A typical yard drainage system costs $1,000 to $4,000 in HomeGuide's 2026 national data, with French drains at $10 to $35 a foot. In New Orleans, the water table sits so high that most yard drainage fixes work on the surface, not deep underground.
Prices here are HomeGuide's published national ranges, not quotes from our company. In New Orleans, groundwater, soft soil, narrow streets, buried debris and the trip to the dump site move the real cost. Checked October 2026.
How do I get rid of standing water in my yard in New Orleans?
Standing water leaves a yard when it has a lower outlet to reach. That usually means raising the low spot with compacted fill, shaping the yard toward the street, cutting a shallow swale, or adding a catch basin piped to the street. Soaking in is not an option when the ground is already full of water.
My yard is a swamp for days after rain. Why?
A yard stays a swamp when it has settled below the street and the yards around it, and the soil underneath is saturated clay. After a big storm, the street drains once the pumps catch up, but the low yard has nowhere to send its water. Raising and reshaping it is the fix.
Why does water pool next to my foundation or under my house?
Water pools next to the foundation when the ground around it has sunk, downspouts empty at the wall, or beds hold water against the slab. Under raised houses, water collects when the yard has settled and the crawl space is the lowest spot. Regrading, fill and piping roof water away fix most cases.
How much does a French drain cost?
A French drain in a yard runs $10 to $35 per linear foot, or $500 to $8,800 installed, on HomeGuide's French drain page. Here it has to stay shallow, wrapped in fabric, and run to an outlet lower than the wet area, or it fills with groundwater and does nothing.
| Drain length | Yard drain, national range |
|---|---|
| 50 ft | $500 to $1,800 |
| 100 ft | $1,000 to $3,500 |
| 200 ft | $2,000 to $7,000 |
What does a curtain drain or drain around the house cost?
HomeGuide lists a curtain drain at $10 to $35 per foot, or $1,500 to $8,800, and a perimeter drain along the house at $30 to $90 per foot, about $1,200 to $4,500 per side. With groundwater so close, a drain around a New Orleans house works only when it can empty into a pipe or a catch basin tied to the street.
French drain or dry well?
A dry well is a buried pit that lets water soak away, and HomeGuide prices one at $300 to $1,500. In New Orleans, the ground is usually already saturated a few feet down, so a dry well fills with groundwater. A shallow drain or a catch basin piped to the street is almost always the better choice.
Swale or catch basin: which do I need, and what does a swale cost?
A grass swale comes in at $250 to $1,000 on HomeGuide's drainage page. A swale is a shallow grass channel that carries water across the yard to the street. A catch basin is a grated box at the low spot that drains through a pipe. On narrow city lots with fences and walks, a catch basin is often the only way to move the water.
How deep should a drain or ditch be?
In New Orleans, how deep a drain goes is limited by the water table. A swale is a few inches deep, and a French drain is usually kept shallow so it stays above the groundwater. Roadside and rear-lot ditches are shaped to carry the flow to the parish system. All of them need steady fall to the outlet.
Can my downspouts be piped underground to the street?
Yes. Solid pipe from each downspout can carry roof water to the curb, a catch basin or a swale. Each buried downspout run costs about $150 to $350 by HomeGuide's numbers. Local rules on curb outlets vary by city and parish, so we check before tying in.
My neighbor's water drains onto my property. What does Louisiana law say?
Louisiana Civil Code article 655 says land below must receive surface water that flows naturally from land above, unless an act of man created the flow. Article 656 says the owner below may not block that natural flow, and the owner above may not make the burden heavier, for example by filling a lot so it sheds more water next door. Talk with your neighbor first and keep photos. This is general information about Louisiana rules, not legal advice.
Can excavation fix a wet basement or water under a raised house?
Basements are almost nonexistent in New Orleans, but water under raised houses and against slab edges is common. Excavation fixes the outside cause: a yard that has sunk, roof water dumped at the house, or no path to the street. Settled piers or a cracked slab are a job for a house leveling or foundation company, and we dig for them.
Want a number for your own lot? We come by, look at the ground and the drainage, and send a written quote. Call or text (504) 608-4795.