Standing water
Address low areas that hold water after rain or snowmelt.
Move water on purpose
Yard grading & drainage that fixes the problem first.
Pooling water, soft soil, and muddy side yards usually need a clear path for runoff—not another cosmetic layer. WBS evaluates where water starts, where it can go, and what grading or surface changes are practical for the property.
- Low-spot correction
- Side-yard drainage
- Rock swales
- Rough lot shaping
Where this service fits
Start with where the water appears and where it can go.
The visible puddle is not always the source. Roof runoff, snowmelt, neighbouring grades, compacted soil, and low transitions can contribute, so observations during wet conditions are especially useful.
Soft side yards
Improve narrow access routes that stay wet, rutted, or difficult to maintain.
Poor new-build grade
Reshape unfinished lots before sod, rock, or garden beds are installed.
Downspout problem areas
Create a practical path away from foundations and high-traffic spaces where conditions allow.
What a written scope may include
Define the surface problem and the limit of the repair.
A practical landscape scope should identify the affected area, proposed surface route, required material movement, and final finish. It should also say when surveying, engineering, municipal direction, or specialized underground work is outside scope.
- Site and drainage-path review
- Rough dimensions and elevation assessment
- Soil or material movement
- Swales or surface drainage features
- Rock finish where included in scope
- Preparation for sod, beds, or other finishes
The project sequence
Diagnose, choose an outlet, reshape, then finish.
Installing sod or rock first can hide the symptom without improving the path. The sequence keeps the diagnostic and surface-shaping decisions ahead of cosmetic work.
Find the source
We look at roof runoff, neighbouring grades, low points, soil condition, and the route water currently takes.
Choose a safe outlet
The plan identifies where water can reasonably move without creating a new problem elsewhere.
Reshape and compact
Soil and base materials are moved, placed, and compacted as the written scope requires.
Finish the surface
Rock, soil, sod preparation, or another agreed finish completes the usable area.
Document a drainage concern
Photograph the yard when the problem is visible.
Dry-day photos show access; wet-day photos show timing, depth, and direction. Together they help determine whether a site visit or additional information is needed.
- Wide and close photos during or shortly after rain or snowmelt, including the apparent flow direction
- Downspouts, window wells, foundation edges, neighbouring grades, fences, and hard surfaces near the affected area
- How long the area stays wet and whether the problem is seasonal, storm-specific, or persistent
- Known utility information, access width, previous attempts to correct the issue, and the desired final surface
Questions before the quote
Know when surface grading is—and is not—the answer.
These answers explain the limits of photo-based pricing, why final landscaping comes later, and when site constraints can change the available options.
Before requesting grading & drainage, see how the quote and project process works, confirm the Red Deer-to-Edmonton service area, or browse the landscaping FAQ.
Can every drainage problem be solved with regrading?
No. Property elevations, municipal requirements, neighbouring lots, and buried infrastructure can limit the available options. The quote identifies what is realistic before work starts.
Do you install underground drainage systems?
The focus is practical residential surface grading and rock drainage features. If a project requires engineering, deep utilities, or specialized underground systems, that will be identified during review.
Should drainage work happen before new sod or rock?
Yes. Correcting the water path first protects the finish work and avoids paying to remove and rebuild a new surface later.
Can you quote drainage from photos?
Photos help with the first conversation, but many drainage projects need an on-site review before the scope and price can be confirmed.
Planning guides
Read before planning grading & drainage.
Related work
Choose the finish only after the water path is understood.
Rock & low-water yards
Rock landscaping and low-water yard conversions with grading, base preparation, weed barrier, edging, and decorative stone from Red Deer to Edmonton.
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New-build yard landscaping
New-build yard landscaping with grade review, soil preparation, sod, rock, beds, and practical finishing from Red Deer to Edmonton.
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Cleanups & hauling
Residential yard cleanups, small tear-outs, old sod and bed removal, landscape-material delivery, and hauling from Red Deer to Edmonton.
Explore serviceTalk through your grading & drainage project.
Send wet- and dry-condition photos, the property location, affected area, downspout locations, access, and what you observe after rain or snowmelt.