Top Yard Drainage & Grading in Hillsboro, Oregon Ranked

Effective yard drainage and grading are essential for protecting your home's foundation, preventing landscape erosion, and managing the significant rainfall common in the Pacific Northwest. Proper stormwater management on your property directs water away from structures and into appropriate areas where it can be safely absorbed or conveyed, safeguarding your investment and contributing to healthier local watersheds. This guide outlines the common solutions, processes, and considerations for residential drainage work in Hillsboro, helping you understand your options and connect with local professionals who can assess and address your specific site challenges.

HD Landscape and Maintenance

portland

HD Landscape and Maintenance is a landscaping and maintenance company serving Portland, OR, and the surrounding metropolitan area. They offer a wide range of services including lawn care, sod and artificial turf installation, fence installation, landscape lighting, landscape design, tree services, yard drainage, hardscaping, and seasonal maintenance. Their work covers residential and commercial properties across Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. The company emphasizes sustainable landscaping practices using native plants and eco-friendly materials. They are fully licensed and insured, with experience handling projects from initial design to completion, including specialized capabilities like storm damage restoration and smart drainage systems.

5.0

263 Reviews

Simple Lawns Landscape Design

9707 NE 54th St #C, Vancouver, WA 98662

Simple Lawns Landscape Design is a family-owned landscaping and lawn care company serving Portland, OR. They provide a full range of services including lawn mowing, fertilization, weed control, landscape design, yard drainage, sprinkler installation and repair, and hardscaping such as pavers and retaining walls. With over 20 years of experience, they focus on durable outdoor solutions backed by a 5-year warranty on hardscaping. Their team includes trained installers who stay current with landscaping techniques to ensure quality results.

4.9

338 Reviews

Lawn & Irrigation Technologies NW

2900 SE Cornelius Pass Rd Ste 336, Hillsboro, OR 97123

Lawn & Irrigation Technologies NW is a landscaping and irrigation contractor based in Portland, OR, serving the Washington County area for over 30 years. They offer a wide range of services including irrigation system installation and repair, sod installation, landscape lighting, paver installation, yard drainage solutions, and lawn fertilization. Their team is known for using water-efficient irrigation products and providing NDS-certified drainage solutions to enhance outdoor spaces while promoting environmental stewardship.

4.9

164 Reviews

Danshap Landscaping and Excavation inc.

7800 NE 103rd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98662

Danshap Landscaping and Excavation Inc. is a licensed, bonded, and insured landscaping company serving Portland, OR, and the surrounding areas. They offer a wide range of services including sod installation, landscape design, tree removal, stump grinding, yard drainage, grading, land clearing, brush removal, and general lawn care. The company is equipped to handle both residential and commercial projects, with capabilities such as grading and re-sloping yards to improve drainage and appearance. Danshap Landscaping is locally owned and operated, with a strong focus on customer satisfaction and quality workmanship.

5.0

68 Reviews

Wyeast Gardens, LLC

23202 SE Hoffmeister Rd, Damascus, OR 97089

Wyeast Gardens, LLC is a full-service landscaping company based in Portland, OR, offering landscape design, irrigation installation and repair, yard drainage solutions, and hardscaping services. Serving commercial, residential, industrial, and governmental clients, they specialize in efficient irrigation systems and sustainable water management to enhance outdoor spaces. Established in 1994, Wyeast Gardens brings over 25 years of experience, including work with national cemeteries and VA hospitals, and provides skilled masonry and landscape construction services.

5.0

65 Reviews

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Why Proper Drainage Matters in Hillsboro

Hillsboro's climate, with its wet winters and periodic heavy rains, makes managing surface water and subsurface moisture a critical part of home maintenance. Without a properly graded yard or functional drainage systems, water can pool around foundations, leading to costly structural damage, basement flooding, and saturated, unusable lawns. Furthermore, uncontrolled runoff can carry pollutants from your property into the city's storm sewer system, which ultimately flows into local streams and the Tualatin River ¹. The City of Hillsboro has a Stormwater Master Plan focused on protecting these water resources, and responsible residential drainage is a key component of that community effort ². Investing in good drainage isn't just about fixing a soggy yard-it's about preserving your property's value and being a good steward of the local environment.

Common Residential Drainage Solutions

There are several effective techniques for controlling water flow and solving drainage problems. The right solution depends on your property's specific issues, soil type, and topography.

Grading and Swales

The most fundamental approach is grading-reshaping the land's surface to create a gentle, consistent slope (typically at least a 2% grade away from your home). This directs surface runoff to a desired location, such as a street gutter or a landscaped area. A swale is a shallow, grassy channel designed to convey water along a specific path. It's a natural-looking and often low-cost way to manage sheet flow across your property ^{3 4}.

French Drains

A French drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock containing a perforated pipe that redirects groundwater and surface water. It's an excellent solution for chronically soggy areas, water collecting in low spots, or for intercepting water before it reaches a foundation ^{3 5}. The pipe collects water and channels it to a safer discharge point, like a storm drain or a dry well.

