Drainage & Flooding Issues in Colorado’s Newer Developments

Brand New Homes, Unexpected Water Problems

You’d think a new home would come with flawless grading and drainage — but in Colorado’s fast-growing communities, we see flooding and water pooling issues all the time. If your “new” backyard has soggy corners, standing water, or dead sod, you’re not alone. Here’s why this happens, and how we fix it for good.

1. Why Drainage Fails in New Neighborhoods

New construction homes often look perfect — until the first big rain. Here’s why problems appear so quickly:

1. Rushed Grading

• Builders focus on house structure, not landscape slope
  
  

• Final grades are often inconsistent or even back-sloped
  
  

• Side yards and backyard corners collect runoff with nowhere to go
  
  

2. Clay Soil

• Found across most of the Front Range
  
  

• Doesn’t absorb water quickly — holds moisture at the surface
  
  

• Leads to root rot, fungus, and mosquito breeding
  
  

3. Incomplete Swales or Drainage Routes

• Drainage easements or swales stop short of effective runoff
  
  

• Downspouts often flood beds or foundations
  
  

• Without a clear exit path, water sits and stagnates
  
  

4. Sod Installed Too Soon

• Soil isn’t amended or properly compacted
  
  

• No gravel or drainage layer under new sod
  
  

• It looks green at first — then dies within months from poor drainage
  
  

2. Signs Your Yard Has a Drainage Problem

If you're seeing any of these, you likely have a water issue:

• Water pooling near your home’s foundation
  
  

• Mushy, squishy sod days after rain
  
  

• Plant beds that never seem to dry out
  
  

• Peeling turf or random dead patches
  
  

• Water flowing toward your patio or slab
  
  

• Mosquitoes, algae, or that sour, swampy soil smell
  
  

We fix most of these problems within the first 1–2 years after a home is built.

3. Our Go-To Fixes for New Build Drainage Issues

1. Regrading

• We adjust your slope to move water away from the home
  
  

• Use skid steers and laser levels — not guesswork
  
  

• Focus on side yards and corners that trap runoff
  
  

2. French Drains

• Gravel trenches with perforated drain pipe
  
  

• Collect and redirect water underground
  
  

• Ideal for shaded turf, mushy lawn zones, or soggy plant beds
  
  

3. Downspout Redirection

• Extend downspouts underground or to daylight
  
  

• Prevent backflow into mulch beds, walkways, or foundations
  
  

• Improves both aesthetics and water movement
  
  

4. Soil Amendment

• We blend compost and sand into your clay base
  
  

• Loosens up compacted soil for better drainage
  
  

• Essential before sod installation or planting
  
  

4. Bonus: Solving Drainage = Better Landscaping

Fixing drainage sets the stage for everything else:

• Sod stays green and roots deeply
  
  

• Plants thrive instead of drowning or rotting
  
  

• Patios and hardscapes stay level over time
  
  

• Mulch, edging, and rock don’t wash out
  
  

• Mosquitoes and erosion become non-issues
  
  

We always solve water problems first — before we install anything else.

Related Services:

[Grading & Drainage Solutions]

[Sod & Turf Installation]

[French Drain Systems]

[Full Yard Renovations]

Stuck With a Swampy Yard in a New Neighborhood? We’ll Dry It Out — Permanently.

From regrading to buried drainage, we fix the water problems your builder didn’t.

[Request a Quote]

[Call (720) 306-9123]