French Drain Install, Full Regrade and Sod Around New Garage in Ankeny

New construction is great - until you realize the ground around your new garage build has zero drainage plan. That was the situation here in Ankeny. The area around the garage was rough, uneven, and set up to hold water right where you don't want it. We came in and built a proper drainage system from the ground up.

We ran 3 French drains through the area. That meant trenching, laying corrugated drain pipe, and routing everything so water has somewhere to go instead of pooling against the foundation. Three separate lines gives this setup real capacity - not just a temporary fix, but a system that can handle heavy rain events.

From there we did a full regrade. That's the part most people overlook. Drains only work when the ground is sloped correctly to feed them. We brought in 12.5 tons of black cleaner to reshape the entire area - filling low spots, building proper slope, and giving the yard a clean, consistent grade that ties everything together around the garage.

Once the drainage and grade were dialed in, we finished it off with fresh sod. The pallets were staged and ready, the skid steer handled placement, and the end result went from a torn-up construction zone to a clean, finished yard. It's the kind of work that looks simple when it's done - but there's a lot going on underneath the surface.

Projects like this are common on new builds. Contractors pour the slab, put up the structure, and move on. Landscaping and drainage are usually left for the homeowner to figure out after the fact. We handle all of it - trenching, grading, drainage install, and sod - so you end up with a yard that actually functions the way it should.