Standing water in the yard, a wet basement after every storm, or runoff heading straight for your foundation. We find where the water is coming from and give it somewhere better to go.
Almost every wet basement, soggy yard, and cracked foundation we see in Greater Boston has the same root cause: water that isn't being moved away from the house. Roofs shed thousands of gallons in a single storm, yards slope the wrong way, and old clay soils hold water against the foundation for days.
Kings Masonry & Construction designs and installs drainage and waterproofing systems for homes, multi-families, and commercial properties across Boston and eastern Massachusetts. We work outside the house, inside the basement, or both, depending on where the water is actually getting in.
Drainage is one of those jobs where the wrong fix can be worse than no fix at all. A French drain in the wrong spot, a sump pump with nowhere to discharge, or a basement coating painted over a wall that's still taking on water will fail, sometimes within a single season. That's why we start every job by walking the property in wet weather conditions when possible, checking grading, gutters, downspouts, soil, and the foundation itself.
Once we know the source, we recommend the simplest system that will solve it: sometimes it's downspout extensions and regrading, sometimes it's a full exterior French drain and an interior perimeter system working together. You get a clear explanation and a written estimate before anything is dug.
Pick the problem you're seeing. Each one points to a different cause, and a different drainage fix.
Water that pools right against the house after a storm means the ground isn't carrying it away. Over time, that standing water soaks down along the foundation wall and finds every crack and joint.
Soil sloping toward the house, settled backfill, or downspouts emptying at the base of the wall.
Regrading away from the foundation, downspout extensions, and a surface drain where space is tight.
A wet line along the base of the basement walls, especially in spring, is classic hydrostatic pressure. Groundwater rises under and around the foundation and pushes through the cove joint between wall and slab.
High groundwater and no working footing drain, which is common in older Boston-area homes.
An interior perimeter drain that collects water at the footing and sends it to a sump pump.
Lawns that stay wet, spongy, or muddy long after a storm usually sit on dense clay or in a low spot where water collects from neighboring properties and has no way out.
Poorly draining soil, a low area in the yard, or runoff from higher ground next door.
A French drain that collects groundwater and carries it to a safe discharge point, often with regrading.
If water shows up as streaks running down from a crack, tie-rod hole, or pipe penetration, the wall itself is letting water through. Sealing it helps, but the water outside is still pushing.
Saturated soil against the wall combined with cracks or open joints in the foundation.
Crack sealing paired with exterior drainage or waterproofing to relieve the pressure behind the wall.
Paved surfaces don't absorb anything. When a driveway or patio slopes toward the house or garage, every storm sends a sheet of water straight toward the door or foundation.
Hard surfaces pitched toward the building with no way to catch and redirect runoff.
A trench drain or catch basin across the paved surface, piped to a safe outlet.
Even without visible puddles, a basement that smells musty, grows mold near the floor, or has white powder on the walls is taking on moisture through the masonry.
Moisture wicking through the foundation from wet soil outside, often with poor ventilation inside.
Fixing exterior drainage first, then interior waterproofing and dehumidification if needed.
Good drainage works as a system, from the roofline to the footing. Here's how each part moves water away from your home, and where it goes.
Reshaping the soil so the ground slopes away from the foundation and rain runs off instead of soaking in at the wall.
Carrying roof water well away from the house, above ground or in buried pipe, so it never reaches the foundation.
A gravel trench with perforated pipe that intercepts groundwater along the foundation or across the yard.
A drain installed under the basement slab along the walls, catching water at the footing before it reaches the floor.
A pit and pump that collect water from the perimeter drain and push it out and away from the house.
Grated channels and catch basins that capture runoff from driveways, patios, and low spots before it spreads.
A French drain is a simple idea that only works when it's built correctly. Water always takes the easiest path. A French drain gives it one: a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe at the bottom that collects groundwater and carries it to a place where it can't do damage.
Most French drains that fail were built without enough slope, without filter fabric, or with nowhere to discharge. In Boston's clay-heavy soils, silt can clog an unprotected drain in just a few years. Every drain we install is built in layers:
The surface is restored with soil and sod, or left as decorative stone where surface water also needs to drain in.
A geotextile wrap that lets water through but keeps soil and silt out of the stone and pipe.
Clean drainage stone surrounds the pipe and gives water an open path down to it.
Pitched continuously toward the outlet, whether that's daylight, a dry well, or a sump, so water keeps moving.
Tight city lots, older homes, dense soils, and New England weather create the same drainage problems across Greater Boston. These are the ones we're called for most.
When a winter's worth of snow melts in a few warm days, frozen ground can't absorb it. Water runs across the surface and collects against foundations and in basements.
Grading and surface drains move meltwater away, while footing or interior drains handle what soaks in.
