Hello all - hope you can help. We have an older house here in northern florida, with all the rain we have an irritating drainage issue where water gathers on the driveway - which slopeS into the hill (a slight rise rather than a hill). The upshot is that the water pools and then runs into the garage.

I can see two good options - hope you can help me decide.

1st I can cut in a channel drain. Relatively easy - cost around $500

or 2nd I can cut a wider section out of the concrete (~3') and make a sloping swale (if that's the correct word), so the water drains to the lower side - cost ~$200

I can't see why I should use the channel/trench drain if the 'v' shape will work. It's only a grove about 2.5" deep at the lowest end so it's not a 'ditch' that would be a problem for cars or a tripping hazard.

Am I missing something here? I can't see the need to spend an additional $300 if a simple channel formed with a 2x6 (then smoothed) should do he trick.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!!