You usually do not want a French drain too close to the house unless it is built for foundation drainage. For yard runoff, Houston homeowners often place it a short distance away from the foundation so it captures water before it reaches the house.
Houston’s heavy clay soil can also affect how far out the drain needs to be placed.
For foundation systems, the drain may sit right around the perimeter in a proper trench system. The exact spacing depends on the problem, the footing depth, and the drainage design.
