PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
BALCONY MEMBRANES
Balconies & Elevated Decks
Multi-layer polyurethane traffic membranes with perimeter cant strips and code-approved drip flashing.
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MOISTURE BARRIERS • DIV 07
FL CGC1517295 • CCC1329271
French Drain Installation in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Standing water near foundations causes structural damage, mold, and landscape destruction. We install french drains that move water away from where it doesn't belong.
ASTM C836 / D412
High-Elongation Membrane
ICRI CSP 3-4 Profile
Shot-Blasted Adhesion
100% In-House Crews
Dual-Licensed Quality
FL STATE LICENSED
CGC1517295 • CCC1329271
100%
In-House Crews • Zero Brokers
SUB-TROPICAL MOISTURE DEFENSE • DIV 07 BARRIERS
Move Water Away From Your Building, Permanently
French drain installation in Fort Lauderdale solves one of the most common and frustrating problems South Florida property owners face — water that has nowhere to go. Fort Lauderdale's flat topography, sandy soil, shallow water table, and intense rainfall create conditions where water accumulates against foundations, pools in yards, saturates landscaping, and backs up against building perimeters with nowhere to drain. A properly designed and installed French drain system intercepts this water before it reaches the building, redirecting it to a suitable discharge point away from the structure and its foundation.
Monolithic Polyurethane Membranes
Cold fluid-applied and PMMA systems cure seamlessly, eliminating lap-joint water entry points.
Mechanical Substrate Profiling
Diamond grinding and shot-blasting achieve ICRI CSP 3-4 anchor profiles for high-strength chemical bonding.
Dual-Licensed Permitting & Execution
Single-source responsibility combining General Contractor (CGC1517295) and Roofing Contractor (CCC1329271) licenses.
Field Failure Reality • Moisture Intrusion
Standing Water Is Slowly Destroying Your Foundation
Water that pools near a building doesn't just sit there — it saturates soil, raises hydrostatic pressure against foundations, finds its way into basements and crawl spaces, and accelerates the corrosion of any embedded steel. Surface drainage alone usually can't keep up with Florida's rain events, and improper grading makes the problem worse year after year.
Mandatory Building Department Benchmark • FBC Standards
Engineered Protocol • Quality Assurance
French Drains Engineered for the Site
We assess your drainage situation — soil type, slope, water sources, discharge points — and design a french drain system that actually solves the problem. Proper depth, the right pipe and gravel, geotextile fabric to prevent clogging, and a discharge plan that moves water somewhere useful. The result is dry foundations and a property that handles even the worst rain events.
Fully documented for engineer of record milestone recertification file
COMMERCIAL • MULTI-FAMILY • RESIDENTIAL
What Is a French Drain?
A French drain is a subsurface drainage system that collects groundwater and surface water and redirects it away from a problem area. The system consists of a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe at its base, wrapped in geotextile filter fabric that prevents fine soil particles from clogging the gravel and pipe over time. Water enters the trench through the gravel and flows into the perforated pipe, which carries it to a discharge point — a street storm drain, a retention area, or a drainage well in South Florida's porous soil. French drains are distinguished from surface drainage systems by their subsurface location — they intercept groundwater and infiltrating surface water before it reaches the foundation, rather than just directing surface runoff away from the building.
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
HEAVY TRAFFIC DECKS
Parking Garage Deck Systems
Heavy-duty aggregate-filled elastomeric urethane systems resisting vehicular abrasion and chloride penetration.
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SUBTERRANEAN
BELOW-GRADE DEFENSE
Foundation & Elevator Pits
Hydrostatic pressure barriers, bentonite sheets, and crystalline injection halting water table infiltration.
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EXPANSION JOINTS
SEALANTS & CAULKING
Perimeter & Window Seals
High-movement structural silicone and polyurethane joint sealants for window perimeters and wall transitions.
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ROOT-RESISTANT
PLANTER INTEGRITY
Built-In Landscape Planters
Root-barrier membranes, drainage boards, and internal flashing terminating soil moisture migration.
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DRAINAGE RELIEF
HYDROSTATIC RELIEF
Sump Pumps & Sub-Surface Drains
Commercial cast-iron sump assemblies and perforated gravity drain lines protecting basement and slab levels.
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Regulatory Code Standards • ASTM & FBC Compliance
When You Need a French Drain in Fort Lauderdale
French drains address several specific water management problems common in Fort Lauderdale's built environment. Foundation wet spots — areas where water consistently accumulates against the building foundation after rain events or during the wet season — indicate that groundwater or surface water is not draining away from the building perimeter fast enough, and a foundation perimeter French drain intercepts this water before it reaches the foundation wall. Yard flooding — low spots that hold water for extended periods after rain — is addressed with a yard French drain that collects standing water and routes it to an appropriate discharge point. Retaining wall hydrostatic pressure — one of the leading causes of retaining wall failure — is dramatically reduced by installing a French drain behind the wall to relieve the water pressure that builds in saturated soil.
Licensed CGC1517295 • CCC1329271 Execution
Direct Engineer of Record Special Inspections
Waterproofing Verification Criteria
SUBSTRATE PREPARATION
ICRI CSP 3–4 Profile & Moisture Test
Shot-blast or diamond grind, ASTM F1869 calcium chloride moisture vapor emission test.
MEMBRANE PERFORMANCE
ASTM C836 High Solids Elastomeric
Seamless crack-bridging membrane with >300 PSI substrate pull-off adhesion.
BUILDING CODE CONFORMANCE
FBC Chapter 14 & ICRI Guidelines
Comprehensive flashing at railing anchors, drains, thresholds, and wall perimeters.
