The short answer
A French drain is a gravel trench lined with filter fabric around a perforated pipe, which collects water from a low, soggy area and carries it to an outlet. Genesis installs French drains, downspout tie-ins and catch basins in Lakewood Ranch, and drainage projects typically run $3,000 to $10,000, quoted in writing after a site visit.
Call (833) 543‑6374 or request a French drain quote online.
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French drains in Lakewood Ranch
When a French drain is the right fix
A French drain works where water collects in one part of the yard and there is somewhere lower for it to go, such as a swale or a point where it can return to the storm drain system. It is not always the answer. When most of the water comes off the roof, tying the downspouts into underground pipe may solve it. When the whole lot sits low and gravity cannot move the water off the site, it can take pumps and a basin system. When a French drain isn’t the fix.
We find the cause first
Every drainage visit starts at the roof and the downspouts, because roof water is the most common source of a wet yard. Then we look at the grading, compacted fill, the water table and dense layers in the soil. We also check the sprinkler system, since a leak or a zone that runs too long can keep a yard wet on its own, and we are licensed to fix it.
When there is a choice, we build a gravity outlet instead of relying on a pump. In Southwest Florida’s heaviest storms, power is often the first thing to go, and a pump that depends on electricity fails when you need it most.
How a French drain goes in
We dig a trench along the wet area toward the outlet, line it with filter fabric, set perforated pipe in gravel and run it to the outlet, then put the soil and grass back. Downspouts that feed the problem are tied in with 4-inch Schedule 40 PVC to a point where the water can return to the storm drain system.
What it costs
Drainage projects typically run $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the scope and size of the job, and every project is quoted in writing after a site visit. No drainage system makes a Southwest Florida yard rain-proof. A good one moves the water out faster, so the yard drains in hours instead of days. What causes standing water and what fixing it costs.
A drainage job near Lakewood Ranch
Genesis is a Florida State Certified Irrigation Specialty Contractor, license SCC131152466. The company was founded in 2021 and is led by Tave Close Sr., who has more than 35 years in irrigation, and his son, Tave Close Jr., who has more than 10. Genesis is veteran-owned, and the office is at 5320 Lena Road, Suite 104, in Lakewood Ranch.
Questions we hear
How do I know if my yard needs a French drain?
Water that still stands on the lawn more than 24 hours after rain, water stains, dampness or cracks along the foundation, and topsoil that washes away or settles onto pavers all point to a drainage problem. We find where the water comes from before recommending a French drain or any other fix.
How much does a French drain cost in Lakewood Ranch?
Drainage projects typically run $3,000 to $10,000, depending on scope and size, and each one is quoted in writing after a site visit.
Will a French drain stop all standing water?
No drainage system makes a Southwest Florida yard rain-proof. A well-built one moves the water out faster, so the yard drains in hours instead of days.
Do you check the sprinkler system too?
Yes. Leaks and zones that run too long are a common cause of a wet yard, so we check the sprinkler system on every drainage visit, and Genesis is a licensed irrigation contractor (SCC131152466).
Our work in Lakewood Ranch over the past 12 months
- 317 completed service calls at 134 properties in Lakewood Ranch.
- ZIP codes we worked in most: 34202, 34211.
- Most common repair: sprinkler head repair or replacement.
From our own job records, 2 October 2025 to 1 October 2026.
