Extremely happy with the work Modern Drainage performed. They identified the issue, rectified it and actually improved the outside access to our house.
Plumbing repair and installation in North Vancouver, BC
Perimeter drains, sewer lines and waterlines in North Vancouver since 1987 — a camera goes down the line before anyone touches the lawn. Modern Drainage Ltd · Plumbing in North Vancouver, BC
Full liability insurance, WCB coverage and occupational first aid training As published by Mike Hartman
- Permit applications and inspections handled for you
- Camera-verified diagnosis before anything is dug
- Repair first — replacement only when it's actually needed
- Same crew for 10+ years — not a rotating cast
−0.00 MGRADE
What we do
Straight answers and a price before anything gets touched.
- −0.0 M
Gutter & downspout repair
Water is running down the outside wall instead of into the downspout.
- −0.3 M
Surface drainage & catch basins
The yard holds water for days after it rains.
- −0.9 M
Water main & service line repair
There's a wet patch in the lawn that never quite dries out.
- −1.2 M
Perimeter drainage & drain tile
The basement smells like damp concrete, and it's started to flood.
- −1.8 M
Sewer line repair
It backs up whenever the washing machine runs.
- −2.0 M
Drain & sewer line cleaning
It drains slower every month, then some day it just stops.
- −2.1 M
Leak detection
The water bill went up and nobody can say where it's going.
- −2.4 M
Burst pipe & emergency repair
It's running right now and it will not stop.
WHAT CAME OUT OF THE GROUND, WHAT WENT BACK IN
WALLPERFORATED CLAY OR FIELD TILE
WALLSOLID PVC
Same bore, drawn to the same scale — a clay lateral's wall beside the PVC that replaces it. The wall is the whole difference, and it is the one thing a lawn never lets you see.
CAMERA INSPECTION · SANITARY LATERAL
Why North Vancouver homeowners choose Mike Hartman
A camera goes down the line before anyone digs, every time.
- Full liability insurance, WCB coverage and occupational first aid training.
- Replacement is not always necessary, and the estimator says so honestly.
- Most of the crew has been here more than ten years.
- The property gets put back the way it was found — that's the actual promise, not a slogan.
Full liability insurance, WCB coverage and occupational first aid training — on every crew, every job.
- 1987Founded in North Vancouver
- 39Years still digging the same streets
- 5.0Google rating, 104 reviews
- 10+Years, most of the crew's tenure
- 4Cities served
Since 1987
Thirty-nine years of North Vancouver's drainage, mostly invisible
Mike Hartman started Modern Drainage in 1987 at 25, after working for his father in the same trade in North Vancouver — an old pickup truck, and a solid work ethic. Dom Gendreau joined the crew in October 2004, became one of the lead men, and is now General Manager and Estimator — the person named in nearly every review Modern Drainage has, on Google and on their own site.
The crew around them is mostly long-tenured — "most of whom have been with the company for well over ten years," in their own words — and the company carries full liability insurance, WCB coverage and occupational first aid training on every job.
One story from their own reviews makes the case better than any of their marketing does: after a basement flood at a 1938 house, the homeowner had already been quoted large sums to replace the entire perimeter drain-tile system. Modern Drainage rehabilitated three-quarters of it instead, and installed new tile only where the old had actually failed — the repair-or-replace honesty their FAQ states in the abstract, done, in a customer's own account.
Mike Hartman
Owner / President
Mike started working in the drainage business at a young age, born and raised in North Vancouver, and worked for his father until leaving to venture out on his own at 25. He started Modern Drainage in 1987, and his experience in the trade is what the company's diagnosis-first approach is built around — he stands by his work, and by his crew.
Mike Hartman (left) at the North Vancouver shop.
Dom Gendreau
General Manager / Estimator
Dom joined the crew in October 2004 and became one of the lead men early on. He's now General Manager, works alongside Mike, and is the person most customers actually name — he's credited by name in the majority of Modern Drainage's own published reviews.
Dom Gendreau (right) at the North Vancouver shop.
- 2004The year Dom joined the crew
- 40+Years of combined crew experience
- 8Services, one diagnosis-first process
- 3/4Of one 1938 home's drain tile rehabilitated, not replaced
What happens before anything gets dug
The sequence is the same whether the job is a slow drain or a flooded basement — diagnosis first, agreement on scope second, excavation last.
- The visit
- An estimator walks the property and asks what's actually being seen — a wet patch, a slow drain, water in a specific corner — before anything is assumed about the cause.
- The camera
- Wherever the job is a sewer or drainage line, a small camera goes down it first. That's what decides whether the job is a repair or a replacement, not a guess made from the surface.
