What a dry well does
A dry well is a buried, perforated chamber filled with gravel that receives water from gutters, French drains, channel drains, or other surface collection and lets it percolate slowly into the surrounding soil. Dry wells are the answer when:
- Your downspout water has nowhere to go (no slope, no street drain, no daylight outlet available)
- An underground extension would daylight in a place you can't have water emerging (next to a walkway, into a neighbor's yard, into a flower bed)
- You need to handle peak storm volume without overwhelming a discharge line
- Local code restricts where stormwater can be released
How dry wells work in Jacksonville soil
Jacksonville's sandy soil is well-suited to dry wells in most neighborhoods. Sand percolates relatively quickly, so a properly sized dry well can absorb significant peak-storm volume and release it into the soil over hours rather than dumping it on neighbors or hardscape.
In neighborhoods with clay layers (parts of Orange Park, some of the Westside, certain Riverside areas) or high water tables (marsh-edge Ponte Vedra, parts of South Mandarin), dry wells need to be larger or sometimes aren't viable, those properties need daylight discharge or sump systems instead.
We test percolation on-site before sizing the well.
What we install
Gutter Pro installs three dry-well classes:
- NDS Flo-Well — the standard 50-gallon and 100-gallon residential dry wells. Stack-able and the right answer for most downspout-to-dry-well projects.
- Crushed-stone soakaway pits — for high-volume French drain outlets or larger gutter systems. Custom-sized to peak flow.
- Engineered gravity-flow systems — for marsh-edge or high-water-table properties where standard percolation won't work; integrates with sump pump systems.
Pricing
Typical Jacksonville dry well installation:
- NDS Flo-Well 50-gallon — $600 to $1,200 installed including excavation, gravel, fabric wrap, and inlet/overflow connections.
- NDS Flo-Well 100-gallon — $900 to $1,800 installed.
- Larger stacked or custom systems — $1,500 to $4,000+ depending on volume and excavation.
Excavation depth is typically 3-4 feet. We use mini-excavator equipment for residential projects to minimize landscape disturbance.
Common Jacksonville dry well scenarios
- Tight-lot homes in San Marco, Avondale, Riverside where downspout water has nowhere to daylight
- Backyard pool houses and outbuildings that collect roof water with no nearby slope
- HOA neighborhoods where surface runoff to common areas is restricted
- Properties at the high end of the lot with no downhill discharge option
Why install dry wells with Gutter Pro
- NDS Certified Professional Drainage Contractor. Trained on NDS Flo-Well sizing and installation.
- Percolation testing on-site. We don't guess, we verify your soil before sizing.
- Integrated water-management design. Dry well coordinated with gutters, French drains, channel drains.
- Mini-excavator equipment. Minimal landscape disturbance.
- Lifetime workmanship warranty.
Related services
Drainage solutions · French drains · Channel drains · Sump pumps · Yard flooding
FAQs
How much does a dry well cost in Jacksonville?
Standard NDS Flo-Well dry wells run $600 to $1,800 installed depending on capacity (50 vs 100 gallon). Larger custom systems run $1,500 to $4,000+.
Will a dry well work in my Jacksonville yard?
Usually yes. Most Jacksonville soil is sandy and percolates well. Clay-heavy soil and high-water-table lots (some marsh-edge properties) may need daylight discharge or sump systems instead. We test percolation on-site before sizing.
How deep does a dry well need to be?
Typically 3 to 4 feet deep. The bottom of the well must be above the seasonal high water table. We verify water-table depth before final excavation.
How long does a dry well last?
Properly installed dry wells with quality filter fabric and clean gravel last 20 to 40 years before maintenance is needed. We use heavy-duty NDS-spec fabric and clean #57 stone.
Free Jacksonville dry well quote
Call (904) 304-3199 or book online.