How to Install a Culvert (and why it is better to hire a professional)

Most people hire a professional when installing a culvert for their driveway, which, depending on the length and type of pipe required, can cost anywhere between $800 to $8,000. depending on complexity. With this in mind, you may be thinking, “why don’t I just do it myself?”

A word of caution. A project like this requires some heavy equipment and the knowledge to use it correctly. If you’re uncertain about how to operate a skid-steer loader with backhoe attachment, for example, you should probably seek out professional expertise. However, if you do plan to install or replace a culvert on your own, there are some steps you should take to make sure the process is completed successfully and safely. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install your own culvert.

1. Check with your municipality building codes administrator to see if there are any specific regulations the culvert must adhere to regarding length, diameter, type of pipe, etc. Also, be sure to obtain any permits required by the city, county, or state in which you live prior to beginning construction.
2. Contact your utilities providers to learn the location of any underground utility lines. Ask a representative to come to your home to mark off where such lines are located so that you don’t accidentally damage them. Failing to do so could lead to costly repairs and even pose health and safety risks.
3. Rent or borrow a skid-steer loader with backhoe attachment and vibrating compactor, and purchase gravel (from ¾ to 1" grind), gravel mix (from ¾ to 2" grind), and the correct pipe needed for installation. You will also need stakes, safety cones, string line, a tape measure, a carpenter’s level, marking paint, and possibly a saw if you need to make adjustments to the pipe’s length. You'll also do plenty of digging by hand so rakes and shovels will be needed.
4. Using the tape measure, stakes, paint and string, mark off where you plan to install the culvert.
5. Use the skid-steer loader with a backhoe attachment to dig a trench, following the stakes and string as a guide (quick tip: select a time of year that is fairly dry. It will be difficult to install the culvert if water keeps leaking into the trench.). The trench should be wide enough to accommodate the pipe and deep enough to contain the pipe plus six inches of extra room. Also, and this is very important, make sure to slope the trench slightly so that water will flow from the high exit point out the low one. If this isn’t done properly, the water will sit stagnant in the pipe instead of draining.
6. Lay a 2 ½" layer of gravel mix in the trench, and compact it. Then use your level to make sure the trench is sloped properly (at about a 3% grade). Make sure to follow city and county requirements here and from here on as the inspector may want to see it before gravel is added as well as after.
7. Place the tube in the desired position in the trench. Double-check to make sure it is sloped to allow for drainage.
8. Add a 6" layer of ¾ - 1" gravel on either side of the pipe, and compact it. Repeat this process until you’ve reached the top of the pipe.
9. Lay a top layer of ¾ - 2" gravel mix over the pipe, and compact it. The amount of material between the pipe and the driveway surface should be 6" (this includes asphalt if you plan on paving).
10. Spread some medium-sized gravel on the side where the water will flow out to prevent erosion.

There you have it. These are the steps you need to take to install your culvert. All that being said, it is still advisable to hire a professional to do the job. It may cost more, but the professional will have the expertise and equipment needed to install the culvert, and it will save you time and hassle of renting equipment (and, in many cases, learning to use it) and assembling the necessary materials. Additionally, if city codes require someone come to inspect the culvert after installation, it might be better for liability reasons to leave it up to the professionals. They will ensure that the materials used are up to code and that the culvert has been laid and sloped properly to allow for proper drainage. 

A word of caution: As a professional company in good standing with TXDOT, and the state of Texas, it's hard for us to recommend you take on a project such as installing your own culvert. We don't recommend you install your own  unless you have a very high level of construction experience and even then, we would hesitate. It's dangerous and difficult, and you may just find that city and county inspectors won't respond to a homeowner in the same way they would a professional. This means that you may run into a lot more difficulty if you choose to handle the project on your own. If the job requires cement safety ends, you will have to hire someone. Remember, city and county rules change over time so the culvert you have in now may not be allowed anymore and will have to be replaced with something else. Don't install anything without making sure you know what the requirements are or you can be subject to fines or a forced removal of the driveway. Installing a culvert yourself does present a safety and financial risk.

If you're in North Texas, ask us for a Free Estimate or Contact Us for more information.

​See Who is Responsible for Culvert Maintenance in Texas  for more information.