Grey sandstone patio in Thornton Heath
20m² of grey Indian sandstone on a new base, with a new manhole cover and an eco drain, in three days for £3,320 including VAT.
- Price
- £3,320 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days
Norbury SW16 · French drains & garden drainage
French Drains in Norbury
Get the water out of the garden, not into the house.
As local drainage contractors, we install French drains and other garden drainage across Norbury SW16, where our own base is. A mile away in Thornton Heath we laid around 15m of French drains around Jane's house, connected to the gullies and finished in panda gravel, as part of a four-day job.
Free site survey · A quote tailored to your garden
Your garden, considered
Why Norbury gardens hold water
Most gardens in Norbury are on clay, and clay lets water through very slowly. After heavy rain it sits on the lawn, runs off the patio towards the back wall of the house or lies along the side return. A French drain gives that water a quick way out: a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that carries it to a gully, drain or soakaway.
Around a house, the drain usually runs along the walls where water gathers. At Jane's home in Thornton Heath, about 15m of French drains went in around the property, connected into the existing gullies and topped with panda gravel, so the water is collected before it reaches the walls.
Not every wet garden needs a French drain. Where the problem is a patio shedding water the wrong way, an eco drain along the edge can do the job, as on a 20m² sandstone patio we laid in Thornton Heath, where the paving falls to an eco drain along the lawn.
Real jobs · real prices
More drainage jobs near Norbury
Drainage we have built within about a mile and a half of Norbury, from eco drains in a patio to French drains in Streatham. Each case study shows the photos and the price.
Full back garden transformation with new paving and brick walls in Streatham
A full back garden transformation: new paving, new turf, brick walls, granite edging, raised sleeper beds, French drains and a new manhole cover, in 2 weeks for £15,760 including VAT.
- Price
- £15,760 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 2 weeks
Porcelain paving and patio in Streatham
A back garden paved in light grey 600 × 1200 and 600 × 900 mm porcelain on a compacted Type 1 sub-base, with channel drains, a manhole cover and a gravel strip, completed in five days for £6,480 including VAT.
- Price
- £6,480 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 5 days
Nursery artificial grass and drainage in Streatham
A children's nursery play area where water sat on the old artificial grass, dug out with a digger and rebuilt with 55m of French drains, a 300mm Type 3 sub-base, 45m³ of granite dust and 220m² of new artificial grass, over four weeks of wet January weather for £22,000 including VAT.
- Price
- £22,000 inc. VAT
- Time on site
- 4 weeks (wet January)
Details from our portfolio
Photos from Jane's drainage job near Norbury
Every photo here is from Jane's home in Thornton Heath CR7, where French drains now run around the property to the gullies.
Materials & possibilities
Which drain does your garden need?
We look at where the water comes from and where it can go before recommending anything.
Where the water goes
A French drain only works if the water has somewhere to go at the end. We check the falls along the trench and connect the pipe into an existing gully or drain where that is allowed, or plan a soakaway where it is not, so the collected water does not just move to another corner of the garden.
From first ideas to finishing touches
A clear path to your finished garden.
Find the problem
We look at where water collects and where it can be taken.
Plan the route
Trench line, falls and the outlet, with a written price.
Dig and lay
Trench, membrane, gravel and perforated pipe to the outlet.
Finish
Top with gravel or reinstate paving, and clear the waste.
Documented project · Thornton Heath CR7 · 1.2 miles from Norbury
Custom pergola, French drains and garden refresh in Thornton Heath
At Jane's home in Thornton Heath, about a mile from Norbury, we installed around 15m of French drains around the property, connected to the gullies and finished with panda gravel, alongside a custom pergola, regrouted crazy paving and stepping stones across the lawn. Four days, £7,500 including VAT. Drag the slider to compare.
Read the full case studyA complete quote, not a guess
How much does a French drain cost in Norbury?
Drainage near Norbury has ranged from £3,320 for a 20m² sandstone patio with an eco drain and new manhole cover in Thornton Heath, to £7,500 for Jane's job with around 15m of French drains plus a pergola and paving repairs. In Streatham, Louise's porcelain patio with channel drains was £6,480. Trench length, the outlet and what has to be lifted and relaid set the price.
Request your free quote- Length of drain
- How many metres of trench and pipe.
- Outlet
- Connecting to a gully, drain or new soakaway.
- Surface
- Lifting and relaying paving or lawn above it.
- Spoil
- Taking away the dug-out clay and waste.
Compare like for like. Check the length of the drain, the pipe and gravel used, where it discharges and whether reinstating the surface and waste removal are included.
What drainage jobs near Norbury cost
| Project | Where | Time on site | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grey sandstone patio in Thornton Heath | Thornton Heath CR7 | 3 days | £3,320 inc. VAT |
| Porcelain paving and patio in Streatham | Streatham SW16 | 5 days | £6,480 inc. VAT |
| Custom pergola, French drains and garden refresh in Thornton Heath | Thornton Heath CR7 | 4 days | £7,500 inc. VAT |
| Full back garden transformation with new paving and brick walls in Streatham | Streatham SW16 | 2 weeks | £15,760 inc. VAT |
Prices as shown on each case study. Every garden is different, so your price is fixed in a written quote after a free survey.
Norbury · SW16
Drainage contractors based in Norbury
Our base is here in Norbury, so we can look at a waterlogged garden anywhere from Norbury Park and Pollards Hill to Norwood Grove quickly. Jane's French drains and the sandstone patio with its eco drain are both in Thornton Heath, about a mile away.
Norbury is in Croydon Council, and we also install drainage across Thornton Heath, Streatham Common and Upper Norwood.
- Norbury Park
- Pollards Hill
- Norwood Grove
- Thornton Heath
- Streatham Common
- Upper Norwood
- Crown Point
A few useful answers
French Drains in Norbury: your questions
Still deciding? Tell us about your garden and we can talk through the next step.
Read our warranty termsHow much did the French drains in Thornton Heath cost?
Jane's job came to £7,500 including VAT for around 15m of French drains to the gullies, plus a custom pergola, regrouted crazy paving and stepping stones, all in four days.
Why does my Norbury garden stay wet?
Most gardens in Norbury are on clay, which drains slowly, so rain can sit on the lawn or run towards the house. A French drain gives it a route out.
Where does the water from a French drain go?
Into an existing gully or drain where that is allowed, or into a soakaway. At Jane's home the drains were connected to the gullies.
Is an eco drain the same as a French drain?
No. An eco drain is a channel along the edge of paving that catches surface water, like the one along the lawn edge of a sandstone patio in Thornton Heath. A French drain is a buried gravel trench with a pipe.
Can drainage be added when I get a new patio?
Yes, and it is the best time. In Streatham, Louise's porcelain patio went down with channel drains and a reset manhole cover in five days.
What is panda gravel?
A mixed black and white decorative gravel. It was used to finish the top of Jane's French drains in Thornton Heath.
Do you fix drainage in Pollards Hill and Norwood Grove?
Yes. We cover all of Norbury, including Pollards Hill, Norwood Grove and Norbury Park, plus Thornton Heath and Upper Norwood.
Let's make a start
Your next chapter
starts in the garden.
Tell us about your french drains project in Norbury. We will get in touch to discuss your ideas and the next step towards a site survey.
020 3633 5529 info@finelandscape.co.ukFine Landscaping
31 Tylecroft Road, Norbury, London SW16 4BL
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