The side yard beside this Rockville, Maryland brick home left little room to work. A wall, air-conditioning unit, pavers and planting beds constrained the drainage route. DMV Waterproofing completed a near-grade exterior French drain—the grading-tile style of system used to collect water approaching the home in a shallow trench and move it away.

A drainage trench shaped by the site

The completed scope covered approximately 40 linear feet of trenching. The crew assessed the trench position on site in relation to the gutters and the available space. Job photos show the narrow corridor beside the brick wall during construction, then a gravel strip fitted between the wall, equipment and paved edge.

Perforated pipe, geotextile and gravel

The work scope specified a four-inch perforated drain line in a trench lined with non-woven geotextile. The fabric separates the drainage bed from surrounding soil, while the clean stone leaves space for water to move toward the pipe. The downstream outlet is outside the published photo set.

The job also included a buried downspout line to carry concentrated roof runoff away from the house. That is a different function from the perforated pipe collecting water through the gravel bed, even when the two lines are built during the same project.

The finished side-yard edge

The final job photographs show a tidy gravel band beside the brick wall and around the air-conditioning unit. The two scheduled visits were completed in June 2026.

Questions about near-grade exterior French drains

How does this exterior French drain collect water?

Water approaching the home enters the gravel bed along the near-grade trench. A perforated pipe collects it and carries it along the designed line toward an outlet. The trench location and slope have to suit the actual property, not just a standard diagram.

Why use geotextile around the drain stone?

Without separation, fine soil can migrate into the stone and reduce the open space available for drainage. Non-woven geotextile helps keep the surrounding soil out of the gravel-and-pipe zone.

Can a buried downspout share the project with a French drain?

Yes, but the two pipes serve different purposes. The downspout line conveys roof runoff; the perforated drain line collects water from the trench. Their routing and discharge must be planned for the site.