French Drains in Paddington designed to move water away from your home, not just hide it. We install discreet drainage runs with correct gradients, clean finishes and long-term reliability.
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Water pooling after heavy rain is common around W2, especially where paving, lightwells and compacted beds stop natural soakaway. Our drainage team installs French drains that capture surface and sub-surface water and direct it to a safe outlet. We regularly work near Paddington station and the canal edges by Little Venice, where levels and run-off can be tricky. The aim is simple: drier lawns, safer paths and fewer damp-related headaches.
Paddington’s mix of stucco townhouses, mansion flats and newer apartments often comes with courtyards, basement front areas and narrow side returns. These spaces can suffer from trapped water against walls, saturated borders and overflowing gullies. We tailor french drains Paddington area installations to suit limited access, shared boundaries and sensitive finishes such as York stone and resin-bound paths. You get a solution that fits the property, not a one-size trench.
We start with a site survey, levels check and a clear gradient design, then set out the run to avoid services and roots. Installation includes trench excavation, geotextile membrane, perforated pipe, graded gravel fill and a proper outlet connection. Where needed, we create multiple runs to intercept water from different zones. Fine Landscaping is known for tidy reinstatement, transparent reporting and a 10-year warranty on workmanship.
Access in the City of Westminster can be tight, with controlled parking and busy streets around Bayswater and Marylebone. We plan deliveries, spoil removal and working hours to keep disruption low and remain considerate of neighbours. Ground conditions vary from made-up ground near developments to compacted clay in older gardens, so we adjust gravel grading, pipe depth and gradients accordingly. Our team is used to working around basements, vaults and older brickwork common in W2.
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Costs in Paddington typically depend on length, depth, access and where the outlet can connect. As a guide, allow around £120–£220 per linear metre for a straightforward run, with small projects often starting from £1,200–£2,500. Courtyard gardens, basement areas, multiple runs or difficult spoil removal can push totals to £3,000–£7,500+. We provide a site-specific quote after checking levels and services.
Most single-run installations take 1–2 days, including excavation, pipe and gravel placement, and reinstatement. Larger gardens or multiple runs may take 3–5 days, particularly if we’re working around steps, lightwells or existing paving that needs lifting and relaying. Timescales are affected by access for waste removal, the depth required to achieve a good fall, and whether an outlet connection needs additional groundwork.
French drains are usually classed as minor garden works and don’t require planning permission, especially when they’re below ground and don’t change levels significantly. However, rules can differ for listed buildings, conservation areas, or where works affect a front garden, highway drainage or shared party boundaries. We’ll advise on any City of Westminster requirements, check for constraints, and recommend the right approach before any excavation starts.
We provide a 10-year warranty on workmanship for our French drain installations, covering correct installation of the trench, membrane, pipework, gravel fill and outlet connection. If an issue arises due to installation defects, we’ll return to investigate and put it right. The warranty doesn’t cover damage from third-party works, blocked outlets beyond our installed system, or extreme events that exceed the system’s design capacity.
We can tailor the system to your site, including pipe diameter options, different gravel grades for flow and filtration, and robust geotextile membranes to reduce silting. Design choices include single or multiple runs, deeper intercept drains near retaining walls, and discrete inspection points for easier maintenance. Where appropriate, we can connect to existing surface water systems or approved soakaway solutions. We’ll recommend the best configuration after a levels and drainage assessment.
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