Yeah, French drains are definitely the way to go for serious water issues. Splash blocks look nice, but they're basically just decoration. I DIY'd mine too—backbreaking work, but totally worth it once you see your yard dry out properly after a storm.
- French drains are legit for serious runoff, agreed.
- Splash blocks do help a bit with minor stuff, but yeah, they're mostly cosmetic.
- DIY is respectable, though I've seen some DIY jobs that ended up causing more issues than they solved...
- One tip: don't skimp on gravel or fabric—seen too many shortcuts there leading to clogs and headaches later.
- French drains are solid, but honestly, sometimes they're overkill. Seen plenty of yards fixed up just fine with smart grading and proper gutter extensions.
- Splash blocks aren't just cosmetic either...they can save your mulch beds from washing out if placed right.
- Totally agree on DIY though—had a client once who thought landscape fabric was optional. Let's just say I got a callback after the first big rain. Lesson learned, haha.
French drains can definitely be a lifesaver, but you're right—they're not always necessary. I've seen plenty of yards bounce back just from tweaking the slope and extending gutters away from the house. Splash blocks are underrated too...people think they're just decorative, but they really do help channel water away from flower beds and foundations. And landscape fabric—man, don't get me started. Had one homeowner insist it was just marketing hype until his mulch floated away like a river raft after a storm. Lesson learned indeed, haha.
Good points about splash blocks—they're definitely more functional than most folks realize. Regarding landscape fabric, though, I've seen it cause drainage issues when improperly installed...ever notice water pooling above the fabric instead of soaking through? Curious if others have run into similar problems.
