French Drain vs. Dry Well: Which One Works Best for Your West Michigan Yard?

At Torchwood Landscaping, this question comes up all the time: “Should I install a French drain or a dry well for my yard?”

We get why it’s a pressing question here in West Michigan, between the heavy spring rains, melting snow, and clay-laden soils. It doesn’t take long for a yard to turn soggy or for water to sneak toward your foundation. Picking the right drainage solution can make all the difference between a dry, healthy property and a muddy mess.

In this blog, we’ll break it all down: what each system does, when one works better than the other (and when you might actually need both), what costs and maintenance to expect, and how we help you decide what’s best for your specific West Michigan property.

What’s the Difference Between a French Drain and a Dry Well?

Before we get into the pros and cons, let’s first take a look at what each system actually does.

What is a French Drain?

A French drain is basically a trench with gravel that has a perforated pipe inside. It collects water — both surface runoff and groundwater — away from problem areas like foundations, low spots, or retaining walls.

In simple terms: water seeps into the gravel and pipe, then gravity carries it along to a safe point like a storm drain, culvert, or a lower part of your yard.

A French drain’s job: get that water away from where it’s causing problems.

What is a Dry Well?

A dry well is a buried chamber or pit that lets water seep into the soil. Instead of redirecting water away like a French drain, a dry well allows it to slowly infiltrate the ground.

Dry wells usually collect water from a specific source like a downspout, sump pump discharge, or driveway runoff, and give it a place to go underground.

A dry well’s job: let that water soak into the ground.

Quick Summary of How They Differ

• French Drain:
  • Moves water away
  • Ideal for broad areas, foundation protection, sloped yards
  • Needs Slope and outlet
  • Best for clay or poorly draining soil
• Dry Well:
  • Lets water soak in
  • Used for point sources like downspouts or low spots
  • Ideal for sandy or loamy soil

Why This Question is So Important in West Michigan

Here’s the thing: in our area of West Michigan, local conditions make drainage decisions a little trickier.

• Many neighborhoods have soils that are super rich in clay.
• We deal with heavy rain and snowmelt every year.
• Flat yards are pretty common, which makes it hard for water to flow naturally.
• Basements are everywhere, and that means foundation drainage is super important.

Because of all this, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes the best option is a French drain. Sometimes it’s a dry well. And often, the best solution is a combination—or even an exterior sump system in heavier clay soils.

At Torchwood Landscaping, we don’t guess. We test, design, and size the system to match your specific conditions.

When a French Drain Is the Better Choice

A French drain is ideal when you need to move water away from a problem area, not just absorb it.

Great Uses for a French Drain

• Water flowing toward your foundation or basement.
• Soggy yard areas that stay wet for days after rain.
• Sloped yards where water runs downhill and collects.
• Retaining walls or hardscapes that need protection.
• When you need to protect your home’s structure from moisture.

Benefits of a French Drain

• Handles big or continuous volumes of water.
• Works well in clay soils (where infiltration is tough).
• Provides long-term protection against basement leaks.
• Can tie into catch basins or other stormwater systems.

Drawbacks

• Requires a slope to work properly (gravity-powered).
• Needs a safe discharge point.
• More excavation and cost than a dry well.
• May clog over time if not installed or maintained correctly.

Real Example in West Michigan 

If your backyard is prone to water pooling against the wall of your walkout basement after the snow has melted, a French drain is likely your best bet. We can install a trench alongside the wall of your foundation, slope it away from the house, and run it to daylight or a storm drain—easy as that. No more water creeping into your basement.

When a Dry Well Is the Better Choice for You

A dry well is the way to go when you’ve got some water in a specific area that just needs a place to go.

Great Uses for a Dry Well

• One downspout spewing water into a low spot somewhere on your property.
• Water running off from a patio, walkway, or driveway.
• Places where there isn’t a good enough slope to put in a French drain.
• Yards with loose loamy or sandy soils that tend to absorb water.

