Stop rain from soaking the ground under your house. Get a free drainage and foundation check and a written price from a local crew. Most people get a call back the same day.
We connect property owners in Savannah and nearby areas, including Historic District, Victorian District, Thomas Square and Midtown, Ardsley Park, Isle of Hope and Thunderbolt, with one independent local foundation repair specialist.
What it costs
Typical published ranges for Savannah. The contractor's written estimate is the price, and the inspection is free.
In many places, foundation trouble comes from clay that swells and shrinks. In Savannah, it is most often water. Rain has nowhere to go. The ground stays soaked. And storms push water under and around houses.
Wet ground under a slab can get soft and let a corner sink. Water under a raised house keeps the wood damp and feeds rot. Rain running along a wall can wash sand out from under the edge of a foundation. Fixing where the water goes is often the cheapest way to protect a house. Sometimes it is the only fix the house needs.
What we can help fix
Water that pools next to the house after every storm.
A yard that stays soggy for days.
Standing water in the crawl space.
Gutters that spill over, or downspouts that dump right at the wall.
Soil washed away from the slab edge or from around piers.
A yard that slopes toward the house instead of away from it.
Water coming in under a door or through a crack in the slab.
Why Savannah drains so slowly
Flat land. The Chatham County plan says the whole county is flat coastal land. It calls it the Atlantic Coast Flatwoods. The low, flat ground has no clear paths for water. Rain moves slowly into canals, creeks and rivers.
Slow soil and high water. The same plan says most soil in the county soaks up water very slowly. It sheds the most runoff, and the water sits close to the top. USDA soil maps back this up. In Ocilla soil, water sits 12 to 30 inches down for months. In Leon soil it sits 6 to 18 inches down. In Pelham soil it can reach the top, or just above it. When the ground is already full, rain just sits.
Big storms. In August 2024, Tropical Storm Debby dropped about 10 inches of rain on Savannah. That is more than twice what the city most often gets in all of August, the city manager said. The county plan lists the main causes of flooding away from the coast. They are heavy rain, flat ground, poor soil, high groundwater and storm drains that fill up. That flooding can happen even outside mapped flood zones.
Tides that back up the drains. High tides alone now flood low spots more often. Before the early 2000s, Fort Pulaski saw zero to five tide flood days a year. In many recent years it has seen 10 to more than 20, says the county plan. High tides can push back up through storm drains. So rain that falls at high tide drains even slower.
How a crew fixes it
Gutters and downspouts
This is the simplest fix. Clean gutters of the right size help a lot. So do downspouts that carry water several feet away from the house. Together they keep a lot of water off the foundation.
Reshaping the yard
The ground near a house should slope away from it. The crew can reshape the soil so water runs away from the walls. In a flood zone, there are rules on adding dirt. So the crew should check first.
French drains and curtain drains
A French drain is a trench filled with gravel and a pipe. It collects water and carries it away. A curtain drain catches water that flows toward the house from higher ground. In Savannah, the key question is where the pipe ends. It needs a lower place to empty.
Crawl space drains and pumps
Water may collect under a raised house. The crew can shape the ground under it to one low point. Then they add a drain and a sump pump. The pump pushes the water out and away. See crawl space repair.
Dry wells and catch basins
A catch basin collects water at a low spot and sends it into a pipe. A dry well is a pit in the ground that holds water while it soaks in. With water this close to the top, dry wells do not work on every lot. Ask if one fits yours.
Flood zone rules
Many homes around Savannah sit in a mapped flood zone. Outside city limits, the county flood law limits how much dirt can be added in a flood zone. It also calls for flood vents under raised homes. Drains, yard work and any new dirt near the house should fit those rules. A local crew should know your zone before they plan the job.
What a good check covers
Where water comes off the roof, and where it goes.
The slope of the ground on every side of the house.
Low spots, soggy areas and signs of washed-out soil.
Water lines or damp soil in the crawl space.
Where the water could go, like a ditch, a street drain or a lower part of the yard.
Your flood zone.
A written plan and price.
What moves the price
These are typical ranges from the Fixr cost guides, not a quote. The length and depth of the drain move the price most. So does how far the water has to travel, and whether you need a pump. See the full cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why does water stand in my yard for days after rain?
Much of Savannah is flat. The soil drains slowly, and the water table is close to the top. After a big storm, the ground is already full. So the water has nowhere to soak in. A drain gives it a path to somewhere else.
Will a French drain work if the water table is high?
It can. But it needs a lower place to send the water, like a ditch, a street drain or a sump pump. A drain that ends in soggy ground will not help much. A good crew checks where the water can go before they dig.
Do I need a sump pump in my crawl space?
If water collects under your house after rain, a pump in a low spot can push it out. It needs a safe place to send the water, away from the house. It works best with outside fixes like gutters and a yard that slopes away.
Can I fill a low spot in my yard with dirt?
For a small low spot away from the house, maybe. Near the house, and in any flood zone, check first. The county flood law limits fill in flood zones. Fill can also push water onto a neighbor.
Can a drain fix my foundation on its own?
If the house has not moved much, fixing the water may be enough to stop it. If a corner already sank or a pier failed, that still needs repair. The free inspection tells you which.
Can a drain stop flooding from a hurricane or a king tide?
No. No drain can stop a storm surge or a very high tide. Drains handle everyday rain. For flood risk, the tools that matter are flood vents, raising the house and flood insurance.
Book your free drainage check
Water that soaks the ground under your house each storm keeps doing harm between storms too. Call (912) 771-1041 or send the short form. A local crew will call you back, most often the same day. You get the price in writing before any work starts.