Every week I hear it from folks in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County — “Bob, our yard turns into a swamp every time it rains hard.”
Well, today I want to share a true story from a local homeowner who faced that exact problem. A big storm rolled through with over 3 inches of rain in just one night. The yard was flooding, water was creeping toward the house, and they were on the verge of major damage — until we installed the right sump pump system.
I’m Bob Carr, and this is a real example of how the right drainage solution, done the right way, can protect your property and your peace of mind.
I first met Kevin and Jessica in Bowie, Maryland. Beautiful home, but their backyard was a mess.
“We bought the house last year,” Kevin told me. “But nobody mentioned that when it rains, the backyard holds water like a bathtub.”
Every time it rained more than an inch, they had standing water for days. Kids couldn’t play, grass was dying, and they were starting to notice signs of moisture near the foundation.
“We were bailing water with buckets during one storm. It felt hopeless,” Jessica said.
That’s when they found me through a neighbor and gave me a call.
When I arrived, the yard was still soggy from the last storm. I walked the property with Kevin and Jessica, checked the grade, gutters, downspouts, and low areas.
Here’s what I found: – Poor slope away from the house – Downspouts dumping right at the foundation – A low area in the yard with no place for water to drain
Classic case of surface and subsurface water with nowhere to go.
“You’ve got a bowl-shaped yard,” I told them. “We need to give that water an exit strategy.”
Most people think sump pumps only go in basements. But in this case, we designed an exterior sump pump system built right into the yard.
Here’s what we installed: – A sump pit placed in the lowest spot of the yard – 4” solid drain pipe running from each downspout to the pit – A yard drain inlet to catch surface water – A heavy-duty pump inside the pit – Discharge line running to the street, with freeze protection
I made sure to trench everything with proper slope, protect all connections, and restore the yard with fresh topsoil and sod.
“It’s like we gave their yard a flushing system,” I said.
Just two weeks after we finished the job, Maryland got slammed with a monster thunderstorm. Over 3 inches of rain fell overnight.
Kevin sent me a text at 6:30 a.m. the next morning:
“Bob — I can’t believe this. We stayed dry. Yard looks amazing. Pump ran like a champ all night.”
Before the system, their backyard would’ve looked like a lake. But now? The sump pump kicked on automatically, moved the water out to the street, and kept their yard bone dry.
Let’s break it down: – The sump pit collected water from multiple sources — downspouts, surface runoff, even seepage. – The pump activated automatically with a float switch as water levels rose. – The discharge line sent the water far from the house, with a check valve to prevent backflow. – The setup was invisible. Aside from a flush drain lid, you’d never know it was there.
“We finally feel like we can enjoy our backyard — no more soggy shoes or trenching out puddles,” Kevin said.
Every yard is different, but here’s the ballpark for a system like this:
- Short run system: $3,850 – $5,200
- Mid-range: $5,200 – $8,500
- With sump pit + multiple tie-ins + restoration: $8,500 – $12,000
This job fell right in the middle. And for Kevin and Jessica, the peace of mind was worth every penny.
“Honestly, it’s one of the best home investments we’ve made,” Jessica told me.
If you’re dealing with yard flooding — don’t wait for the next storm to turn your lawn into a pond. The right sump pump setup can quietly, efficiently solve the problem without tearing up your yard or installing massive, ugly drains.
And you don’t have to guess. I’ll come out, walk your yard with you, and show you exactly what’s going on. I’ll tell you the truth, not just what makes a sale.
“I wish we’d called you sooner,” Kevin said. “We spent months dealing with a problem that took just a few days to fix.”
The next time it pours, what do you want to happen in your yard? Will it flood again — or will you finally have a system in place that quietly moves the water where it belongs?
Let me help you solve it once and for all.