How to choose a drainage contractor: 8 checks before you hire.

1. They do residential drainage work like yours

Ask how much of their work is yard drainage, French drains, or grading, and for examples of similar residential projects. Landscapers, excavation companies, and waterproofing companies can approach the same wet yard differently, so ask which approach they usually recommend and why. Ask for references from recent customers with comparable projects, and call them.

2. The license your state or locality requires

Licensing rules for drainage, excavation, and landscaping work vary by state and sometimes by county or city. Ask for the license or registration number and check it with the agency that issued it; some agencies also show complaints or disciplinary history. Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), for example, publishes a consumer guide and license lookup.

3. Current liability insurance

Ask for a certificate of insurance, then confirm with the insurer that the policy is active and covers this kind of work, as Fairfax County's guide to hiring a contractor suggests. If the company has employees on site, ask how workers' injuries are covered.

4. An on-site assessment that explains the water

Before proposing a system, a contractor should look at where water collects, where it comes from, and where it can go. Ask them to explain the cause they are addressing in plain terms. Be cautious of a proposal that names a product before anyone has walked the yard. Your notes on standing water after rain make this conversation faster.

5. A written, itemized scope

The proposal should describe the route and outlet for collected water, materials, excavation and access, restoration of lawn or hardscape, cleanup, timeline, and what is excluded. Two quotes for “a French drain” can describe very different work. Line them up in the yard drainage cost worksheet, and bring the specific questions about French drain installation or yard grading and drainage that apply.

6. A plan for buried utilities and permits

Drainage work means digging near gas, electric, water, and communication lines. 811 is the free national call-before-you-dig number that arranges for buried utility lines to be marked; notice periods vary by state (Indiana, for example, asks for at least two business days). Ask who will place the request and when. Also ask who checks whether a permit or approval is needed for the grading or for where the water will discharge, and whose name goes on any permit.

7. Payment terms tied to progress

Keep the deposit modest, tie payments to completed stages, and hold back the final payment until the work is finished. Some states set or recommend limits: Virginia's DPOR, for example, advises keeping a first deposit to no more than 10% or $1,000, whichever is less. Be wary of cash-only requests or full payment up front, and pay in a way that leaves a record.

8. Warranty, maintenance, and everything in writing

Ask what workmanship warranty is offered, what it covers, and for how long, and what maintenance the system will need, such as access points for flushing a French drain. Put start and finish dates and every promise in the written contract, and don't sign a document with blank spaces.

Red flags worth walking away from

• Pressure to decide immediately, or a “today only” price.
• Door-to-door offers using leftover materials from a job nearby.
• Requests for full payment, or a large cash payment, before work starts.
• No written contract, or a contract with blanks.
• Reluctance to share license or insurance details.

Where Northline fits

Northline is a referral service, not a contractor. We don't license, inspect, or certify contractors, and we don't set prices. When Northline connects you with an independent contractor, these checks are still yours to make, and you decide whether to hire anyone. Coverage is still being established, so send your ZIP code to ask whether a connection is available.

Prepare the project before you compare companies

Start with the guides on standing water after rain and yard drainage solutions so you can describe the problem the same way to every contractor. When proposals arrive, the yard drainage cost worksheet lines them up side by side. When you are ready, ask Northline about contractor availability.