Pick the sentence that sounds like your yard and get the honest answer — which drainage system fixes it, what it typically costs in Kansas City, and when a cheaper fix beats the one you were about to buy.
Where's the water? Pick your problem:
Recommended Fix
Buried Downspout Extensions
This is the most common - and cheapest - drainage fix in Kansas City. An underground line carries each downspout's water 5–30 feet from the foundation to a pop-up emitter or daylight. Fix this before considering anything bigger; it's often the whole problem.
Typical Kansas City price: $300–$700 per line (whole house $1,500–$3,500)
Visible standing water in one spot means point collection: a grated basin set in the low spot, piped underground to a discharge point. A French drain would be overkill here - and cost more.
Typical Kansas City price: $350–$750 per basin installed
Soggy ground across an area (no single puddle) means subsurface water - that's exactly what a French drain collects: perforated pipe in washed rock and filter fabric, sloped to a discharge point.
Typical Kansas City price: $25–$60 per linear foot ($1,500–$3,800 typical yard run)
Water moving across concrete in a sheet needs a drain shaped like a line. A grated channel cut across the driveway or patio edge intercepts the sheet before it reaches the garage or the wall.
Typical Kansas City price: $1,500–$3,500 for most driveways
A pump that runs constantly is usually recycling its own water - the short discharge hose dumps it at the wall and it soaks right back to the pit. Burying the discharge line 5–30 feet out breaks the loop.
Most KC wet basements are surface-water problems: downspouts dumping at the wall, grade sloping at the house, saturated soil with nowhere to go. Before anyone sells you interior waterproofing, get the outside water path fixed and priced - it's usually a fraction of the cost. If gutters and drainage check out and water still comes in, then it's a foundation conversation.
Typical Kansas City price: Free assessment first - the fix is usually $300–$3,800 outside, not $15,000 inside
This tool uses the same decision framework our NDS-certified crews use on real Kansas City yards — match the drain to the water, discharge before storage, and never sell a French drain where a $300 buried downspout fixes it. Not sure which sentence fits? A free on-site assessment traces the water for you.
