Homeowner Education

CANDO Knowledge Center

Practical guides on drainage, grading, driveways, soil, and residential excavation — written by Daniel Johnson, owner of CANDO Drainage & Grading.

Downspout extensions Plan your build site right Soil & aggregates Right drainage solution Stormwater volume

All Articles

Post-frame building site in Middle Tennessee with a track loader and skid steer setting posts on freshly graded ground

Grading

Plan Your Build Site Right

How to plan a home site so it drains naturally, stays accessible, and holds up for decades — from the surrounding land to the building pad, driveway, and future improvements.

Daniel Johnson 9 min read

Bobcat mini-excavator installing a buried downspout extension pipe in a residential Middle Tennessee yard

Drainage

Downspout Extensions

How proper downspout extensions — with the right slope, outlet, and debris handling — carry roof water safely away from a home and prevent foundation, crawl space, and erosion problems.

Daniel Johnson 2 min read

Drainage

Right Drainage Solution

A homeowner's guide to diagnosing drainage problems before choosing a fix — how to identify the water source, estimate volume, trace the path, and match the right system (French drain, surface drain, downspout extension, regrading, or erosion control) to the actual problem.

Daniel Johnson 8 min read

Drainage

Stormwater Flow Rate

How to estimate the gallons per minute of stormwater runoff flow rate reaching a location before choosing a catch basin, French drain, pipe size, or outlet — with worked examples using Google Earth measurements and a homeowner-friendly shortcut formula.

Daniel Johnson 2 min read

Put It Into Practice