Catch Basins and Channel Drains

For capturing concentrated surface water from driveways, patios, or low points in a yard, catch basins (grated inlets) or channel drains are installed. These structures collect water and connect to an underground pipe system that carries it away ^{3 6}. They are particularly useful where downspouts empty or where pavement creates pooling.

Rain Gardens and Bioswales

These are landscaped features that manage stormwater through absorption and filtration. A rain garden is a depressed area planted with native, water-tolerant plants. It collects runoff from roofs or driveways, allowing it to soak into the ground while filtering out pollutants ^{4 7}. A bioswale is a linear, vegetated channel with engineered soils that slows and treats runoff. Both are attractive, eco-friendly solutions that recharge groundwater and support local ecology.

Dry Wells and Infiltration Trenches

When diverting water to a street isn't feasible, dry wells (underground gravel-filled chambers) or infiltration trenches allow collected water to percolate slowly into the surrounding subsoil ^{5 6}. These are often used as the endpoint for downspout leaders or French drain systems, provided the soil has adequate percolation rates.

Rain Barrels and Cisterns

At the source, rain barrels or larger cisterns capture roof runoff from downspouts for later use in irrigation. This simple method reduces the total volume of water that your drainage system needs to handle during a storm ³.

The Professional Drainage Project Process

Tackling a significant drainage issue typically follows a logical sequence from assessment to completion.

1. Site Assessment and Problem Identification: A professional will inspect your property during or after a rain event to identify where water is coming from (e.g., roof runoff, neighbor's yard, natural springs) and where it's pooling or causing damage. They look for signs like standing water, soil erosion, or damp foundation walls ^{3 1}.

2. Design and Planning: Based on the assessment, a plan is developed. This includes determining the best drainage techniques, mapping the flow path, and calculating pipe sizes and slopes. For complex projects or those involving discharge to city systems, this stage may involve consulting drainage guidelines or preliminary discussions with city authorities ².

3. Permitting: Most basic yard grading and drainage work on single-family homes does not require a permit. However, significant earthmoving, work in a floodplain, or connecting to public storm sewers might. A reputable contractor will know when to check with the City of Hillsboro's Public Works department for requirements ¹.

4. Installation: This is the construction phase, which can involve excavation for trenches, installing pipes and basins, backfilling with gravel, reshaping soil for grading, and planting for rain gardens. Proper installation is crucial for long-term performance ³.

5. Connection and Final Grading: All system components are connected, downspouts are tied into drainage lines or barrels, and the surface is graded and restored with topsoil and sod or seed.

6. Observation and Testing: The final and most important step is observing the system during the next rainfall. This confirms water is moving as designed and allows for any minor tweaks.

Understanding Costs for Drainage Work

Costs for drainage and grading solutions in Hillsboro vary widely based on the complexity of the problem, the size of your property, the solutions chosen, and current labor and material rates. The following ranges provide a general idea, but obtaining site-specific quotes from local contractors is essential.

• Rain Barrels: A simple, do-it-yourself starting point, typically costing between $50 and $200 for a basic setup ³.
• Simple Grading/Swales: For a contractor to regrade a problematic area or create a swale, costs might range from $200 to $1,000 or more, depending on the area and amount of earth moved.
• Rain Garden: Installing a residential rain garden, including excavation, soil amendments, and plants, often falls in the range of $300 to $1,500 ³.
• Standard French Drain: Installing a perforated pipe in a gravel-filled trench is a common solution. Costs typically start around $800 to $3,000+ per run, depending on length, depth, and accessibility ^{3 8}.
• Catch Basin System: A more complex system involving multiple basins and underground piping can range from $1,000 to $4,000 or more ³.
• Permeable Pavers: While a more extensive project, replacing impervious surfaces with permeable pavers can be a proactive drainage solution. Installed costs often range from $15 to $30+ per square foot for materials and installation ⁵.

Working with Hillsboro's Environment

Hillsboro residents have a special responsibility due to the city's location within the Tualatin River watershed. The City's Stormwater Master Plan emphasizes reducing pollution and managing flow to protect stream health ². When planning drainage work, consider these local factors:

• Soil Types: Much of the soil in the area has a high clay content, which drains slowly. This makes infiltration-based solutions like dry wells less effective without proper engineering and may necessitate systems that convey water to a suitable outlet.
• Downspout Disconnection: Simply disconnecting downspouts from the sewer and directing them onto permeable surfaces or into a drainage system is a highly effective first step.
• Native Plants: Using native plants in rain gardens and bioswales ensures they are adapted to the local wet/dry cycles and provide the best habitat and filtration benefits ^{4 7}.

Choosing a local landscape contractor or drainage specialist familiar with Hillsboro's codes, soil conditions, and environmental goals is the best way to ensure a successful, lasting solution for your property.

Frequently asked questions

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