Garden Drainage in Kensington that stops pooling water and protects your paving and planting. We design discreet systems—French drains, soakaways and pumps—built for lasting performance. Clear diagnosis, tidy workmanship, and results you can see after the next downpour.
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Standing water after rain can quickly spoil a garden, stain paving and push moisture towards your property. Our drainage solutions are designed for Kensington’s compact gardens and high-value outdoor spaces, from South Kensington courtyards to plots near Kensington Gardens. We pinpoint the cause—poor falls, blocked outlets, heavy soils or overwhelmed gullies—then install the right system to move water safely away. Expect neat finishes that suit period terraces and formal planting schemes.
Homeowners across W8 and W14 often live in stucco townhouses, mansion blocks and period conversions where external levels, lightwells and shared boundaries complicate drainage. In areas such as Holland Park and Earl’s Court, access routes can be narrow and garden levels may have been altered over decades. We’re used to working around mature trees, existing irrigation, and heritage-style paving. The aim is always the same: prevent waterlogging without compromising the look of the garden.
We start with a site visit and, where needed, CCTV surveys to trace runs, locate breaks and confirm outfalls. You’ll receive a clear plan covering grading, channel drains, land drains, catch pits, soakaways or pump systems—only what’s necessary. Our teams work cleanly, protect planting, and reinstate surfaces carefully. Fine Landscaping backs installations with a 10-year warranty, which is why clients recommend us for garden drainage Kensington area projects.
In the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, gardens often sit between party walls with limited space for traditional soakaways. We plan around tight access, controlled parking and delivery restrictions, and we keep spoil removal organised to minimise disruption. Where clay-heavy ground slows infiltration, we use correctly sized soakaways, land drains and catch pits to manage peak rainfall. For basements and lightwells, we can specify pump systems with alarms for added security.
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Costs vary with access, depth, reinstatement and the system required. As a guide, small fixes such as local channel drains or a short French drain might start around £900–£1,800. Larger solutions—soakaways, multiple catch pits, grading and longer land drain runs—are commonly £2,500–£7,500+. Pump systems and CCTV surveys can add £350–£2,500 depending on specification and complexity.
Many Kensington drainage jobs take 1–3 days, such as installing a French drain run or adding channel drains to a patio edge. More involved projects—grading, multiple lines, soakaway construction and full reinstatement—typically take 4–10 working days. Timescales depend on access through the property, the amount of excavation, drying conditions, and whether we’re lifting and relaying stone, brick or porcelain paving.
Most garden drainage works are permitted development because they’re below ground and don’t materially alter the building. However, rules can change if you’re in a conservation area, working near protected trees, altering levels significantly, or discharging water to a public sewer. We design systems to keep water on your land wherever possible and will advise if permissions, party wall notices, or council guidance should be checked before work starts.
Yes. We provide a 10-year warranty on our garden drainage installations, covering workmanship and the correct installation of components such as pipes, geotextiles, catch pits and channel drains. The warranty is valid when the system is used as intended and not damaged by later building works or root intrusion beyond reasonable control. We also explain maintenance steps—like clearing grilles—to keep performance consistent year-round.
We tailor the design to your garden layout and finish. Popular options include French drains with clean gravel margins, discreet slot or channel drains with black or stainless grilles, modular soakaway crates, and land drains feeding into catch pits for easy maintenance. For low points near basements, pump systems with non-return valves can be ideal. We’ll recommend materials that match your paving and planting style while meeting flow requirements.
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