Drainage Work in Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County

Drainage work moves water away from a building or road. In Kootenai County, settle how water will be handled in a storm and who is responsible if it still collects, and ask about storm drainage permits.

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What drainage work involves

Drainage gives water somewhere to go. Ditches, culverts and shaped ground carry it away from a building, a pad or a road. The work usually belongs to the finish stage of a dig, but it is planned from the start, because where water goes decides how the pad, driveway and foundation are shaped.

Good drainage is about the whole lot, not one pipe. Where water comes from, where it collects and where it should leave all shape the job. That is why the question of who is responsible if water still collects after a storm belongs in the written scope.

When people need drainage work

Water collects against a building or pad.
Water runs across a driveway and wears it away.
A new building changes how runoff moves across the lot.
A road or driveway stays soft after rain.
A new driveway crosses a low spot.
Storm drainage or run-off control is needed before building.

What the work usually looks like

Read the water. Trace where water comes from, collects and leaves.
Plan the path. Choose ditches, culverts or grading.
Locate. 811 notice comes before digging.
Dig and set. Ditches are shaped and any pipe is placed at the planned slope.
Cover and finish. Material goes over pipe and edges are shaped.
Check after rain. Watch the result in the next storm and note any problem.

How to prepare

Settle these points before drainage work starts:

Note where water collects and runs, and show the spots.
Take photos after a storm if you can.
Settle how water will be handled in a storm.
Settle who is responsible if water still collects.
Ask the county or your city about storm drainage and run-off control permits.
Find out who is requesting 811 and get the ticket number.
Get the scope and price in writing.

What affects the cost

Excavation is commonly priced by the hour for operator and machine, or as a set price for a defined scope. For drainage, the total depends on how much water has to be moved and how.

Length of ditches. Longer runs add work.
Pipe size and material. Both change the material cost.
Ground conditions. Rock and wet ground slow digging.
Permits. Storm drainage can need permits, and someone has to handle them.
Surface repair. Restoring a driveway or road adds work.
Planning. Drainage planned with the pad costs less to change than drainage added later.

Drainage and the stages of a dig

Drainage belongs to the last stage of a dig, together with backfill, grading and cleanup, but it is easiest to get right when it is planned in the first stage. A pad shaped to shed water, a driveway with a crossing and a foundation with grading away from it all start as drainage decisions made early.

Local rules and sources

Permits. Kootenai County says permits are required before site disturbance such as grading, excavating and storm drainage or run-off control, and building permits cover structures. Inside a city, start with the city's building or planning office. Outside city limits, start with Kootenai County's Building Division (208-446-1040).

811. Under Idaho Code 55-2205, the excavator marks the dig area in white paint and gives notice two to ten business days before digging. Once utilities mark their lines, the excavator is responsible for keeping the markings visible, and they stay valid for no more than four consecutive weeks. If digging hasn't started within three weeks of the notice, notice must be given again. Wait until every utility on the ticket has responded before you dig.

Dig Safe North Idaho 811 serves Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties (800-428-4950). 811 may route a call from near a county line to a different center; the direct line for Kootenai County is 800-428-4950.

Registration. Idaho requires contractors to register with the Idaho Contractors Board at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Idaho law counts excavating as construction (Idaho Code 54-5203). Some work is exempt, such as a single small project priced under $2,000 that is not part of a larger job (54-5205). Check the company on DOPL's public search before you agree to anything.

Reasons to trust this page

Most rules on this page name their public source, such as an Idaho statute or a county office.
Cost factors are explained in plain terms, and this site does not quote prices.
The email address is shown at the top of every page, and the Privacy page says what a quote request collects.

Common questions

What does drainage work include?

Drainage work moves water away from a building or road with ditches, culverts or shaped ground. It is usually part of the finish stage of a dig but is planned from the start. Settle how water will be handled in a storm, and who is responsible if it still collects, before work starts.

Do I need a permit for drainage in Kootenai County?

Kootenai County says permits are required before site disturbance such as grading, excavating and storm drainage or run-off control. Inside a city, start with the city's building or planning office. Outside city limits, start with the county's Building Division at 208-446-1040, and settle who handles any permit.

Who is responsible if water still collects?

That should be settled in writing before work starts. Ask how water will be handled in a storm, and what happens if it still collects afterward. A dig's last stage covers drainage, so the question belongs in the written scope along with the price.

Do I call 811 for ditch or pipe work?

If the work involves digging, the excavator gives 811 notice two to ten business days before digging, after marking the dig area in white paint. Settle who is requesting 811, get the ticket number, and wait until every utility on the ticket has responded.

How is drainage work priced?

Excavation is commonly priced by the hour for operator and machine, or as a set price for a defined scope. For drainage, the length of ditches, pipe size and ground conditions change the total. Get the scope and price in writing with what is included.

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