Streatham SW16 · French drains & drainage
Standing water, sorted from underneath.
As local drainage contractors, we put in French drains and garden drainage across Streatham SW16, for homes and for a children's nursery. At the nursery, water sat on top of the old artificial grass, so we dug the whole play area out and laid 55m of French drains under a new free-draining base.
Free site survey · A quote tailored to your garden
Your garden, considered
When water sits on a lawn, a play area or a patio, the surface is rarely the real problem. The ground underneath is, and with Streatham gardens mostly on clay, water has nowhere to soak away. The fix is to give it a route out below the surface before anything new goes on top.
At Brian's nursery in Streatham the old artificial grass and base were dug out with a digger, around 55m of French drains went in, then a 300mm layer of free-draining Type 3 stone, 45m³ of granite dust and 220m² of new artificial grass. It was done through a very wet January over four weeks.
In a back garden the same idea is usually smaller. In Andrew's Streatham garden, French drains and a new manhole cover were installed as part of the transformation, before the new paving and turf went down.
Real jobs · real prices
Two of these are in Streatham itself; the others are within three and a half miles. Each case study shows how the water was dealt with, plus the photos and the price.
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.
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.
A custom-made pergola over the side return, crazy paving jet washed and regrouted, around 15m of French drains connected to the gullies with panda gravel, and random concrete stepping stones across the lawn, in four days for £7,500 including VAT.
105m² of London Stone porcelain laid around a house after a full mini-digger dig-out, on new bases set to an exact 1:60 fall, with French drains all along the house, in two weeks for £23,850 including VAT.
Details from our portfolio
Every photo here is from the nursery play area in Streatham SW16, from the dig-out and French drains to the finished artificial grass.
Materials & possibilities
The right answer depends on where the water collects and how much there is.
On the nursery job, the order was everything: dig out, lay the French drains, build 300mm of Type 3 stone that lets water straight through, then the granite dust and the artificial grass on top. Putting a new surface on badly drained ground would only have moved the puddles.
From first ideas to finishing touches
We see where water sits and find a route to take it away.
A written price for dig-out, drains, sub-base and surface.
Trenches, pipe and gravel, then a free-draining base.
New lawn, artificial grass or paving on top, waste removed.
Documented project · Streatham SW16 · In Streatham
At a children's nursery in Streatham, water sat on top of the old artificial grass. For our client Brian, we dug the area out, installed 55m of French drains, built a 300mm Type 3 sub-base, laid granite dust and fitted 220m² of new artificial grass, over four wet January weeks for £22,000 including VAT. Drag the slider to compare.
Read the full case studyA complete quote, not a guess
In Streatham, Louise's porcelain patio with channel drains and a new manhole cover was £6,480, Andrew's full garden transformation with French drains was £15,760, and Brian's nursery play area with 55m of French drains and 220m² of artificial grass was £22,000. Nearby, Jane's 15m of French drains in Thornton Heath came within a £7,500 job.
Request your free quoteCompare like for like. Check where the water will go, how long the drains are, what free-draining base is used and whether the new surface and waste removal are included.
| Project | Where | Time on site | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Nursery artificial grass and drainage in Streatham | Streatham SW16 | 4 weeks (wet January) | £22,000 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.
Streatham · SW16
We install drainage throughout Streatham, from Streatham Common and Streatham Park to Furzedown and Streatham Hill. The nursery play area, Andrew's garden and Louise's patio are all in Streatham.
Streatham is in Lambeth Council, and our base is next door in Norbury.
A few useful answers
Still deciding? Tell us about your garden and we can talk through the next step.
Read our warranty terms£22,000 including VAT for digging out the play area, 55m of French drains, a 300mm Type 3 sub-base, granite dust and 220m² of new artificial grass, over four weeks.
Usually because the base underneath does not drain. At the Streatham nursery the fix was French drains and a new free-draining Type 3 sub-base under new grass.
A crushed stone base with the fine material taken out, so water passes straight through it. A 300mm layer was laid under the nursery play area.
Yes. Louise's porcelain patio went down with channel drains along the garden room and a new manhole cover, in five days for £6,480.
Not always, but with mostly clay soil here, a lawn or patio that floods after rain often does. We check where the water collects first.
Yes. The nursery job in Streatham was done through a very wet January, over four weeks.
All of Streatham, including Streatham Common, Streatham Park, Streatham Vale, Streatham Hill and Furzedown.
Let's make a start
Tell us about your french drains project in Streatham. 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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