Move water before it moves in.
The best sump pump in the world can't help if the yard is funneling rain at your foundation. Drainage is the part most contractors skip — and the one that matters most for long-term protection.
Book a drainage assessment →
The yard decides the basement.
Heavy clay soil
Central Ohio clay doesn't drain — it holds. During a three-day storm the soil around your foundation saturates and pushes groundwater directly against the walls.
Grading that drifted
Lots graded correctly in 1965 often slope the wrong way by 2025. Forty years of settling, landscaping, and added hardscape quietly turn well-draining yards into catch basins.
Overwhelmed sump systems
Even the best pump can be out-matched by a yard that sends the wrong water its way. Reduce the load and the pump lasts twice as long.
The drainage stack.
Most houses need one of these. A few need all three. We'll tell you honestly which.
French drains
Shallow gravel trench with filter fabric and perforated pipe, collecting subsurface water and moving it away from the foundation. Reads as landscaping, not construction.
Downspout extensions
Gutters are only useful if they land somewhere that isn't against the house. Underground pipes or corrugated extensions move roof runoff 8+ feet out.
Swales and re-grading
The cheapest drainage fix is almost always shaping the earth. A proper 6-inch fall in the first 10 feet solves more basement problems than most pumps.
The two systems aren't competing.
Drainage handles surface water before it reaches the foundation. The sump pump handles what makes it through anyway. Each one reduces the load on the other, so the whole system lasts longer.
See the installation service →Drainage questions.
Less than you'd think. Modern French drains and downspout extensions involve narrow trenches that recover quickly. We aim to leave the yard looking like we were barely there within a few weeks.
A properly installed French drain with filter fabric and clean gravel can last 20+ years. Downspout extensions need occasional clearing. We'll walk you through what ongoing upkeep looks like.
Maybe not. It depends on your grading, your soil, and your volume of runoff. The honest answer is: we'll tell you during the assessment whether drainage would meaningfully help, or whether your sump system is already enough.
Most drainage projects pay for themselves the first time they prevent a basement flood. Flood remediation — drying, mold treatment, replacing drywall and flooring — regularly runs into five figures. Prevention is orders of magnitude cheaper.
When the yard finally stops fighting the house.
★★★★★
“Our yard used to pool water against the foundation after every heavy rain. K-Sump re-graded and added a French drain — two storms later, completely dry. They actually fixed the root cause.”
Michael T.
Upper Arlington
★★★★★
“One year in, the labor warranty came through without a hassle. Sent a message, got a call back same day, fixed on the second visit. That's what honoring a warranty actually looks like.”
Karen B.
Gahanna
Protect your basement before the next storm.
Free assessment. Fixed pricing. No obligation.
100% satisfaction guarantee on every installation.