Finally gave up on that DIY french drain after 4 hours of digging in July

I spent all last Saturday trying to install a french drain in my backyard near Portland. The rain just kept coming and the trench kept filling with water faster than I could dig. After 4 hours I had maybe 10 feet done and my back was killing me. I finally called a local landscaping company and they did the whole thing in 3 hours with a mini excavator for $450. Sometimes you just gotta admit when a tool or a skill isn't enough and pay someone who knows what they're doing. Has anyone else hit that point where DIY stops making sense?

2 comments

2 Comments

caseyrivera5d ago

Holding out for 4 whole hours in the Portland clay during a downpour sounds like a special kind of stubborn. I get wanting to save a buck, but 450 bucks to save your back and a whole Saturday? That's a good deal in my book. People act like paying a pro is a personal failure, but sometimes it's just math. Your time and your spine have a cost too.

finleyfox5d ago

That 450 bucks sounds like a real bargain compared to what you went through, @caseyrivera. I did a similar thing a few years back with a retaining wall. Bought the blocks, rented a tamper, and spent two weekends trying to get it level. By the end I had a wavy mess and a bad temper. Called in a mason who had it straight and solid in a day for 800 dollars. Your point about the cost of your time and spine is spot on. Sometimes paying a pro is the smartest move you can make, especially when the weather is working against you. No shame in knowing when to fold.