Water Drained - French Drain Installed

Today we got the drain piped and filled with 2" stone. Tom had it all arranged by the time I got there, and on site was all the drainage pipe, first load of 2" and it was underway in terms getting installed.

We are installing a French drain, named after the man who initially designed and popularised it - Mr Henry French in the mid 1800's.  As above we dig a trench and bed with 2" gravel.  A perforated drainage pipe sits on that and that is topped with gravel.  Depending on how close to the surface, what will roll over it, and the volume of water you can use a rigid or flexible pipe in different diameters.  The water can flow through the drainage stone, around the pipe and into it through the perforations.  Of course it also flows out through them, but it's easier for the water to flow through the pipe.

The drain took the entire day, at the end when we started to clear the mud off the top near the gate we unearthed another spring right at the gate.  While this meant more work today, it was a lot better to find it now rather than for it to bubble up when the trucks start rolling over it.  The drain will extend from beyond the right hand side of the house under the basement area and down past the gate into the existing drain.  Ultimately if we hadn't of caught this it would have seeped up and started to undermine the foundation.  Good to have it cleared.  It was impressive to see the sheer volume of water flowing through it - and it hasn't been all that wet recently!!!

Next job is that we have to start building back up to the right level with 4" stone that will allow us to build on, and get trucks up to the house area.  We have a substantial amount of filling to go in which will add to the cost of this groundworks stage but can't avoid it.  This is the least controllable stage, as until you get into the ground you don't know if you encounter rock, water, clay all the way etc. Once we get this built up, the house will start, and then we should be on track.