Drainage & Ditch Excavation

Drainage & ditch excavation is simple: we dig or clean out a path for water to move where it should. On many properties, water has nowhere to go, so it sits, soaks, and makes a mess. Dirt Works of SWFL handles drainage & ditch excavation in Southwest Florida for landowners who want a drier yard, a safer driveway, or a site that’s ready for the next step. With our rain and flat land, small drainage issues can turn into big ones fast.

Quick Snapshot (Read This First)

• What this solves: standing water, muddy low spots, and water cutting ruts through your property

• Typical timeline: often 1 day, sometimes a few days depending on access and how wet it is

• What affects price most: how much dirt has to move and how hard it is to reach the area with equipment

• What it looks like after: a clean, shaped ditch line that moves water away from problem areas

• First step: a quick call + a few photos/video of the soggy spots (and where you want water to go)

Common Situations We Get Called For

Scenario 1: “My yard stays wet for days”

You get puddles that don’t go away. The grass turns thin, the ground stays soft, and it’s hard to mow. In rainy season, it can feel like the yard never dries out. Drainage & ditch excavation gives the water a clear route out, so it stops pooling in the same low spots.

Scenario 2: “My driveway edge is washing out”

After storms, you see sand and dirt moved around. The shoulder drops off, and you get ruts near the drive. That can be rough on tires and makes the entrance look beat up. A ditch line and proper shaping helps catch and move runoff so it doesn’t keep carving the same path.

Scenario 3: “I’m getting ready to build, but the site is too wet”

You want to bring in fill, start grading, or get a pad ready. But equipment sinks, and the area stays muddy. Builders don’t like guessing where water will go. Ditch work can be the first step before grading and dirt work in Southwest Florida, so the site stays workable.

Your Options (So You Don’t Pay for the Wrong Thing)

• Light approach: clean out an existing ditch and fix a few low spots — good for smaller yards with a clear outlet

• Standard approach: cut or re-cut a ditch line and shape it so water keeps moving — good for most properties that pond after storms

• Heavy approach: more digging, more shaping, and moving more material — good for bigger properties or spots that stay wet almost all season

• Add-ons sometimes needed: culvert/pipe work where water must cross a driveway or entrance

If the real issue is a failed drain field, plumbing leak, or a broken irrigation main, you may need a septic, plumbing, or irrigation company first. We can still handle the dirt work once the source is fixed.

How the Job Usually Goes (Simple Timeline)

1. Quick talk + site info
   You tell us what’s happening and where. Photos help a lot, and a short walk-through video is even better.

2. Look at flow and outlets
   We check where water is coming from and where it can go. A ditch without a place to drain won’t do much.

3. Mark hazards and plan access
   We talk about fences, gates, septic areas, sprinklers, and tight spots. If utility locates are needed, we plan for that.

4. Excavate and shape
   We dig the ditch line and grade it so water moves. We keep it simple and clean.

5. Cleanup and final check
   We smooth what we can, pick up loose debris, and check that water has a clear path.

What Impacts Cost on Southwest Florida Properties

Every property is different, even if the problem looks the same. Here are the big things that move the cost up or down:

• Size of the wet area and how long the ditch run needs to be

• How easy it is to get equipment to the spot (gate width, soft ground, tight turns)

• How much digging, cutting, and shaping is needed

• Soil and water conditions (sand, muck, standing water, saturated ground)

• Haul-off needs (if material has to be removed)

• Bringing in fill (if you need to build up low areas)

• Protecting nearby items (fences, trees, driveways, sheds, culverts, septic)

• Working around existing landscaping or hardscape

• Whether the ditch is new or an old one that’s grown in

• Timing (right after heavy rain can slow work down)

Prep Checklist for Property Owners

• Mark the worst puddles and soft spots (flags, paint, or a quick map on your phone)

• Show us where you want water to end up (roadside, canal, pond, swale, etc.)

• Clear access paths (move cars, trailers, toys, and loose yard stuff)

• Measure gate width if you have a fence

• Keep pets and kids inside during work hours

• Point out sprinklers, drain lines, septic areas, and tanks if you know where they are

• Tell us about any buried cables, lighting, or private lines on the property

• Trim back heavy brush if it blocks the ditch line (or ask us about light clearing)

• Send 6–10 photos plus a short video for a faster estimate

• Let us know if the ground is staying flooded (so we can plan equipment and timing)

Local Notes for Southwest Florida

In places like Cape Coral and Fort Myers, you can get a ton of rain in a short time. When that hits flat ground, water doesn’t “run off” like people expect. It just spreads out and sits.

Over in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and Rotonda West, we often see yards that look fine most of the year, then turn into soup during storms. The fix is usually not fancy. Water needs a path with a steady slope and a real outlet.

For larger properties in Lehigh Acres or out toward Golden Gate, drainage planning matters even more. On Southwest Florida lots and acreage, one low strip can hold water across a big area if it has no place to drain.

Questions We Hear All The Time

Do I need a permit for a ditch on my property?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on where the ditch goes and if it ties into a canal, right-of-way, or protected area. If it looks like a permit might be needed, we’ll tell you early.

How messy is this going to be?
It’s dirt work, so there will be tracks and loose soil during the job. We keep the work zone tight and clean up when we’re done. If the ground is soaked, it can look rougher until it dries out.

Will a ditch fix my standing water for good?
If the ditch has the right slope and a real outlet, it can make a big difference. If the whole area is lower than the road or outlet, you may also need grading or adding fill in a few spots.

How do you figure out where the water should go?
We look at the lay of the land and the closest safe outlet. Sometimes the answer is simple: connect to an existing swale or ditch line that already drains.

Can you do this even if the property is overgrown?
Often yes. Light clearing may be needed first so equipment can reach the work area. If it’s heavy growth, we may recommend land clearing in Southwest Florida before the ditch work.

Get Help with Drainage & Ditch Excavation in Southwest Florida

If your yard stays wet, your driveway keeps washing out, or you’re trying to prep land for a project, call Dirt Works of SWFL. We’ll ask a few simple questions, take a look at photos or video, and give you a straightforward estimate.

You don’t need a big plan to get started. Just tell us what’s happening, where it’s happening, and what “fixed” should look like for you.