With a huge project like this i'm starting,i'm open to ANY ideas. Basically,we have a finished basement with 1 1/2 walls leaking and completely flooding the place. Problem is that the concrete foundation leaks BEHIND all the paneling and sheet rock,so i'm basically forced to rip this down.

Here's a diagram from a top view.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/TheFlowinProse/untitled-1.jpg

What we basically want to do is to build a channel down the wall between the sheet rock and foundation to take the water to the end of the leaking wall where we'll dig a small hole and put a bucket in there with a sump pump. There's a good 6-7 inches space between. We've tried to contain it in certain areas that have the most flooding by building a pit made of concrete walls,plexiglass,caulking and tar (all which have failed).

At this point,we are thinking about getting rain gutters and cutting the top and side from them to basically make them a slope opposite side of the wall. Like this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/TheFlowinProse/walls.jpg

Here's pictures of that pit we tried to build for a temp solution,but that was before we realized it was a wall and a half that leaked in water.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/TheFlowinProse/bs2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/TheFlowinProse/bs3.jpg

So basically what i'm asking is if there is any easier way to do what I want and what materials to use because like I said,apparently tar and outdoor waterproof foam didn't work for that small area.

First of all figure out where thet water is coming from outside the house.

Do you have gutters and downspouts that end right next to the house or do they have another spout that carries the water away another 2-4 feet from the foundation?

Is there a broken water pipe outdoors bringing in all this water?

I would use silicone caulk to seal up every possible crevice of the wall then paint it with kilz2 or other masonry sealant.

Using a gutter and sump pump is pretty ghetto, i'd only use that as a last resort because that moisture can cause mold and shit to grow, which can cause health problems and really lowers the value of the house.

First of all figure out where thet water is coming from outside the house.

Do you have gutters and downspouts that end right next to the house or do they have another spout that carries the water away another 2-4 feet from the foundation?

Is there a broken water pipe outdoors bringing in all this water?

I would use silicone caulk to seal up every possible crevice of the wall then paint it with kilz2 or other masonry sealant.

Using a gutter and sump pump is pretty ghetto, i'd only use that as a last resort because that moisture can cause mold and shit to grow, which can cause health problems and really lowers the value of the house.

The water is coming from the ground,seeping through the walls in some spots because the assholes who backed the dirt in knocked rocks through the fucking foundation.

Also,it comes in from the side of the house and my garage,so fixing it would mean ripping my entire garage up and hoping that shit would settle for the next 2 years before I could re-build my ENTIRE finished garage,which isnt happening.

Sue the guys who did the backfilling.

I think the best thing to do would be to dig under the garage (support it of course) and repair the wall. Also, fix the drainage problem by digging a trench lower than the basement floor, fill with gravel and perforated pipe, and run that to your sump pump.

Speak to a contractor about getting under garage.

Sue the guys who did the backfilling.

I think the best thing to do would be to dig under the garage (support it of course) and repair the wall. Also, fix the drainage problem by digging a trench lower than the basement floor, fill with gravel and perforated pipe, and run that to your sump pump.

Speak to a contractor about getting under garage.

Doing that would be insanely expensive, and labor-prohibitive DIY style with shovels, picks, and bracing, not to mention OP wanted this done in winter (frozen ground=nono).

Uffda, i'm not sure what to say but go to last resort, seal it all up, and make those gutters flush with the ground and sealed with silicone as well. You may need to bring the interior wall in a few inches for this (as you illustrate in your pictures) losing a few sq.ft of space in the basement.

If you have a landlord they should pay for this, if it's your own wow...

Your house is on semi-unstable foundations.

Doing that would be insanely expensive, and labor-prohibitive DIY style with shovels, picks, and bracing, not to mention OP wanted this done in winter (frozen ground=nono).

Uffda, i'm not sure what to say but go to last resort, seal it all up, and make those gutters flush with the ground and sealed with silicone as well. You may need to bring the interior wall in a few inches for this (as you illustrate in your pictures) losing a few sq.ft of space in the basement.

If you have a landlord they should pay for this, if it's your own wow...

Your house is on semi-unstable foundations.

It's ours. The land is ours and we cleared it to build a house. We built it about 8 years ago and it's been flooding for like the past day from the rainfall here and enough is enough. We had some company come up to look at it and install a drainage system and it would be like 25k to do it (which they can fuck off).

At this point,sealing everything up and making the drainage channel is about the only option we have at this point.

If the blocks are hollow and not filled with cement you may want to try drilling holes in them to see if water is being held inside the cinder blocks. And if so drill more holes to dry out and ventilate before the repair.

I was reading about Radonseal and Thoroseal - seems impressive. I am not sure about the Thoroseal but the Radonseal penetrates into the cement or blocks and expands in voids as it sets up.

http://www.radonseal.com/wet-basement.htm

http://www.thoroproducts.com/pdf_info/INF_SUPR_3.06.pdf

And found this.


http://www.dulley.com/diy/dw103.htm

Alot of houses these days have Sump pumps, sometimes they are they only viable option. Digging into the foundation to seal it, is insanely expensive.

Dry Well in 6 easy steps

1) Rent backhoe
2) Dig Trench
3) Dig large pit
4) Insert pipe with holes drilled in it
5) Fill pit with gravel
6) Cover trench and pit with dirt

Bonus points if you dig a pond and use that instead of a dry well.

Of course you need to go look up how steep a grade you need in the trench and cover the pipe in a filter of sorts and all that. But you get the idea.

dont use silicone to seal foundation cracks. use hydraulic cement and drylok paint to seal the walls against moisture. i would leave the sump pit there for emergencies but get rid of that POS Flotec pedestal pump and get a submersible so you can put a board or someting over the pit to hide the large hole in the floor.

Dry Well in 6 easy steps

1) Rent backhoe
2) Dig Trench
3) Dig large pit
4) Insert pipe with holes drilled in it
5) Fill pit with gravel
6) Cover trench and pit with dirt

Bonus points if you dig a pond and use that instead of a dry well.

Of course you need to go look up how steep a grade you need in the trench and cover the pipe in a filter of sorts and all that. But you get the idea.


Thats basically what I said, except that the flooding is coming from under a garage which presumably has a thick concrete floor with packed dirt underneath. Thus tunneling is only option.

Sue the guys who did the backfilling.

I think the best thing to do would be to dig under the garage (support it of course) and repair the wall. Also, fix the drainage problem by digging a trench lower than the basement floor, fill with gravel and perforated pipe, and run that to your sump pump.

Speak to a contractor about getting under garage.

This is the way to do it, I don't care if you can't DIY just get it done and save yourself the money you'll be spending on water damage.

Thats basically what I said, except that the flooding is coming from under a garage which presumably has a thick concrete floor with packed dirt underneath. Thus tunneling is only option.

You'll be putting this drain tile around the whole house if you need to. It will be easier and safer than tunneling under your garage.

-N-

Drain tile, that is the word I was looking for.

Uffda,

First time I've heard anyone say/type that expression. +1