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Serving Los Angeles, CA and surrounding areas. (213) 338-1277
Pooling water destroys asphalt from underneath. We design drainage systems that move water off your property quickly - before the next LA storm arrives.
Drainage solutions in Los Angeles manage how water moves off and away from your paved surface - using regrading, channel drains, catch basins, or underground pipes to keep runoff from sitting on or under your asphalt. Most residential jobs take one to three days depending on the scope.
If water pools on your driveway after a storm, it is not just an inconvenience. That moisture works into surface cracks, softens the base material underneath, and accelerates the cracking and pothole cycle. In a city where most of the annual rainfall arrives in a handful of heavy winter storms, a poorly drained surface can age years in a single season.
Many drainage problems also call for surface repair once the underlying cause is fixed. If your driveway has already developed soft spots or depressions from water infiltration, pairing drainage work with asphalt repair addresses both issues at once and gives you a clean, stable surface going forward.
If water sits on your driveway or parking area long after a storm ends, your surface lacks the slope or outlets to move it. In Los Angeles, where winter storms can arrive back-to-back, standing water between events is a clear sign the drainage is not working. Left alone, that moisture will work into the asphalt and begin breaking it down from below.
Runoff that collects at the low end of your driveway near the garage door or house foundation is one of the more urgent warning signs. Water creeping toward a structure causes damage that goes well beyond the pavement - it can seep under the door slab or toward the foundation, creating far costlier problems than the drainage work itself.
If you notice new cracks, depressions, or spongy spots in your asphalt after a rainy stretch, water has likely been getting under the surface. Los Angeles concentrates its wet season into a short window, so a few bad winters can age a driveway by years when drainage is poor.
On the hillside and sloped lots common across much of Los Angeles, soil, gravel, or debris washing onto your driveway during rain signals that runoff is moving without a controlled path. This usually means the drainage system - if there is one - is undersized or blocked, and base erosion under the asphalt is likely already underway.
Every drainage project starts with a site assessment to map where water collects, where it needs to go, and what combination of approaches will get it there. For many properties, the fix is regrading - adjusting the slope of the existing surface so water naturally flows toward an outlet instead of pooling. For lots with more significant water volume, we install channel drains, catch basins, or trench drains at the low points of the paved area. If your property connects to the city's storm system, we handle the permit application and inspection coordination as part of the project. For those dealing with surface damage caused by long-term water infiltration, we can pair drainage improvements with grading and excavation to stabilize the base before any new pavement goes down.
On properties where water management is part of a larger paving project - such as a new driveway or parking lot - drainage design is built into the plan from the start rather than added as an afterthought. We also handle the pavement cutting, patching, and repaving that most drainage installations require, so you work with one contractor from assessment through final cleanup rather than coordinating separate trades.
Best for driveways and parking areas where slope adjustment alone can redirect runoff without cutting or underground work.
Ideal for properties where water concentrates along an edge, at a garage threshold, or across a wide low point.
Suited to parking lots and larger paved areas that collect water in the middle of the surface with no natural outlet nearby.
For properties that need collected water routed to a street gutter, storm drain, or dry well away from the paved area.
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate - long, dry summers followed by concentrated winter rainfall that arrives mostly between November and March. After months without rain, the clay-heavy soils across much of the LA basin shrink and harden, then shed water quickly when the storms hit. A surface that looked fine all summer can flood badly in the first major storm of the season. On hillside properties, water moves faster and can carry soil and debris with it, eroding the base under asphalt in a single wet winter. Getting drainage right before the rainy season is one of the highest-return investments a Los Angeles property owner can make. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has long recognized proper stormwater management as critical to protecting both property and public infrastructure from runoff damage.
Across our service area, drainage needs look different depending on the neighborhood. In El Monte, CA, flat lots with aging driveways often need regrading to restore the slope that settled over decades of ground movement. In Pasadena, CA, hillside properties and properties near the San Gabriel foothills deal with fast-moving runoff that requires catch basins or channel drains sized for high-volume events. We assess each property individually so the solution fits the actual drainage pattern of your lot.
Call or fill out the contact form and we will get back to you within one business day to schedule a site visit. We walk the property with you, identify where water collects and where it needs to go, and look at the existing slope and surface condition before recommending anything.
After the assessment we put together a written estimate describing the recommended approach - regrading, channel drains, a catch basin, or a combination. The estimate explains where the water will discharge, not just a list of materials and a price. No surprise costs once work begins.
If your project connects to the city storm drain or involves significant excavation, we apply for the required permits before any crew arrives. This step can add a week or more depending on current city processing times, but it protects you with a documented inspection record.
The crew excavates, installs drainage components, and patches or repaves disturbed asphalt. Before leaving, we walk the finished job with you and show you where the cleanout points are and how to keep the system clear before each rainy season.
Free on-site estimate. No obligation. We respond within one business day.
(213) 338-1277We do not add drainage as an afterthought. When we pave or repave a surface, the slope and outlet plan are part of the design from the start. That means the finished surface sheds water correctly on day one, not after a callback.
California requires paving contractors to hold a current state license, and you can verify any license online through the California Contractors State License Board. Licensed contractors carry liability coverage and are accountable to state oversight - unverified crews are not.
Drainage on a Los Angeles hillside lot or a property with clay-heavy soil is a different challenge from flat-lot work. We regularly handle fast-moving runoff, soil movement, and the specific permitting requirements that come with properties across the LA basin.
Every drainage installation and asphalt patch we do comes with a written warranty. If the same drainage problem returns or the patched surface fails prematurely, we stand behind the work - you have a documented commitment, not just a verbal promise.
Good drainage work protects your paved surfaces, your structure, and your investment. We combine local knowledge of Los Angeles drainage conditions with a straightforward process - free assessment, written estimate, permitted work where required, and a warranty on the finished job.
Add a physical speed control measure to your private driveway or parking lot.
Learn MoreReshape the ground beneath your paved surface to correct slope and water flow before new asphalt goes down.
Learn MoreGet a free drainage assessment now - our crew can usually schedule within the week, before the rainy season arrives.