Benefits of a Dry Well

• They’re a cost-effective way to deal with smaller water problems.
• Take up a heck of a lot less yard space.
• Once installed, they’re pretty much invisible.
• Help recharge the groundwater.

Drawbacks of a Dry Well

• Don’t work all that well in clay soils.
• Can overflow during heavy rainstorms.
• Only handle smaller volumes of water.
• Still need occasional cleaning and inspection to keep them running.

Real Example from a Job We Did in West Michigan

If a gutter downspout is pouring out right next to the house and leaving a soggy patch of grass for days, a dry well is the perfect fix. We’d just dig a hole, install a perforated chamber, connect the downspout, and cover it all up with some soil, and you’re left with a perfectly normal-looking lawn that drains like it should.

Deciding Between the Two: Some Questions to Ask Yourself

Here’s a simple checklist to help figure out which system makes the most sense for your property.

1. Where’s the water coming from? 
   • It’s running across the yard and heading straight for your house → French drain is probably your best bet
   • It’s just one downspout or a small puddle → Dry well is a good choice
2. How well does your soil drain?
   • Water takes its sweet time to drain (you’ve got clay soil) → French drain or an exterior sump system might be the way to go
   • Water just runs right on through (you’ve got sandy soil) → Dry well is probably your best bet
3. Do you have a slope or an outlet for water?
   • Got a good slope or someplace for the water to go → French drain works pretty well.
   • No slope or outlet? → You might need a dry well or a sump system.
4. How much water are you dealing with?
   • Constant water seepage or moisture in the basement → French drain is the way to go.
   • It’s just an occasional downpour and runoff → Dry well will probably do the trick.
5. What’s your budget and how much yard disruption can you live with?
   • French drains cost more, but they deal with the big issues.
   • Dry wells cost less, but they’re best for the smaller stuff.
6. Would a combo be the way to go?
   • A lot of properties use both—a French drain to move the water away, and a dry well to deal with specific issues like downspouts.

What to Expect When it Comes to Cost and Maintenance

Cost

We’re talking real numbers here based on our experience with West Michigan homes.

• French drain: $45–$55 per linear foot—that’s depending on the soil, connections, and access.
• Dry well: $500–$2000 per well—that’s depending on the size, soil, access, and amount of water to handle.

Pricing depends on the access, soil conditions, and how much pipe or excavation is needed. At Torchwood, we don’t just throw a number out there – we price projects to the penny, so you don’t get any surprises.

Maintenance

French Drain:

• Just make sure those outlets stay clear and check the flow after a big storm.
• Watch out for settling or clogged gravel.
• Every now and then, you might need to flush or snake the line if the flow slows down.

Dry Well:

• Keep those downspouts clear.
• Check the access ports for sediment buildup.
• You’ll need to clean out the inlets every now and then to keep the water flowing in.

Keeping both systems in good shape will keep them running for decades.

How We Do Things at Torchwood Landscaping

Here’s how we make sure your drainage project gets done right, every time.

1. Phone Call to Get Started

We start with a quick call to get the scoop on what’s going on. We’ll ask where the water’s collecting, how often it happens, what’s around it, and come up with a starting point before we ever step foot on your property.

2. Coming Out to Take a Look

Next, we come on out to your property, take a walk around, do some soil tests, measure some slopes, and confirm that the plan we came up with will actually work. Then we price it out to the penny—no vague estimates, no surprises.

3. Layout Plan

Once you’re good to go, we create a simple, easy-to-read layout showing how the system will work—whether that’s a French drain, a dry well, or a hybrid setup.

4. Getting it Done

Our crew handles all the excavation, piping, gravel, chambers, and backfill. We install every system to professional drainage standards and leave your property looking neat and tidy when we’re done.

5. After-Work Follow-Up

We check in and make sure you’re happy after the job’s done.We are going to walk you through what to expect after the installation—how the system will behave during heavy rain, what you should be checking on, and a few simple maintenance tips to keep it running smoothly for years to come.

