Forestry Mulching
Brush, undergrowth, and small trees ground into a clean mulch layer on-site in a single pass — the low-impact way to clear Northshore land.
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French drain installation is how we pull standing water off a soggy Northshore yard. W2 Commercial Construction works out of Covington as a Louisiana State Licensed Contractor, LA State Lic# 78829. We install yard drainage in Mandeville, Madisonville, Abita Springs, Lacombe, Slidell, Pearl River and Folsom. We also cover Hammond, Ponchatoula, Metairie, Kenner and New Orleans.
Rain here is heavy and the ground is slow to take it. The terrace soils drain poorly, and a winter water table sits 1 to 3 feet down on many lots. Water stands in the low spots for days after the rain quits. We start with the grade and dirt work, then add pipe where grade alone cannot fix it.
A French drain is a buried gravel trench with a perforated pipe in the bottom. LSU AgCenter puts a typical trench at 12 to 18 inches wide and 18 to 24 inches deep. The pipe is usually 4 inches across, packed in washed 1 inch gravel. Geotextile fabric lines the trench so soil cannot wash into the stone and clog it. Water soaks down through the stone, enters the pipe and runs downhill.
Slope is the part that decides whether a French drain works at all. We check the fall along the whole run before any stone goes in the ground. Then we set the outfall, the low point where water leaves the yard for good. On many Covington lots that is a roadside ditch, a canal or a low back corner. Our excavation work covers the trench and the haul off.
Rain and soil stack up against you on this side of the lake. Covington averages 62.51 inches of rain a year in the 1991 to 2020 climate normals. June is the wettest month at 6.66 inches, and July follows at 6.40 inches. That rain lands on terrace soils like the Abita series, which USDA calls somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is slow to medium and permeability is slow, so water picks the lowest ground and parks there.
The water table is the other half of it. USDA puts a seasonal high water table 1 to 3 feet below the surface from December through April. A trench cut into wet ground fills from below, not only from the storm above. That is why a yard can stay spongy for days after a small rain. If you want the early tells, read the early signs of a drainage problem before water reaches your slab.
It depends on where the water goes. The parish Department of Engineering covers culverts and subsurface drainage that tie into its ditch system, and its sheet asks you to call (985) 898-2552 before that work starts. The same sheet says runs over 50 feet need a plan stamped by a Louisiana licensed civil engineer. On those runs, catch basins or T-inlets are required at least every 50 linear feet, and the property owner is responsible for all work and costs.
The parish also inspects those installations before they get covered with backfill material. Separately, all development in the floodplain requires a permit, and earthwork counts as development. We prepare the drawings and handle the paperwork with you, since the permit stays in your name. We do not work on public parish drainage. Louisiana Civil Code article 655 says a lower estate must receive water that flows naturally from above.
Some wet spots call for a different tool. A catch basin is a grated box set in a low spot and tied into buried pipe. A swale is a shallow shaped channel that carries water across the surface instead. A dry creek bed is a swale lined with stone, so it holds up under fast flow. We can also tie an existing downspout into the buried line and daylight it away from the slab.
On new builds the drainage is planned into the building pad and site preparation from the start. On bigger lots we regrade the low spots rather than pipe them. On commercial sites we build detention to the approved plan and protect the drain path from erosion. Private drainage ditches get dug, cleaned or regraded with the same excavators and dozer. Public ditches belong to the parish, which runs 3 maintenance areas you can call. Our driveway culvert installation page covers the pipe that runs under a driveway.
Free, no-obligation estimates across the Northshore & Greater New Orleans.
(985) 966-2584From the first call to the final pass, here’s exactly how your project runs.
Call us or fill out the quick estimate form. We’ll talk through your land development, sitework, concrete, or fencing project and set up a time to look at the property.
We walk your property, assess the site conditions, and recommend the right plan for your goals, timeline, and budget — with honest, upfront advice.
You get a detailed, no-surprise estimate and a schedule. Once you’re ready, we lock in your project date and stage the equipment and crew.
Our experienced team shows up on time and gets it done right — clearing, grading, pouring, or building with precision, care, and a clean job site.
Common questions about drainage across the Northshore & Greater New Orleans. Don’t see yours? Give us a call — we’re happy to help.
Brush, undergrowth, and small trees ground into a clean mulch layer on-site in a single pass — the low-impact way to clear Northshore land.
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Digging, trenching, cut-and-fill, and pond work backed by heavy equipment and 20+ years on Northshore soil.
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Land leveling, fill dirt, cut-and-fill, and finish grading that gives your project a stable base and water that drains the right way.
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Stumps ground out below the surface and roots cleared, so you get back a clean, usable, build-ready spot.
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House and building pads, slab prep, soil stabilization, and drainage — a stable, level, code-ready base for your build.
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Driveways, slabs, foundations, parking lots, and stamped concrete — high-strength flatwork engineered for South Louisiana soil and climate.
Learn MoreTwo decades of hands-on work across the Northshore — from backyard fences to full commercial sitework. We’ve handled it, and we get it right.
A Louisiana State-Licensed Contractor (LA Lic# 78829), fully insured for your protection and peace of mind from day one.
Land development, sitework, concrete, fencing, and decking under one roof — no juggling subs. We take your project from raw dirt to finished.
Reliable folks doing honest work — transparent pricing, clear communication, and a clean job site, every time.
Reliable, honest work — straight from the people we’ve built for.
“Excellent work provided by reliable and honest folks. Dane can take care of any excavation, landscaping or building job. Highly recommended!”
“Best fence work I’ve ever seen. Highly recommended — reasonable prices, great people!”
“Knowledgeable, professional and friendly guy. He and his crew did a great job on my fence and gates. The two six-foot gates he built are very sturdy.”
What a french drain costs around Covington and the Northshore in 2026: per-foot prices, what drives the number, and why our water table changes the design.
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The 7 signs of a yard drainage problem in Louisiana, from standing water to foundation stains, why our clay and rain make it worse, and which fix matches which sign.
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Yard drainage solutions that work in flood-prone St. Tammany Parish: french drains, grading, catch basins, and culverts, plus the parish fill and permit rules.
Read more →Planning a land development, sitework, concrete, or fencing project on the Northshore? Reach out today for a free, no-obligation estimate — and see why local property owners make W2 their first call.