Which Comes First: Yard Grading, Gutters, or French Drains?

Posted on December 24th, 2025.

Water problems around a home rarely start as a dramatic emergency. More often, they show up as small warnings: a damp crawl space after a storm, a musty smell that won’t quit, or puddles that linger where they shouldn’t. In Western North Carolina, changing elevations, heavy rain events, and mixed soil types can make those “small” issues grow fast if the water keeps heading toward the foundation.

The tricky part is that most drainage fixes overlap. Yard grading affects how water moves across your property, gutters control what comes off the roof, and French drains handle water that still finds a way to collect below the surface. Each one can help, but the order you tackle them in matters if you want results that last.

So which comes first: yard grading, gutters, or French drains? In many cases, the right sequence starts with the simplest truth about water: it follows gravity. When you control the slope and the roof runoff first, you often reduce the need for more invasive drainage work, and you set any future solutions up to work the way they’re supposed to.

Effective Yard Grading Techniques

Yard grading involves shaping the soil so water flows away from your home rather than settling beside it. It’s often the first step because even the best drainage systems struggle when the ground slopes inward. When water pools against the foundation, it increases moisture pressure, which can lead to cracks, leaks, and long-term structural concerns. Proper grading reduces that pressure by keeping the surrounding soil drier.

Grading also gives you insight into how water behaves on your property. A yard that looks mostly flat can still hide low spots that funnel runoff toward basement walls or crawl spaces. Observing where water travels during and after rainfall helps determine how the soil should be reshaped to guide it toward safer exit points.

Most grading plans aim for a consistent slope away from the house, especially within the first several feet. A common guideline is about a one-inch drop per foot over the first 6 to 10 feet, though real-world conditions often require adjustments. Landscaping, hardscapes, and neighboring properties all influence what’s practical and effective.

Stability is just as important as slope. Loose or poorly compacted soil can settle over time, undoing the work you’ve done and allowing water to return to problem areas. Proper compaction, topsoil selection, and vegetation help lock the grade in place and reduce erosion during heavy rains.

Grading may not solve every drainage issue on its own, but it establishes the baseline for everything that follows. By changing the way water approaches your home, you reduce the burden on gutters, downspouts, and any underground drainage systems you install later.

In order to effectively grade your yard away from the foundation, follow these straightforward yet essential steps:

1. Start by surveying the area surrounding your house. Identify any existing low or high spots and determine the direction you want the water to flow.
2. Using a string level or laser level, determine the current slope of your yard. You usually want a drop of 1 inch per foot over a 10-foot span away from your home for effective water drainage.
3. Remove any obstacles, such as rocks or debris, that may impede the grading process, clearing the work area entirely.
4. Begin excavating the soil away from your foundation, moving it lower as you move farther out. This step involves digging into areas that are too high and filling in spots that are too low.
5. Compact the soil using a plate compactor or by hand, as loose soil can settle unevenly, diminishing the effectiveness of your new slope.
6. If necessary, install topsoil to assist grass growth, further stabilizing your newly created slope.
7. As you reshape your yard, ensure that the slope extends at least 6–10 feet away from the house, adhering to the 1-inch-per-foot rule to promote proper drainage.
8. Finally, establish vegetation, like grass or native plants, to help maintain soil integrity and prevent erosion.

When these steps are done carefully, grading becomes more than a surface fix. It sets the stage for long-term water control and makes every other drainage improvement more effective and predictable.

Optimizing Gutters and Downspout Drainage

Once the yard is directing surface water away from the home, the next major source to manage is roof runoff. A surprising amount of water can pour off a roof during a heavy storm, and without gutters and properly routed downspouts, it often lands right next to the foundation. Even a well-graded yard can struggle if it’s constantly being hit by concentrated sheets of roof water along the drip line.

Start with a basic inspection of your gutters. Look for sagging sections, separated seams, rusted areas, and spots where water overflows during rain. Overflow usually means a clog, poor pitch, or gutters that are undersized for the roof area. Any of those issues can turn your gutter system into a decorative trim piece instead of a working drainage tool.