On many older homes, downspouts end a few inches from the foundation, putting nearly all of the roof's runoff right against the basement wall in every storm.
We extend and bury downspout lines and route them to daylight, a dry well, or a drain system.
Backfill around foundations settles over the years. A yard that once sloped away can end up sloping in, sending every rainfall straight to the house.
We regrade to restore a proper slope away from the foundation and add drains where space is limited.
On hilly streets and dense neighborhoods, water from higher lots and paved areas flows onto lower properties and pools where it has no way out.
A French drain or swale along the property line intercepts the water before it reaches your house.
Many Boston-area homes were built before footing drains were standard, or their original clay tile drains have long since collapsed or clogged.
We install a new exterior footing drain or an interior perimeter drain with a sump, depending on access.
Driveways that pitch toward the garage or house send runoff under doors and against foundations, and the problem gets worse when ice blocks the edges.
A trench drain across the driveway or a catch basin at the low point redirects water to a safe outlet.
We handle French drains, regrading, basement waterproofing, sump pumps,
and foundation leak repair with expert care and reliable results.
Most properties need more than one piece. This chart shows which systems solve which problems, so you can see why we often recommend them together.
| System | Puddles at Foundation | Wet Basement Floor | Soggy Yard | Roof Runoff | Paved Surface Runoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grading & Regrading | |||||
| Downspout Extensions | |||||
| Exterior French Drain | |||||
| Interior Perimeter Drain | |||||
| Sump Pump System | |||||
| Trench & Surface Drains |
Drainage only works when it's designed around your property, so every job follows the same steps from first visit to final cleanup.
We check grading, gutters, downspouts, soil, and low spots outside, and the basement walls and floor inside.
We trace where the water comes from and where it's going, and explain it with photos.
A written plan with the drain routes, outlet, materials, and price, before anything is scheduled.
Underground utilities are marked through Dig Safe before excavation, and the work area is protected.
Trenching, stone, fabric, pipe, pumps, and grading, built to slope correctly and discharge safely.
We restore soil and surfaces, test the system with water, and walk you through how it works.
Every drainage system is priced after we see the property, because the same problem can need a very different solution on two different lots.
Longer French drains, perimeter drains, and pipe runs take more excavation and material.
Footing-level drains go much deeper than yard drains and take more time and care.
Ledge, roots, tight access, and dense clay can all change how the work is done.
Draining to daylight is simplest; dry wells and sump systems add components.
Interior systems mean slab cutting and a sump; exterior work means digging and restoration.
Lawns, plantings, walkways, and pavement that have to be removed and put back.
Every estimate is written and itemized, so you know exactly what's included before work begins.
We install drainage and waterproofing systems throughout Greater Boston, the South Shore, Plymouth County, and the South Coast. Choose a region to see the towns we serve.
Don't see your town listed? We likely still cover your area. Contact us for a free estimate.
Answers to the questions Boston-area homeowners ask us most about drainage. Don't see yours? Give us a call.
(857) 249-5127It can, when the water is coming from saturated soil around the foundation. If water is rising from below the slab because of high groundwater, an interior perimeter drain and sump pump are usually needed as well. Many basements need both.
A French drain is buried: a gravel trench with a perforated pipe that collects groundwater below the surface. A trench drain is a grated channel set into pavement that catches surface water running across a driveway or patio.
If your basement takes on water at the floor line or your groundwater sits high, a sump pump gives the collected water somewhere to go. If the problem is surface water from grading or downspouts, fixing those may be enough on its own.
Depending on the property, collected water is piped to daylight at a lower part of the yard, into a dry well that lets it soak into the ground away from the house, or to a sump pump that discharges it outside.
Downspout extensions and small surface drains often take a day. Most French drain and interior drainage jobs take one to three days. Larger systems or full-perimeter footing drains can take longer depending on access and soil.
Excavation does disturb the area along the drain route. We protect what we can, set aside topsoil, and restore the surface when we're done. We'll explain exactly what will be affected before we start.
Interior perimeter drains and sump pumps can be installed year-round. Exterior excavation depends on whether the ground is frozen, so most yard and footing drains are scheduled from spring through late fall.
Yes. Massachusetts law requires notifying Dig Safe before excavation, and we have utilities marked before any trenching begins.
No. Drainage moves water away from your foundation. Waterproofing stops water from passing through the foundation wall. The most reliable dry basements usually combine both, and we'll tell you which your home actually needs.
Yes. We walk the property, explain where the water is coming from and what we recommend, and give you a clear written estimate before any work begins.
Skilled in brick, stone, and chimney work, we deliver durable, high-quality masonry services that keep Boston homes safe, strong, and looking their best.
Skilled in brick, stone, and chimney work, we deliver durable, high-quality masonry services that keep Boston homes safe, strong, and looking their best.