate from installation — and a fraction of the cost of damage from inaction.
Engineers design. Contractors build. A drainage engineer creates PE-stamped plans showing exactly what needs to be built and where. A drainage contractor executes those plans. In Florida, only a licensed Professional Engineer can submit sealed drainage designs for regulatory submissions. Starting with engineering prevents costly trial-and-error.
Drainage requirements are typically integrated into the overall pool building permit. However, South Florida jurisdictions (Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade) now often require engineered drainage plans for pool construction. Pool decks increase impervious surface area, triggering stormwater calculation requirements.
French drains alone often fail in Florida because: (1) sandy soil causes pipe misalignment over time, (2) high water table limits underground drainage capacity, (3) Florida’s intense rainfall overwhelms single-drain solutions, and (4) hard water scale buildup clogs perforated pipes. A comprehensive drainage system designed by an engineer combines multiple approaches calibrated for your specific site conditions.
Yes. Documented drainage improvements supported by engineering analysis can support a FEMA map revision request to reclassify your property to a lower flood zone. Community Rating System (CRS) credits provide 5–45% community-wide flood insurance discounts. Under Risk Rating 2.0, individual property characteristics affect premiums more directly.

Ready to Solve Your Drainage Problem?

Get a free quote from Florida’s residential drainage engineering specialists. We respond within 24 hours.

Licensed Professional Engineers | 100% Permit Approval | Since 2004