French drain or surface drain? Choosing for a wet San Diego yard

Observe when the yard gets wet

Record whether water runs over the ground during rain, stays below the surface afterward or appears when irrigation operates. Photograph the direction of visible flow from a safe location. Note roof downspouts, paved areas and neighboring elevations without assuming which one caused the problem. A wet spot alone cannot establish whether the issue is surface runoff, slow drainage, a leaking line or several conditions together.

Match collection to the problem

A surface inlet collects water reaching a defined low point. A subsurface drainage approach is intended to intercept water moving through the ground. Ask the contractor to explain what water the proposed system will collect and why its location is appropriate. A buried perforated pipe may miss runoff passing above it; a surface grate may not address moisture arriving through the soil.

Review grading and roof water first

A drain proposal should account for the surrounding grades and where gutters discharge. Otherwise an avoidable source can keep feeding the same low area. Ask whether a small grading correction or a revised roof-water route is a separate option. Do not approve excavation based only on a line drawn across a yard without discussing what the existing elevations allow.

Establish the receiving point

Every collected flow needs a suitable place to go. Ask where the water will discharge, how that point was selected and what permissions or permits may apply. The City of San Diego identifies private storm-drain connections to public drainage as an example of work that can involve right-of-way encroachment permitting. That does not determine the requirements for every property or authorize a curb connection.

Include utilities and restoration

Before trenching, clarify utility identification, access, planting protection, hardscape removal and the final restored surface. Ask how the system can be accessed for maintenance and what is excluded from the proposal. If the water source or available outfall remains uncertain, define an investigation stage before purchasing a full installation. The written scope should explain the limits of the proposed improvement.

Plan the next step

Send AWC the property address, safe wide and close photos, a short history and the name of the person approving the work. When site verification is needed, AWC offers the $250 Site Evaluation + Written Bid Package, credited toward the project if approved within 30 days. Ask for a written scope that separates observed conditions, assumptions, exclusions and concealed unknowns before authorizing the repair.