Outdoor Drainage is NOT a DIY Project (Why Hire Professionals)
Home and business owners are encouraged to add an outdoor drainage system to their property, as there are many benefits to handling water and runoff properly including, preventing soil erosion, standing water and other types of water damage on your property. While it may be tempting to complete an outdoor drainage project yourself, it’s encouraged to hire a landscaping professional as these projects can get very technical. KG Landscape has extensive knowledge and skill to guarantee the job is done correctly. From expertise and advanced equipment to quick repairs and convenience, leave an outdoor drainage project to landscaping experts to get the job done right once and for all.
Extensive Knowledge
Drainage systems are vital to the design and function of your outdoor spaces, and hiring a professional that specializes in drainage systems is a necessity. These companies have extensive knowledge, familiarity, and training when it comes to drainage systems, which allows them to create a design specific to your property’s needs as well as perform repairs quickly and efficiently. Drainage systems commonly experience blockages caused by leaves, tree roots, and more. Hiring a professional to monitor your drainage system is hugely beneficial as these individuals are thoroughly trained to alleviate the situation and provide guidance to prevent it from occurring in the future.
When choosing your outdoor drainage company, it’s encouraged to interview prospective candidates and have them visit your property thoroughly. You’ll want to find a company that offers various drainage design options and can see your property in the big picture. Contractors that focus on one problem and provide one solution may not be adequately trained or have the experience you’re looking for. It’s also essential to ask for detailed estimates as well as references. After your on-site evaluation, each landscaping company should provide you with an accurate estimate describing the work that will be completed and providing you with possible costs. Checking references is also incredibly important as you can discuss how other client’s experiences were with the company in question and if they would recommend them for your outdoor drainage project.
Advanced Equipment and Technology
Rather than doing your outdoor drainage project yourself with standard tools and minimal skill sets, a professional landscaping company will have the latest technology and tools to complete your project. Many landscaping companies stay up to date with their employees’ training and professional development courses to keep up with industry advancements, techniques, and changes. Equipment will be available to accurately survey your property above and below ground to ensure that your outdoor drainage design and system is working correctly. Here at KG Landscape, we have a variety of technology-driven outdoor drainage designs, and our contractors will help choose the best one for your property:
Fast Results
Hiring a professional landscaping company for your outdoor drainage system allows you to have any drainage issues
repaired quickly. Upon employing a contracting team, these individuals will be available at any time to provide you with expertise and skill to promptly fix any occurring issues. Outdoor drainage systems benefit properties throughout the United States in various ways:
The professional landscape team that you choose for your outdoor drainage system will have staff on hand to help you with any issues that arise. From soil erosion and standing water to water damage and improved plant health, installing an outdoor drainage system is a homeowner’s necessity. However, it is recommended to have this done by a landscaping expert.
One-Stop Convenience and Expert Advice
Choosing one professional landscaping company for your outdoor drainage design, installation, and services is hugely beneficial for both you and the contractors involved. Many landscaping companies offer a variety of drainage services meaning all your needs can be met with one company. This is beneficial for homeowners because you won’t have to use multiple contractors for different problems or projects. It’s convenient to have one company familiar with your property, its unique elements, and how it operates. Additionally, all issues and past maintenance will be on file with the landscaping company you choose, so there will never be any gray areas or missed information.
KG Landscape is your expert Minneapolis and St. Paul outdoor drainage company. We design and install outdoor drainage systems that will solve your yard drainage problems the right way.
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When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.
Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.