Catch basin installation in Irving, TX

A catch basin is a grated box set at the lowest point of a lawn, bed or patio. Surface water drops through the grate, sediment settles in a small sump at the bottom, and the water leaves through solid pipe to an outlet. Rein Irving Drainage Company installs catch basins where water stands on the surface after every storm, which on Irving clay is exactly where many yard problems start.

When a catch basin is the right fix

Catch basins solve surface water: puddles that sit on top of dense soil because the water cannot soak in. That describes much of Las Colinas and north Irving, where the USDA soil survey maps Ferris and Heiden clay that is about half clay particles and absorbs water extremely slowly. It also fits:

• a low corner where two slopes meet,
• the landing zone under a downspout,
• a patio, walk or pool deck with nowhere to shed water,
• a spot along a fence where water collects from a neighbor’s yard.

A catch basin does nothing for water already moving through the soil. Ground that stays soft for days with no visible puddle usually needs a French drain instead. Many Irving yards need both on one line; the French drain versus catch basin guide explains how to tell which you have.

Setting a basin so it actually catches water

The basin itself is simple. Getting water into it, and out of it, is the work.

• Grade around it. The ground around the grate is shaped so water runs to it. A basin set in a dip that water never reaches is a common failed install.
• Grate height. The grate sits slightly below the finished lawn so turf does not grow over it and water reaches it first.
• Depth and fall. In a flat yard, a basin set too deep needs a deep, long trench to reach an outlet; one set too shallow cannot catch the water. The outlet’s elevation decides how deep the basin can go.
• Solid pipe out. Water leaves in smooth solid pipe laid with steady fall, so it does not leak back into the soil near the house.
• Grate rating. Plastic grates suit lawns and beds; anything that cars or carts cross needs a traffic-rated grate.

Where the water goes

A catch basin is only as good as its outlet. Typical choices are a curb core through the street curb, the alley line, a grassed swale, a pop-up emitter in a lower part of the lawn, or a sump where nothing lower exists. University Park requires roof drainage to be piped to the curb or alley, Coppell has issued curb cores for yard drains as engineering permits, and Grand Prairie bars concentrating runoff onto a neighbor’s lot. For Irving we confirm the rule per address. See where drainage water can go.

Pairing basins with other work

Basins work well alongside buried downspouts, since both carry surface water and can share one solid pipe to the outlet. Where a low spot is also the result of soil built up against the house or a sunken area of lawn, regrading the area around the basin finishes the job. For yards with several problem areas, basins become part of a whole-yard drainage system.

Patios and paved areas

In paving, water moves as a sheet across the surface. A single basin catches only what reaches its grate, so patios and pool decks often get a long channel drain at the low edge instead, or a basin at a low corner where the slope already concentrates water. Cutting concrete adds to the cost, so the layout follows the slope that is already there whenever possible.

How the work runs

1. 811 locate before digging.
2. Elevations shot from the low spot to the outlet to set basin depth and pipe fall.
3. Trench and set the basin on a firm base, connect solid pipe and check fall.
4. Water test with a hose at the grate, watching for flow at the outlet.
5. Restore the grade around the grate, re-lay sod and repair crossed sprinkler lines.

Rein Irving Drainage Company plans and manages each job; installation is carried out by licensed and insured drainage contractors we work with.

Cost

As a national budgeting range, a catch basin with solid pipe to an outlet runs about $500 to $1,500. Most of the cost is the trench to the outlet rather than the box, so a second basin on the same line costs much less than the first. Basins in concrete cost more because paving has to be cut and replaced. The catch basin cost guide shows what moves the number, and the cost tool gives a quick range.

Keeping basins working

Basins collect leaves, mulch and roof grit by design, which keeps that debris out of the pipe. Lift the grate and clear the sump after leaf drop and after the first big spring storm, and check the outlet is clear. A basin that holds water a day after rain usually has a blocked or flat line downstream; drainage repair starts by finding where. The cleaning guide has the details.

What this work looks like

Questions people ask

How big should a yard catch basin be?

Most residential basins have a 9 to 12 inch grate. The size follows the area draining to it and the pipe leaving it; a basin collecting a large patio or several downspouts gets a bigger grate and pipe.

Why does my catch basin still hold water?

A small amount of standing water in the sump below the outlet is normal. If the basin stays full a day after rain, the outlet pipe is usually blocked, crushed or laid without enough fall.

Can a catch basin go in a patio or driveway?

Yes, with a grate rated for the traffic over it. In paving, a long channel drain is often better than a round or square basin because paving sheds water as a sheet.

Do catch basins attract mosquitoes?

A basin that drains properly holds very little water. One that stays full because of a blocked or flat outlet can. Keeping the outlet clear solves both problems.

Can catch basins and a French drain share a pipe?

They can share the solid pipe that carries water to the outlet. The perforated French drain section and the basin connect into it separately so a burst of surface water does not flood the drain's stone.