FIELD APPLICATION SPECIFICATIONS
French Drain Design for South Florida Conditions
French drain design in Fort Lauderdale requires understanding of South Florida's specific soil and water table conditions. Sandy, permeable soil in most of Fort Lauderdale transmits water rapidly — which is a design advantage but also means the drainage system must be sized for the intense rainfall events that deliver large volumes of water quickly. The shallow water table in many areas limits the effective depth of subsurface drainage — drains installed below the water table function as collection points for groundwater rather than gravity-draining it away. Discharge points in Fort Lauderdale's flat terrain require careful design — slope must be created within the drain trench, or a sump and pump system must be incorporated to lift collected water to a suitable discharge elevation. Planet Construction FL designs each French drain system for the specific site conditions — not a standard detail applied regardless of local conditions.
01
Acoustic hammer sounding for hidden delaminations, diamond grinding to CSP 3-4, and concrete crack routing.
02
Chipping spalls, treating corroded steel, forming perimeter cove seal fillets, and detail-flashing all drains.
03
Two-component epoxy moisture barrier primer penetrating concrete pores to eliminate outgassing and maximize pull-off strength.
04
High-build elastomeric membrane basecoat, reinforced fiber scrim, and aggregate-broadcast UV topcoat for non-slip protection.
Asset Managers • HOA Boards
French Drain vs. Other Drainage Solutions
French drains are one of several drainage solutions appropriate for Fort Lauderdale's water management problems, and the right solution depends on the specific condition being addressed. Surface swales — graded depressions that direct surface runoff — are effective for managing sheet flow across large areas but don't address subsurface groundwater. Catch basin systems collect surface water at low points and connect to storm drainage — appropriate for paved areas and driveways. Sump pump systems actively pump collected groundwater rather than relying on gravity, which is necessary in low-lying areas where gravity drainage isn't achievable. Planet Construction FL evaluates each drainage problem, recommends the appropriate system or combination of systems for the site conditions, and designs and installs the selected solution to perform reliably in South Florida's demanding drainage environment.
Multi-Unit Program Support
Phased construction logistics, resident notices, reserve study alignment, and direct engineer of record milestone recertification sign-offs.
HOA Board Presentation Packages & Milestone Recertification Decks
Multi-Year Capital Expenditure Phasing to Mitigate Special Assessments
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Direct Qualifier CGC1517295 • No Obligation Board Review
RECENT REGIONAL PERFORMANCE • VERIFIED SITES
Documented Waterproofing Projects • South Florida Portfolio
Engineering-compliant high-performance traffic membranes, structural joint sealants, and building envelope moisture defenses across Broward and Palm Beach counties.
WESTON • CONDOMINIUM
Weston Condo Balcony Waterproofing
Multi-layer polyurethane pedestrian traffic membrane, cove perimeter detailing, and non-slip wear course over 48 residential units.
FORT LAUDERDALE • COMMERCIAL DECK
Commercial Parking Deck Traffic Coating
Shot-blast surface profiling, heavy vehicular urethane membrane application, and reflective stall restriping over 4 levels.
POMPANO BEACH • OCEANFRONT
Coastal Balcony Waterproofing Overhaul
Post-tension cable pocket sealing, railing post embedment waterproofing, and fluid PMMA elastomeric deck coating.
FIELD EXPERTISE • CLARITY FOR OWNERS & BOARDS
Frequently Asked Questions • Waterproofing Division
Direct answers on membrane longevity, inspection protocols, resident coordination, and warranty coverage across South Florida.
How deep does a French drain need to be in Fort Lauderdale?
French drain depth in Fort Lauderdale depends on the problem being solved and the water table depth at the site. For foundation perimeter drainage — intercepting water before it reaches the foundation — drains are typically installed at the footing depth, which in South Florida's shallow-foundation residential construction is usually 12–24 inches. For yard drainage addressing surface water, shallower installations of 12–18 inches are often effective. We assess each site's specific conditions before recommending installation depth.
Where does the collected water go?
French drain discharge options in Fort Lauderdale include connection to the street storm drain system (requires city approval), discharge to a retention area or swale on the property, discharge to a drainage well penetrating the porous limestone rock below the soil layer (requires SFWMD permit in some areas), or collection in a sump for pump discharge. The appropriate discharge method depends on the site location, drainage rights, permit requirements, and available discharge elevation. We design the full system including discharge before installation begins.
How long do French drains last?
A properly installed French drain with geotextile filter fabric preventing soil migration into the gravel and pipe typically lasts 20–30 years or longer before sediment accumulation reduces capacity enough to require rehabilitation. Without proper filter fabric, South Florida's sandy soil can clog a French drain significantly faster. Annual flushing of the perforated pipe with a garden hose and periodic inspection of the discharge point maintains system performance.
Do I need a permit to install a French drain in Fort Lauderdale?
Subsurface drainage systems connected to the public storm drain system require city approval and typically a permit. Drainage wells in South Florida require South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) permits. On-site drainage systems that discharge within the property boundary and don't connect to public systems typically don't require a permit, but site-specific conditions may trigger review requirements. Planet Construction FL assesses permit requirements for each project before work begins.
WATERPROOFING ESTIMATE • DIRECT RESPONSE
Get Your French Drain Installation in Fort Lauderdale, FL Inspection & Proposal
Request a comprehensive moisture diagnostic, membrane pull-off test, or turnkey board proposal. We provide detailed line-item bids backed by dual state contractor licenses.
Direct consultation with Licensed Qualifier John Kraja
Dual State Licensed: CGC1517295 (General) • CCC1329271 (Roofing)
Zero Subcontractor Hand-offs • 100% In-House Field Crews