Control standing water, runoff, and below-ground moisture with custom drainage solutions designed for Los Angeles and Southern California properties.
Drainage problems often appear temporary. Water pools during a storm, the yard eventually dries, and everything seems normal again.
Southern California properties can be especially vulnerable because of sloped lots, hillside runoff, compacted soil, dense hardscaping, older foundation systems, and long dry periods followed by intense rain.
Firm Footing takes a foundation-first approach. We inspect the grading, water-flow patterns, soil, hardscaping, crawl space, and visible foundation conditions so the recommended solution addresses the actual source of the problem.
Our drainage solutions help redirect excess water, reduce soil erosion, and protect your property from moisture-related damage.
Drainage Designed Around How Water Moves
We trace where water starts, how it moves, and where it collects so we can recommend a drainage system that fits your property.
A Foundation-First Evaluation
We evaluate drainage with your foundation in mind, helping reduce soil erosion, moisture pressure, and water-related damage around the home.
Experience With Southern California Properties
Our team understands the sloped lots, hardscaping, narrow yards, retaining walls, and runoff challenges common throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.
Multiple Solutions From One Foundation Contractor
Because we handle drainage, waterproofing, crawl space moisture, and foundation repair, we can address the full problem instead of isolated symptoms.
Financing That Helps You Act Before Damage Spreads
Financing options are available for qualified homeowners, helping you correct drainage problems before runoff, erosion, or moisture leads to more expensive damage.
Tell us where water collects, when the problem occurs, and what changes you have noticed around the property.
We inspect the visible grading, foundation perimeter, runoff paths, hardscaping, low areas, crawl space conditions, and signs of erosion or moisture intrusion.
We explain where the water appears to be coming from, how it is affecting the property, and which drainage methods fit the conditions.
Your proposed plan may include surface drains, French drains, sump pumps, exterior waterproofing, crawl space moisture control, discharge improvements, or a combination of systems.
Our team completes the approved drainage work with attention to proper collection, water movement, discharge, and protection of the surrounding property.
We review the completed system with you and explain how its components work together to move water away from vulnerable areas.
Custom drainage and moisture-control solutions designed to protect your property from the ground up.
Control subsurface water with a below-ground drainage system that uses perforated pipe and drainage material to collect and redirect moisture. French drains may be appropriate when soil stays saturated, water collects near the foundation, hillside runoff moves below the surface, or damp conditions persist beneath the home.
Capture visible runoff before it pools near your home. Surface drains can collect water from patios, driveways, walkways, side yards, low areas, and other hardscaped spaces. The collected water is then directed away from the foundation and other vulnerable areas.
Actively remove water from crawl spaces, below-grade areas, and low points where gravity drainage is not sufficient. A sump pump may be used by itself or paired with French drains, waterproofing, or crawl space drainage to manage recurring water accumulation.
Help prevent moisture from penetrating foundation walls with an exterior waterproofing system. Depending on the property, this process may include excavation to the footing, foundation crack repair, waterproofing membranes, drainage material, perforated pipe, and clean drainage stone to reduce water pressure around the structure.
Intercept and redirect water moving downhill toward the structure. Properties with hillside runoff may require strategically placed surface or subsurface drainage to reduce erosion, saturated soil, retaining-wall moisture, and water accumulation near the foundation.
Common warning signs include standing water after rain, runoff flowing toward the house, wet soil near the foundation, erosion, damp crawl space conditions, musty odors, water stains, and drains that regularly overflow.
You may also have a drainage issue if foundation or crawl space problems become more noticeable after storms.
The correct system depends on where the water originates and how it moves through the property.
Surface drains manage visible runoff. French drains collect subsurface water. Sump pumps remove water from low areas. Waterproofing protects foundation surfaces, while crawl-space systems manage moisture beneath the home.
A French drain is installed below ground to collect and redirect water moving through saturated soil.
A surface drain collects visible water from the top of patios, yards, driveways, walkways, or other areas where runoff pools. The right choice depends on whether the problem is occurring above or below the surface.
Yes. Water collecting near a foundation can contribute to soil erosion, saturation, movement, moisture intrusion, concrete deterioration, and pressure against foundation walls.
Not every foundation problem is caused by drainage, but uncontrolled water can contribute to existing weaknesses or create conditions that increase the risk of future movement.
Common causes include improper grading, low spots, compacted soil, runoff from neighboring or uphill properties, clogged drains, extensive hardscaping, short downspout discharge, and a lack of suitable drainage routes.
An inspection can help determine which conditions are affecting your property.
Regrading can help when the ground slopes toward the foundation, but it may not resolve underground water, hillside runoff, crawl space moisture, or pooling created by hardscaping.
The best solution may combine grading improvements with surface or subsurface drainage.
Possibly. Drainage helps collect and redirect water away from the property. Waterproofing creates a protective barrier against moisture reaching the foundation or crawl space.
Homes with recurring moisture intrusion may benefit from both systems working together.
A sump pump may be recommended when water collects in a crawl space, below-grade area, or low point that cannot drain effectively through gravity alone.
The pump actively moves collected water to an appropriate discharge point away from the home.
Firm Footing will inspect how water moves around your property, explain what may be causing the problem, and recommend a drainage solution based on your home, not a generic package.
We evaluate visible water-flow patterns, grading, foundation conditions, crawl space moisture, and signs of erosion before recommending a solution.
Your system is planned around the source of the water, the layout of the property, and the areas that need protection.
We provide French drains, surface drains, sump pumps, waterproofing, and crawl space moisture-control options.
Our drainage plans consider how water and soil conditions may affect the long-term stability of your home.
Flexible financing can help you correct drainage problems before recurring water causes larger foundation or structural repairs.
A properly designed drainage system helps reduce pooling, erosion, moisture intrusion, and water-related foundation damage.