Downspouts are just as important as the gutters themselves. If the downspouts dump water at the corner of the house, you’ll get erosion, saturated soil, and water that tries to work its way back toward the foundation. A key improvement is extending downspouts far enough away that the water can disperse safely. Many properties need at least 4–6 feet of extension, and some need more depending on slope and soil absorption.

The route of the discharge matters, too. If your downspout extension ends at a low spot that already holds water, you’re not solving the problem; you’re relocating it. In that case, you might need to direct the runoff toward a better drainage location or connect the downspout to a solid drain line that carries water farther away. The best layout depends on your yard shape, hardscapes, and where water can exit without creating new issues.

Maintenance is part of the equation, especially in areas with leaf drop and seasonal storms. Gutter guards can reduce clogging, but they’re not “set it and forget it.” You still need periodic checks, because even protected systems can collect debris in corners or downspout elbows. If winter brings ice issues, proper pitch and drainage can also reduce the chances of backup along the roof edge.

When gutters and downspouts are working correctly, they reduce the amount of water your yard drainage system has to handle. That’s why they often come right after grading in the sequence. You’re controlling the two biggest surface-water sources first: the land slope and the roof runoff.

The Necessity of French Drains in Water Management

If you’ve addressed grading and roof runoff but still have persistent wet areas, that’s when French drains become the next logical step. French drains are designed to intercept and redirect water that moves through soil or collects in low spots where surface fixes aren’t enough. They can also relieve water pressure around foundations when groundwater or trapped runoff keeps building up.

A French drain is typically a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that carries water away by gravity. Water enters through the gravel and the pipe openings, then flows toward a discharge point like a lower area of the yard, a dry well, or another approved drainage route. The system is simple in concept, but installation details matter. Depth, slope, fabric placement, and discharge location determine whether the drain works or becomes a clogged trench over time.

French drains are especially useful when the property’s layout limits what grading can do. If your home sits at the base of a slope, water may naturally collect near the foundation no matter how well you shape the immediate yard. If you have clay-heavy soil that drains slowly, water can linger below the surface and create the same damp conditions again and again. In those cases, a French drain can provide a controlled path for water that otherwise has nowhere to go.

Certain warning signs tend to show up when a French drain system is likely needed:

• Continuous wet or marshy areas in your yard, even after insignificant rainfall, suggest that the natural drainage isn't effective enough.
• Basement flooding or the presence of moisture on walls, indicating water seeping through due to high groundwater pressure.
• Water pooling around your foundation post rainstorms, possibly highlighting inefficiencies in grading.
• White powder (efflorescence) on foundation walls, pointing to persistent moisture problems.
• Cracks in the foundation, which might develop from consistent water pressure over time.

French drains also tend to work best when they’re not asked to do everything alone. If gutters are still dumping water near the house or the yard still slopes inward, the drain may be overwhelmed. That’s why it often comes after grading and gutter improvements. You’re reducing the water load first, then adding a below-ground system to manage what remains.

In Western North Carolina, this sequencing matters because storms can be intense and fast-moving. A French drain installed without correcting the surrounding conditions can look like a solution on paper but disappoint in real life. When the system is designed around the property’s natural flow patterns and paired with the right surface fixes, it can make a noticeable difference in how quickly the yard dries and how stable the foundation stays.

Related: How Humidity Can Damage Crawlspaces in NC's Climate

A Smarter Order for Long-Term Dryness

When deciding what comes first, start with the systems that control the largest and most consistent water sources. Yard grading directs surface flow. Gutters and downspouts manage roof runoff. French drains handle the remaining groundwater that still finds its way toward the foundation.

At RockHopper HS, we help homeowners across Western North Carolina identify the true source of water problems and build solutions that fit the property, not just the symptom. If you’re dealing with wet crawl spaces, basement leaks, pooling near the foundation, or recurring soggy areas, we can perform a foundation water assessment and explain what to address first and why.

Schedule a foundation water assessment today to protect your home and prevent costly damage.

Reach out to us at (828) 774-6902 or by emailing us at [email protected].