The Monkeys Fix A Drainage Issue

by Mud D. Monkey

Mud Monkeys can install berms, swales or french drains to correct drainage issues from surface water runoff.

The problem in this case: The garage below was installed into a hillside in Springfield, TN, barely cut out enough to fit, with little consideration for runoff water. Over time the cut out hill to the left collapsed, making it worse.

The customer was getting water inside each time it rained, ruining her belongings. This left side pictured, and the back, each 25 feet in length, needed to be addressed.

The fix: With a concrete wall and a tree to the left the Mud Boys had their work cut out. Slowly but surely, over a 3 day period involving plenty of both machine and hand labor, the Muddy Monkeys boys were able to get a Bobcat in to dig out beside the garage to foundation level. They then moved the spoils to other areas of the property.

Digging and tweaking, mostly by hand, they created an even deeper trench, slightly sloped from the end near the downspout, to the back discharge area.. They filled it with pipe and the proper types of gravel, protecting it with water permeable drainage fabric then covering with about two inches of gravel. To eliminate the expense of installing a wall, the sides were champhered (sloped).

Finally, the homeowner saved some $ by self-installing seed and straw blanket mats to prevent re-creating the problem via soil movement during upcoming rains.

Obviously there’s no way it can’t work, time for bananas all around, the problem has been solved!

Facing a similar drainage Issue? A simple French drain, with easy access, can be installed for as low as $35 per linear foot including excavation, gravels, pipe and fabric. A minimum charge does apply. A more difficult and time consuming install such as the one in this story would start at $1,500 to $3.500 depending on complexity.

Mud Monkeys Delivers On New Firepit!

This is a job Mud Monkeys did for a homeowner who originally had us build a pea gravel driveway extension with a timber border. He chose pea gravel because that’s what creates the surface in an exposed aggregate drive, so the materials matched.

But he decided to add a fireplace/firepit with an 8 foot radius to accommodate some chairs. We had to berm up dirt along the perimeter make a surface for the paver block to sit on. Then build the fireplace at the center.

With a radius of 8 foot, the total size is 16 foot across. We all agreed it turned out great!

Mud monkeys staked it out and began excavation to level. We then added approx. 8 inches of various types of gravel to create the base and the pea gravel surface. Because the ground was not level we had to berm part of the perimeter to

At 16 feet across, it easily has space for multiple lawn chairs.

Interested? pricing starts at $850. Brick work included it starts at just $1,1 50, CALL US!