6. The Long Haul

We stand by our work. If there’s something that doesn’t seem right down the line—say a month from now or a year from now—give us a call. We’ll send someone back over, dig in, and make sure everything is working just as it should.

That’s the kind of reputation we’ve built for ourselves across West Michigan: one that’s built on transparency, on doing the job right, and on making sure your drainage system really does work as promised.

Real World Scenarios You Can Learn From

Scenario 1: A Foundation in Peril

We had a home in Hudsonville where every storm would leave a big pool of water right up against the foundation. We installed a French drain along the back of the house, sloping it gently away from the house to daylight in the backyard. And you know what? Not a single puddle has formed near the foundation since.

Scenario 2: Downspout Drama

A homeowner in Grand Rapids had a downspout that dumped right into their garden beds, killing all their plants and leaving a mud mess behind. We added a dry well 10 feet out from the house, connected it all with solid pipe, and the plants came back—and the soil stayed nice and dry.

Scenario 3: Combo Solution

A homeowner in Jenison had water seeping up towards the house—and to make matters worse, there were big soggy patches right in the middle of the lawn. We installed a French drain along the foundation and tied it into a dry well system right near the lowest spot in the lawn. And let me tell you – it’s been bone dry ever since.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Deep Should a French Drain Be?

A: A minimum of 12 inches is the starting point, but in some cases, you may need to go deeper still to reach the problem area or to get the slope just right, but 12″ is where we begin.

Q: My Soil is Super Clay – Can a Dry Well Still Work?

A: Well now, if you’ve got very clay-heavy soil then a dry well is probably not going to be the best bet because the water just can’t get in and out of the soil quick enough. In that case, we’d likely recommend an exterior sump system instead—it collects up the water and moves it away from the house, rather than relying on the dry well to do the job.

Q: Can I DIY One of These?

A: I mean, sure you can install a small dry well yourself, but for most yards around here in West Michigan, where you’ve got tricky grading and foundations and all that clay to contend with— you’re just going to end up with a system that doesn’t work right, and that’s when you’ll be calling us to fix it.

Q: How Far Away Should the Outlet of a French Drain Be?

A: Now you want the water to come out of the French drain at least 20 feet away from the foundation, ideally somewhere low in the yard or into a storm drain. We always design the outlet so that it will comply with the local drainage codes and not send the water running off downhill towards the neighbors.

Q: Will It Ruin My Lawn or Gardens?

A: Well, yes—there’s a bit of digging and excavation involved, but we restore everything as good as new when we’re done, whether that means putting in new sod or re-dressing the gravel. Most of our clients can hardly tell we were there a few weeks after the job is done.

Q: What If the System Fails Later On?

A: Well, if you work with Torchwood, we come back. We stand by every drainage system we install. If there’s something that’s not working right, we’ll come back, inspect it, diagnose the problem, and get it fixed up for you.

Final Thoughts: French Drain vs. Dry Well

Here’s the bottom line:

• If you’re dealing with constantly flowing water or foundation moisture, a French drain is probably your best bet.
• If you’re dealing with occasional runoff or just a single trouble spot, a dry well might be all you need.
• And if you’ve got really clay-heavy soil, you might be better off with an exterior sump system.
• And if you’re just not sure what to do? We can probably figure it out—and we’ll come up with a combination solution that gets the job done.

Ready to Fix Your Drainage Problem for Good?

At Torchwood Landscaping, it’s not just about making your yard look pretty—it’s about making sure it works right. We’re not just stormwater and drainage experts. We’re outdoor living experts. If you’re tired of having soggy lawns, standing water, or foundation leaks, we’re the ones to call. We’ll start with a quick phone chat, design the right system for your property, and take care of the rest, so you can get back to enjoying your yard without worrying about the next big storm.

Contact us for a free estimate on your drainage system today!