Problem · HOA
Got an HOA letter about drainage?
A soggy patch, a dead strip of lawn, runoff onto the next lot — what HOA drainage letters usually cite, and how to answer one with a written plan and a fix.
Free yard inspection within 48 hours · written price before we dig
In the master-planned communities of St. Johns and Clay — Nocatee, World Golf Village, Fleming Island, Oakleaf, RiverTown — drainage problems often arrive as a letter. The HOA notices a soggy patch, a dead strip of lawn, mulch washed onto the sidewalk or water crossing onto the next lot, and asks you to correct it. The letter rarely says how. That part is ours.
We are not your HOA's representative and this is not legal advice. What we provide is a free inspection, a written plan with the outlet marked, and a written price — a document you can hand to the HOA or its architectural committee.
Why it happens
Builder grading that settled
A lot graded to pass inspection settles flat within a few seasons. The side-yard swale stops moving water and the back corner holds it.
Downspouts on splash blocks
Roof water landing a foot from the wall keeps the beds and the strip beside the house wet.
Water crossing onto a neighbor
Runoff that leaves your lot at the side or the back is what HOAs act on fastest.
Irrigation on top of storms
Sprinklers running on schedule from June through September keep the sand saturated and the lawn soft.
What you can check this week
- Read the letter for exactly what it cites and the deadline.
- Photograph the area during and after the next rain.
- Check the downspouts and the irrigation schedule.
- Ask the HOA what it needs to approve a fix — many want the plan before work starts.
The fixes, from the cheapest up
Which one you need depends on where the water comes from and where it can legally go — that is what the free inspection is for.
Regrade the swale
Re-shape the side-yard or back swale so the lot sheds water to the street or the pond easement, sod restored to match.
$1,000 – $5,000Yard Regrading & Swales
Downspouts piped away
Each downspout tied into buried pipe to the street or the easement where the HOA allows it.
$300 – $800 per pointDownspout & Underground Drainage
French drain
For water that stays after the surface dries, a French drain along the wet strip to a legal outlet.
$20 – $45 / ftFrench Drain Installation
Catch basin
A basin in the one spot that ponds, tied to pipe.
$500 – $1,500 per pointCatch Basins & Channel Drains
What will it cost?
Add up drain length, downspout lines, catch basins and dry wells with the same ranges as our price guide.
HOA drainage letter: FAQ
What should I send the HOA?
A written plan that shows the cause, the fix, the materials and where the water will go, plus the schedule. Our estimate is written that way, with the outlet marked, so you can submit it as it stands.
Does the HOA have to approve drainage work?
Many HOAs review exterior and grading changes, and some restrict where water may exit. Check your covenants or ask the management company; we work to the rules you hand us.
Can the drain empty into the community pond?
Only where the HOA and any permit allow it. Discharging into a pond or wetland can involve the St. Johns River Water Management District. The street or a swale on your own lot are the usual outlets.
How fast can you fix it?
The inspection is within 48 hours. A set of downspout lines or a catch basin is usually one day; a French drain of 50 to 100 feet one to two days; regrading depends on the area and the sod.
Other problems we fix
Prefer a call back?
Name and number. That's it.
We call back during service hours to set your free inspection — usually within the hour. Free yard inspection within 48 hours · written price before we dig.
Raining right now? Take a photo.
Water standing where it shouldn't?
The best time to see a drainage problem is during the storm. Snap the puddle, note where the downspouts end, and send it — we schedule a free inspection within 48 hours.
(904) 561-1816Free inspection
Book your free inspection
Tell us what happens when it rains and attach a photo if you have one. We inspect within 48 hours and write the price down before we dig.
(904) 561-1816- Free yard inspection within 48 hours
- Insured · NDS-trained drainage crew
- Written price before we dig
- Mon–Sat: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
