Driveway Culverts
in Houston, TX

What size culvert do I need for my driveway?

The City or the county sets the size, not the contractor. Inside Houston, the minimum is 24 inches, and it goes bigger if the neighbors' pipes are bigger. Unincorporated Harris and Fort Bend counties start at 18 inches. Montgomery County uses 18 inches and will not let your pipe be smaller than the next culvert upstream. Waller sets the size per site. Cover matters too: Fort Bend wants 12 inches of cover over concrete pipe and 15 inches over plastic or metal. We get the size in writing before anyone buys pipe. If a wet yard is part of the problem, see our yard drainage page.

Does a driveway culvert need a permit around Houston?

Yes, in every jurisdiction we checked. Inside the city, the permit comes through the Houston Permitting Center, and the plans have to label the pipe size, type and headwalls. Unincorporated Harris County uses a County Engineer driveway permit. Fort Bend, Brazoria, Waller and Liberty counties each run their own permit through Road and Bridge or permitting. Montgomery County handles it by precinct. On an FM road or state highway, you need a TxDOT driveway permit. Breaking Liberty County's culvert rules is a Class C misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $250 for each day. We file the permit and call in the inspection for you.

How much does culvert installation cost?

A fair culvert price starts with a look at the ditch. The price moves with pipe diameter and length, the material your county allows, and whether you need headwalls or sloped ends. Digging out an old crushed pipe, the bedding material, the driveway surface and the permit fees all add to it. It also depends on who sets the pipe, since some county crews install it for a fee and some jobs need a contractor. Our free estimate breaks the pipe, ends and driveway into separate lines. Call (832) 576-3278 to book a visit.

Who is responsible for the culvert under my driveway?

In almost every case, the property owner. Houston Public Works says replacing a new, damaged or undersized driveway culvert is the owner's job, done through the City permit system. The City regrades ditches and flushes culverts under its own program. City code puts keeping the ditch along your lot free of debris on you. In Waller County, you maintain the culvert once concrete is placed over it. If water stands in a City ditch for more than 48 hours, call 311. In Fort Bend County, a concrete driveway over the pipe needs joints on each side of it, so the pipe can be dug out later.

Concrete, plastic or metal: which culvert pipe is best?

The jurisdiction decides first, so start there. Unincorporated Harris County allows only new concrete pipe. The City of Houston takes concrete or HDPE plastic. Fort Bend allows concrete, plastic or metal, and Montgomery adds polypropylene and aluminum. Concrete pipe can sit under shallow cover. Plastic pipe weighs less but needs more cover and a good bed under it. Metal pipe can rust out in a wet Houston ditch over time. We match the pipe to the rule first, then to the ditch.

Will the county install my culvert for me?

Sometimes, on county roads. Fort Bend and Brazoria Road and Bridge, Montgomery Precincts 2 and 3, and Waller County (if you choose) will set the pipe you buy and deliver. Harris County Precinct 2 also sets pipe for homeowners. The City of Houston, Montgomery Precinct 4, TxDOT frontage and every private drive need a contractor. Either way, we can size it, prep the ditch, help with the pipe and build the driveway on top. That is where our gravel driveway work usually picks up. Call and we will tell you who sets the pipe on your road.