Foundation drainage in Monroe, Louisiana
With more than 50 inches of rain in a normal Monroe year, where the water goes matters as much as any pier. Here's what helps.
Clay moves when its moisture changes. The goal around a foundation is to keep the soil as even as possible, all the way around the house, through wet winters and dry late summers. A downspout emptying at one corner while the opposite wall bakes in the sun is how one side of a house ends up lower than the other.
Signs the drainage is working against you
- Downspouts that empty right next to the foundation
- Soil or flower beds that slope toward the house instead of away
- Puddles along the foundation that last a day or more after rain
- Water or mud in the crawl space of a raised house after storms
- Wide cracks opening in the soil next to the slab in a dry spell
What does drainage work include?
- Gutters and downspout lines that carry roof water well away from the house, often in buried pipe to a yard outlet or the street
- Regrading so the ground falls away from the foundation on every side
- Surface and French drains to move water out of low spots in the yard
- Crawl space drainage and vapor barriers for raised houses
What about trees?
Large trees near the house draw water out of the clay, especially in summer, and can pull one side of a house down. Root barriers or removal are sometimes recommended. Talk to an arborist first; taking out a big tree changes how the soil behaves too, and the ground can swell where roots used to dry it.
What about floodplains and parish permits?
Parts of Ouachita Parish lie in mapped floodplains. Outside city limits, the Ouachita Parish Police Jury's permit office handles building permits, culvert permits and floodplain management. Inside Monroe or West Monroe, ask the city before regrading or adding drains that send water toward a ditch or a neighbor.
Before anyone digs
Drain lines and regrading mean excavation. Louisiana's Dig Law requires notice to Louisiana 811 at least 48 hours before digging, not counting weekends and holidays. Your contractor should make that call.
The contractor sets the price after taking readings and figuring out why the house is moving. We don't quote prices, and nobody can price a leveling or piering job honestly over the phone before they've been under or around the house.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do foundation contractors do drainage work?
Many do gutters, downspout lines, grading and drains, or work with someone who does. Ask whether it's in the bid or a separate job.
Will fixing drainage alone stop the movement?
Sometimes, if the movement is mostly seasonal and water is the cause. If part of the house has already settled, it may still need support. An evaluation tells you which.
Related services
- House leveling (raised and pier-and-beam homes)
- Slab foundation repair
- Foundation piers (concrete, steel, helical)
- Foundation inspections and crack repair
More background: Monroe, Louisiana foundation guide.
Floors sloping, doors dragging, or brick cracking after a wet spring?
Call and a local foundation contractor will come take readings and tell you what's moving.