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Posted: 8th April 2025 | Author: Jamie Brown | Category: Drainage
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Building a soakaway can be an excellent way to tackle flood risk and standing water in an outside space, whether you’re dealing with a small garden or larger grounds. If you’ve never created a soakaway before, installing one might seem daunting - but it really is something that comes with a wealth of benefits.
Whether you’re thinking of building a soakaway on your own property, or you’re a contractor looking to work on clients’ sites, read on to learn more about the benefits of soakaways.
The most obvious benefit of a soakaway is its main function and purpose: reducing waterlogging in outdoor spaces. This helps to limit flooding in times of heavy rainfall - which is good not only in terms of protecting properties but also preserving plant and animal life adversely affected by high water levels.
In a residential context, a soakaway drains away surface water, helping to ensure that gardens (vegetable or floral) don’t get waterlogged. Waterlogged soil can cause bulbs, seeds and roots to rot in the ground, which can represent a significant loss for a green-fingered property owner.
Beyond that, there are a number of reasons why soakaways may be preferable to other drainage solutions.
Soakaways are notably easy to construct, which can make them less expensive and labour intensive, further cutting down costs. In many circumstances, homeowners can DIY a soakaway themselves, though some may prefer to use a contractor for ease and peace of mind.
A soakaway doesn’t need to be fitted at the same time the house is built, or even at a time when the garden or yard is nothing but topsoil. What this means is that you can start building a soakaway as soon as you notice a drainage problem - you don’t have to worry about it pre-emptively or risk a permanent flood issue.
Additionally, you can build a soakaway at any time of year - though it may be easier to do it in dry spells to avoid excess mud. You might also want to wait for the morning frosts to end, as cold ground can be harder to dig.
Soakaways aren’t entirely hands-off, but they are reasonable in terms of the amount of maintenance needed. The main problem that can happen with a soakaway is a blockage - and this can happen whether your installation uses attenuation crates or aggregate.
Essentially, a soakaway is a big pit lined with a geotextile fabric that aims to hold back the soil and prevent plants from rooting or growing into the drainage pit. That’s because any debris or vegetable matter entering the drainage pit will impact the amount of water it can hold, and may also affect the speed at which the water drains away.
To avoid this, it’s wise to regularly check the geotextile sheet for rips or tears, as well as removing vegetation that is starting to encroach on the pit. Less invasively, keeping an eye on the soakaway area during and after wet weather can help land owners to spot drainage issues.
Compared to other drainage solutions that involve more work and more expensive components, soakaways are an affordable option that may be more preferable for those looking to solve the drainage problem without shelling out lots to do it.
As mentioned, it’s possible for homeowners to create their own soakaways as a DIY task rather than hiring contractors, which can make the job even more affordable.
Another key benefit is that soakaways offer a natural, if augmented, drainage solution. The name is apt - soakaways allow water to simply soak away into the ground at a gradual rate, mimicking what would naturally happen during times of lesser rainfall.
This is good because it helps to recharge aquifers - underground water-bearing layers of material such as permeable rock - and ensure water stocks don’t get too low. These aquifers provide an important source of drinking water in the UK, and keeping them topped up helps to ensure stability in drought conditions.
Technically, there’s no easy answer to this, as the size of soakaway needed will depend in part on the size of the area requiring drainage and the porosity of the soil - in other words, how quickly it drains. The slower the soil drains, the higher the volume of water needing to be stored will be.
However, a soakaway pit of at least one cubic metre is the most commonly used size for residential applications, so this may be the right size for your project. If you’re not sure, it’s best to consult an expert who can help you to get it right - because having the right capacity in your soakaway is crucial to achieving the drainage results you’re looking for.
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The Author: Jamie Brown
From my early working life as a labourer, then becoming a builder and a property developer, I have been buying and using building materials for over 25 years. I set about to start a builders merchant which can offer high-quality products and significant savings along with speedy delivery to keep your sites moving. Still having a foot in the construction industry on my own property, I always make sure the products we sell are up to our high standards which is important for us to keep a great image for the company and superior reputation to supply quality!
