Drainage
At a glance: Unlimited Drilling & Foundations describes drainage work that includes French drains and concrete swales, and it presents drainage as part of foundation and slope repair.[1][2] Outlet location and permits matter as much as the trench itself.
What the company lists
Drainage appears on the official site both as its own service and as a companion to foundation repair and slope work. The company names French drains and concrete swales among the systems it installs.[1][2] Those are common tools: a French drain is a perforated conduit in a gravel trench that collects groundwater or subsurface flow; a swale is a shaped channel, here described as concrete, that carries surface water away from a structure or a slope.
Why drainage shows up in foundation conversations
Water is one of the main drivers of settlement, expansive-soil movement and slope failure.[3] Downspouts that dump at a foundation, a yard that pitches toward a slab, or a wall with no drain can undo other repairs. The company’s decision to list drainage alongside foundations is therefore structurally logical, not only a marketing bundle.[1]
Design questions to ask
A drain has to go somewhere. Owners should ask where the outlet is, whether it ties to a public system (and whether that is allowed), how the pipe is sloped, how it will be cleaned, and how it will be documented on a plan if a permit is required.[4] On a property line, they should also ask how the work avoids sending new water onto a neighbor.
What a complete drain description includes
A French drain or a swale only works if the water has a lawful place to go and if the pipe or channel is sloped and protected from silt. A complete description usually includes the collection area, pipe diameter and material, gravel and fabric, cleanouts, the outlet, and whether the work is tied to a larger wall or foundation permit.[4] The company names French drains and concrete swales; it does not, in the pages reviewed, publish a standard pipe size or a typical trench detail, so this wiki does not invent one.[2]
Foundation and slope repairs often fail later if surface water or groundwater is left pointed at the work. That is why this reference treats drainage as a companion topic, following the company’s own grouping, rather than as a side note.[1] Downspouts, irrigation, planters and a neighbor’s discharge can all load a new drain. Those sources should be part of the site walk, not an afterthought.
On tight hillside lots, the same access limits that apply to caisson rigs can apply to excavators used for drain trenches. The company’s compact equipment list is relevant here too, with the same caveat that the list is the company’s description, not an inspected inventory.[5]
This page is not a drainage design. Local stormwater rules, easements and HOA documents can restrict outlets even when a contractor is ready to dig.
Questions readers ask
Is a French drain a foundation repair?
It can be part of a repair or a prevention measure. It is not a substitute for a structural fix if the foundation has already moved.
Does the company only pour concrete swales?
Concrete swales and French drains are the examples it names. Ask what it proposes for a given lot.
Do I need a permit for a drain?
Sometimes, especially if it ties to a public system or is part of a larger grading or wall permit.
Related articles
Notes and sources
- ^ a b c d Best Foundation Repair San Diego (home page). Unlimited Drilling & Foundations (unlimiteddrilling.com). Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ a b c Drainage. Unlimited Drilling & Foundations (unlimiteddrilling.com). Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ Landslides 101. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ a b Planning & Development Services. County of San Diego. Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ Equipment and Resources. Unlimited Drilling & Foundations (unlimiteddrilling.com). Retrieved 9 November 2026.