DIY vs. Professional Drainage Systems Near El Paso County, CO | What Homeowners Say
1. Why Drainage Problems Are a Big Deal in El Paso County
If you’re a homeowner near El Paso County, chances are you’ve dealt with some kind of water issue—whether it's pooling in your yard, a soggy lawn, or worse, water creeping into your basement. And if you haven’t yet, it’s probably just a matter of time.
Out here in Colorado, the weather doesn’t mess around. You can go from drought conditions to a sudden downpour in one afternoon. Add in clay-heavy soil, sloped lots, or older properties with outdated systems—and you’ve got the perfect storm for drainage problems.
And let’s be honest: it’s stressful. You work hard to take care of your home, and the last thing you want is a foundation issue because of water runoff. Many folks we talk to are stuck between trying to handle it themselves or calling in a pro. So let’s talk through it—honestly.
2. What Homeowners Usually Try First: DIY Drainage Solutions
We get it. The temptation to try a DIY solution is real. It’s usually faster, feels cheaper, and there’s no waiting on someone’s schedule. You just want to fix the problem and move on.
Here’s what most folks try:
Digging a shallow trench to redirect water
Installing a French drain using materials from a big-box store
Adding gravel or topsoil to try and slope the ground
Extending downspouts with plastic tubing
Using flexible black pipe buried just below the surface
And sometimes? These ideas work. For a little while.
If the issue is minor—say water is collecting in one spot during a rare storm—you might actually get some relief from these approaches.
But most drainage issues in our region aren’t just surface-level. They go deeper.
3. When DIY Drainage Goes Wrong
This is the part most people don’t talk about until they’re in a worse situation than before. We’ve been called in to fix a lot of “quick fixes.”
Here’s what we see:
Trenches that clog or collapse after the first season
French drains that don’t drain, usually because of poor slope or soil buildup
Water pooling in new places, because it wasn’t fully redirected
Pipes that freeze and crack, especially if they weren’t buried deep enough
Flooding around foundations that gets worse over time
Sometimes the damage doesn’t show up until the next storm—or the spring thaw. That’s when you realize you didn’t solve the problem, just moved it around.
It’s not about people doing anything wrong. Most of the time, it’s because drainage is trickier than it looks. There are slope calculations, soil types, water volume, and freeze-thaw cycles that come into play.
4. What to Expect from a Professional Drainage System
When a drainage job is done right by someone who knows the area, the difference is night and day. And it doesn’t have to mean digging up your whole yard or breaking the bank either.
At Minch Enterprise, we look at the full picture—your grading, where the water naturally flows, your soil type, and what’s happening below the surface. We take the time to figure out why the water is doing what it’s doing.
Here are just a few of the things we might recommend, depending on your yard:
A French drain with proper slope and drainage gravel
A surface drainage system tied into downspouts
Catch basins for low points in the yard
Regrading certain areas to encourage runoff
Sump pump systems for homes with basement flooding issues
We also use heavier-duty pipe than the flexible black stuff from the hardware store. That makes a huge difference when Colorado’s seasons shift and the ground moves.
5. The Real Cost: DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Let’s talk numbers. Because cost is often the biggest reason people lean toward DIY—and we don’t blame them.
Here’s what we’ve seen:
DIY will almost always seem cheaper upfront—but what about over the long term?
Here’s what homeowners tell us later:
“I spent $700 doing it myself. Then I had to pay $4,000 when it failed and wrecked part of our foundation.”
That’s not scare talk—it’s just what happens when water isn’t handled correctly. It sneaks in quietly and gets expensive fast.
6. What Local Homeowners Are Actually Saying
We always recommend checking what folks in your area are actually saying—not just random internet advice. Here’s what we've heard from real people we’ve worked with near El Paso County:
“We tried a DIY system last year. It helped for a couple of months, then we got heavy rain and everything pooled up again. We called Minch and they redesigned the whole thing—works perfectly now.”
“Honestly, I thought I could handle it. Bought the stuff, spent a weekend installing it. Didn’t slope it right. Water just sat there. Should’ve just called someone.”
“We hired Minch because we didn’t want to mess around. They explained what was happening and gave us a couple of options, not just one big quote. That made us feel better.”
There’s a peace of mind factor that can’t be overstated. When your yard and home are protected, you sleep better at night.
7. Signs You Need to Bring in a Drainage Expert
Some things you can probably handle on your own. But here are a few red flags that mean it’s time to call a pro:
Water pooling for more than 24 hours after rain
Muddy spots that never dry
Cracks in your foundation or basement walls
Mildew smell or visible mold inside your home
Soggy lawn even in dry weather
These aren’t just annoyances—they’re signs of deeper water issues. And every week you wait could make the damage worse.
8. How Minch Enterprise Customizes Drainage Solutions That Last
At Minch Enterprise, we don’t show up with a cookie-cutter solution. Every yard is different. Every home has its own quirks. That’s why we take the time to actually listen to you, see the space, and figure out what will work—not just what’s fast.
We’re a local team based right in Elizabeth, and we serve homeowners across Elbert, Douglas, El Paso, Larimer, and Boulder Counties. We know the ground. We know the weather. And we know how to design systems that hold up through all of it.
We can work with:
Sloped properties and runoff issues
Heavy clay or rocky soils
Old drainage systems that need upgrades
New builds that need a fresh layout from scratch
And we’ll always walk you through your options so you can make the best decision for your property.
9. Final Thoughts: Should You Try DIY or Call a Pro?
There’s no shame in trying something on your own—we’re homeowners too, and we understand wanting to save money where you can. But when it comes to drainage, it’s one of those areas where guessing can cost you more later.
If your issue is minor and you’re handy, give it a shot. But if the water keeps coming back, the ground won’t dry out, or your basement’s at risk, it’s time to bring in someone who does this every day.
At Minch Enterprise, we’re not here to upsell you—we’re here to fix it right. And we’ll work with you to make sure your home stays dry, safe, and stress-free.
