Groundwork · Brighton, Hove and nearby
Garden drainage
We put in drainage as part of a new lawn, patio or wider landscaping job, so rain has somewhere to go once the work is finished. What a garden needs is confirmed at a free, no-obligation survey.
Why it matters
Artificial grass and paving both need water to drain away. On chalk the ground often drains freely, but slopes, heavier soils in river valleys, low-lying plots and enclosed city yards can all hold water if nothing is planned.
On the survey we look at where water comes from, where it collects now, and where it can safely go, then build that into the quote for the lawn or patio.
What we might put in
There is no single drain that suits every garden, so we do not pick a method until we have seen the plot. Depending on the ground and the layout, that can mean setting falls so a patio sheds water to a planted border, a channel drain across a doorway, a perforated pipe in a trench, or a soakaway where the ground will take it. Sometimes the important work is behind a sleeper wall, so a new terrace does not push water onto steps or a neighbour.
We will also look at what is already there: gullies, rainwater pipes, a water butt overflow, or a neighbour’s run-off that already arrives in your garden. Covering a gully or flattening a fall to make a lawn look level is how gardens end up wetter than they were before. The aim is a finished surface that stays usable, not a hidden wet layer under a new lawn base.
Where we see it most
Lower ground near the river in Shoreham-by-Sea and Lewes, valley-bottom gardens in Rottingdean and Ovingdean, hillside terraces in Saltdean and Woodingdean, and small walled yards in Brighton and Hove where water has nowhere to go.
The reasons differ. On a hillside the risk is usually run-off travelling towards the house, a set of steps or a neighbour once a smooth lawn or patio is in. On lower ground, and near the harbour in Portslade or Shoreham-by-Sea, the ground can hold water for longer after heavy rain, so the base of a new lawn and the falls on a patio need to be thought through on site rather than assumed from a map. In a tight, mostly paved Kemptown yard there is simply very little open soil left to soak anything up.
Drainage with a new lawn or patio
We mostly install drainage as part of a new artificial lawn, patio or wider landscaping job, because that is when the ground is already open and the levels can be set together. A compacted lawn base will not drain like the old soil it replaced unless a route for water is planned. A patio without a fall, or with a fall the wrong way, will puddle against the house no matter how good the paving is.
If you already have a waterlogged garden and are not yet sure whether a new lawn is the right next step, get in touch and we can talk it through. We would rather say on a survey if the drainage needs to come first than lay grass on a wet base.
Price, limits and how to book
Drainage is quoted after a free, no-obligation survey, because the ground, the layout and a safe place for the water to go all change the work. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed. We do not connect garden drainage into public sewers or do work that needs a building-control design unless that has been properly arranged; if a problem is bigger than a garden job, we will say so. Call or WhatsApp 07826 525732, email ruffellsgrass@gmail.com, or use the free survey form. We work Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.
Price
Garden drainage work is quoted after a free, no-obligation survey, because size, ground, access and materials all change the figure. There is no minimum charge and all works are guaranteed. If you are also thinking about a new lawn, artificial grass is typically £55–£65 per m² installed, as a guide.
Where we do this
We are based in Brighton and cover the city and the surrounding towns and villages. Garden drainage comes up often in Shoreham-by-Sea, Lewes, Portslade, Rottingdean, Brighton. Each area page has notes on local gardens, ground and access.
- Brighton
- Hove
- Saltdean
- Rottingdean
- Peacehaven
- Telscombe
- Woodingdean
- Ovingdean
- Kemptown
- Portslade
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Lewes
Often done alongside
Common questions
Do you do drainage on its own?
We mostly do drainage as part of a lawn, patio or landscaping job. Get in touch and we can talk through what you need.
Will artificial grass make a waterlogged garden worse?
Not if the base and drainage are planned properly. That is part of every survey. If the garden is already wet, we would rather look at that first than lay grass on a wet base.
How much does drainage cost?
It depends on the ground and the layout, so it is confirmed at the free survey. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed.
Do you install soakaways or channel drains?
Where they are suitable, yes. The right method is decided on the survey, once we have seen where water comes from and where it can safely go.
Is chalk always free-draining?
Much of the ground around Brighton, Hove and the clifftop towns is chalk and often drains freely in dry weather, but a slope, a compacted lawn base, a patio or a neighbour’s run-off can still leave water sitting if nothing is planned.
How do I book a survey?
Call or WhatsApp 07826 525732, email ruffellsgrass@gmail.com, or use the free survey form. Surveys are free and there is no obligation. We work Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.
Free, no-obligation
Book a free survey
Adam will come and look at the garden, talk it through and confirm a price. As a guide, artificial grass typically costs £55–£65 per m² installed; other work is quoted at the survey. There is no minimum charge, and all works are guaranteed.
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