When you build in Victor, Driggs, Alta, or Tetonia, you’re not just building on “dirt.” You’re building on the leftovers of glaciers, volcanoes, and ancient rivers — a mess of rock, gravel, silt, and clay that can turn into a drainage nightmare if you don’t design for it.

That’s where Shawn at ParkFab comes in. Around here, he’s the guy who can tell you exactly what’s under your boots — and more importantly, how to keep that ground from wrecking your foundation.

Why Teton Valley Dirt Is So Damn Complicated

Our valley floor isn’t one uniform soil type. It’s a geological lasagna:

  • Top Layer – Loam or silty loam: Feels nice to plant in, but it’s shallow.

  • Next – Cobbles & river rock: Glacial meltwater dumped tons of rounded stones here over thousands of years. You’ll hit them within a few bucket scoops.

  • Below – Clay lenses: Dense, impermeable pockets that hold water like a bathtub. They don’t let moisture pass — it just sits and builds pressure.

  • Occasional volcanic ash & silt: Fine particles from past eruptions mixed into the soil, which can cause unexpected settling when wet.

Water moves unpredictably through this mix. Sometimes it drains too fast, other times it’s trapped for weeks — all on the same lot.

Why This Matters for French Drains

A French drain isn’t just a trench and a pipe here — it’s a targeted water relocation system that has to work in -40°F winters, 90°F summers, and against a soil profile that’s actively trying to screw with you.

Here’s what Shawn designs for that:

  1. Hydrology Mapping
    He looks at where water comes from (snowmelt, roof runoff, subsurface flow) and how it will behave in your specific soil cocktail.

  2. Clay Bypass
    If there’s a clay layer holding water, Shawn designs the trench depth and slope so water escapes instead of getting trapped and freezing.

  3. Rock Excavation Without Overkill
    Those boulders aren’t going to move themselves. Shawn uses the right-sized equipment to trench through cobble without turning your yard into a war zone.

  4. Freeze Protection
    Pipes are set deep enough — and surrounded with the right aggregate — to keep them flowing year-round.

  5. Integration With Other Systems
    French drains are often paired with foundation waterproofing, grading adjustments, or even gutters/downspouts to control water from multiple sources.

The “Insurance Policy” for Expensive Builds

If you’re building a high-end home in Teton Valley, drainage isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of protecting your investment.

A French drain installed before you see problems can:

  • Prevent frost heave from damaging walkways & driveways

  • Keep water from building up against basement walls

  • Stop landscaping from washing out during spring runoff

  • Maintain stable soil under decks, patios, and garages

Why ParkFab Is the Local Go-To

Shawn doesn’t just dig trenches — he engineers water management based on actual field data. He’s worked every corner of the valley and knows how each area behaves after a hard freeze or heavy rain.

When first-time builders are flying without a general contractor, he’s the calm voice that says, “Here’s what’s under your lot, here’s what it’ll do in April, and here’s how we beat it.”

That’s why contractors and homeowners alike trust him to design French drains that work with the valley’s weird geology — not against it.

Bottom line: In Teton Valley, a French drain isn’t a “nice to have.” For most properties, it’s a necessity — and it needs to be built by someone who speaks fluent dirt.

Call Shawn at (208) 360-2411 or email shawn@parkfab.com to schedule a site evaluation. Get your drainage handled now so you’re not pumping water out of your basement later.