Pick the finish point before you pick the pipe
Charlotte drainage work needs a place for stormwater to finish. Clay does not forgive a pipe that ends on the walk. A wet lawn in Matthews is often a downspout with nowhere legal to go. A French drain that finishes in that same low spot stays full. Pine Valley Turf Management maps an outlet before anyone digs. See yard drainage.
Watch the storm, then photograph the puddle
Stand outside after a gully washer. Watch roof water hit grade and where it sits. Garage aprons, window wells, and side yards on clay lots trap the last inch. Photograph the puddle and the downspouts. Write how long water stays.
HOA and municipal rules matter. You cannot push water onto the sidewalk as a plan. Confirm a legal discharge before materials show up. Pair this with landscaping so new beds do not create a new dam.
Clay and irrigation lie to a short trench
Charlotte clay does not perk like a brochure. A dry well in saturated clay fills and stays full. Check irrigation overlap. A zone that soaks the same corner every morning will look like a drainage failure. A walk that already sheds water is an asset. Do not rebuild it just to hide a pipe.
Lawn care cannot green a panel that sits wet for days. Fix the outlet first.
Keep the neighbor's yard out of the scope
Moving water off your patio onto their foundation is not success. The plan should name the outlet, the fall, and restoration on your lot only. Send storm photos and downspout locations.