- The estimate
- Nothing gets opened up until the scope — and what it covers — has been agreed to.
- The cleanup
- Landscaping, hardscaping and concrete work happen wherever the excavation calls for it, to the company's own stated standard: the same condition as their arrival.
"We pride ourselves on leaving your property in the same condition as our arrival. Your neighbours will be questioning whether you even had work done after we've finished."
Named by the people who had them in their yard
Modern Drainage's own site introduces two of these six. The other four — Erin, Dylan, Ryan, Tyler — appear nowhere on moderndrainage.com.
Mike
Special thanks to Erin, Dom, Mike, Dylan, Ryan, Tyler and the rest of the team.
Adam Antal, Google review
Dom
Dom and his team are absolute stars.
JohnK, Google review
Erin
Erin is always so nice on the phone, very refreshing for these days.
Wayne at Vista Realty Ltd., Google review
Dylan
Dylan has meticulous attention to detail which is the key for a system that you don't want to redo/fix anytime soon.
Adam Antal, Google review
Ryan
Thank you Dylan and Ryan and your helper on the first day.
customer review (name not captured)
Tyler
Special thanks to Erin, Dom, Mike, Dylan, Ryan, Tyler and the rest of the team.
Adam Antal, Google review
Every line below is a customer's own words, not the company's.
left my property looking better than when they started
Robert Kinnon · Google
Where Mike Hartman goes
Based in North Vancouver. These are the places Mike Hartman actually drives to.
Based in
North Vancouver
- Burnaby
- Vancouver
- Coquitlam
What neighbours say
104 Google reviews
Their level of courtesy and professionalism was of the highest standard. And the way they conducted the post job clean up (each day and at the end of the project) left my property looking better than when they started. In sum, I would strongly recommend Modern Drainage to anyone.
Dom and his team are absolute stars. The water supply piping failed to our strata yesterday evening. They identified the problem, got the parts and fixed by noon today. I've used them several times and always had a great experience. First rate
Before you call
The things homeowners usually want to know before they let anyone in the door.
Why do I have water bubbling up in my front lawn?
If you notice water bubbling or a large wet spot on your property it is most likely the result of a leaking waterline.
Should I repair or replace my water line if it's leaking?
Replacing your line is not always necessary, nor recommended. Depending on the age and composition of your pipe, and the location and the severity of the leak, it can often be repaired for a smaller cost. Our estimators will provide honest advice about which solution is best for your situation.
My drainage system is 30 years old. Do I need to replace it?
If you are experiencing consistent issues with an older drainage system, replacement is often recommended, but not always necessary. We begin every project with a thorough system investigation.
What actually happens on the day, before anything gets dug?
A camera goes down the line first, wherever the job is a sewer or drainage line — it's the only way to see where the actual blockage or break is, and it's what decides whether this is a repair or a full replacement. Nothing gets opened up until you've seen what the camera found and agreed to the scope.
Will the yard or driveway be put back the way it was?
"We pride ourselves on leaving your property in the same condition as our arrival" — their own words, and the standard every job is measured against. Landscaping, hardscaping and concrete work happen where the excavation calls for it, not as an afterthought.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes — workmanship is covered for one year from completion. If something we installed moves, leaks or fails, we come back and fix it. Full liability insurance and WCB coverage back every job on top of that.
We have been dealing with Dom at Modern drainage for over 20 years and the service and quality of work has always been first class. Erin is always so nice on the phone, very refreshing for these days. I can Highly recommend them. Wayne at Vista Realty Ltd.
Wayne at Vista Realty Ltd. · Google Plain and simple: The Modern Drainage team is outstanding! They went above and beyond, and delivered a "Mercedes" quality drainage system that will hopefully serve generations to come. Exceptional client focus in all customer touch points: sales, execution and support. Dylan has meticulous attention to detail which is the key for a system that you don't want to redo/fix anytime soon. Special thanks to Erin, Dom, Mike, Dylan, Ryan, Tyler and the rest of the team. Highly recommended reputable company!
Adam Antal · customer Dom and his team were professional, courteous, and efficient. The quality of the work is perfect, and the responsiveness was impressive. Would highly recommend.
Neil Ziniuk · customer Everything was restored in good order. The experienced team and crew from Modern Drainage were professional, efficient, communicated well, and the bill came in as estimated. My long-time plumber recommended Modern Drainage. I would definitely use them again.
Cathy Fraser · customer
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Tell Mike Hartman what's going on
604-984-4343Mike Hartman will call you back on the number you left.
- Address
- 165 Amherst Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V7H 1S5
- Service Area
- North Vancouver · Burnaby · Vancouver · Coquitlam
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, from 8am