Lowtech Graph lists low-tech options for every need of a home. Here you can compare them, find tutorials to build them, and link them together into a circular system. Why low-tech?
French drain around foundation
Passive
One of 3 ways to meet this need. Cost, carbon, footprint and rankings are relative to other solutions for the same need, not absolute.
A perforated pipe laid in a gravel trench around the foot of the house. Water in the soil seeps into the pipe and flows away to a safe outlet instead of soaking the foundations. It keeps the base of the walls and any basement dry.
Levels are relative to the other options for this need, not absolute. Fewer dots is lighter.
French drain around foundation (This page) Can I use it? Not in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: Basic · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you want a basement or the foot of the walls kept dry when water comes through the soil.
Site grading away from the foundation Can I use it? Not in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: Basic · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you want the cheapest fix for rain pooling against the walls.
Vegetated buffer strips / rain garden Can I use it? Not in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: Basic · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you want runoff to water a planted garden instead of rushing away.
Sources
Foundation drainage industry consensus (general French-drain lifespan data)
Limitations of this page
We don’t list sizing or quantities, as the yield of each technique depends on the quality of its build. The catalogue compares options but doesn’t dimension them. Regulatory notes are indicative, with a French example, and need to be confirmed locally.