On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 08:26:00 -0400, someone wrote:

A sump and a drain are two different things. A sump pit is NOT
typically to collect water that is already on the basement floor, it
is fed by pipes under the slab to keep water from rising up. Why does
this house with excellent drainage need a sump pit?

If there are floor drains, yes the floor has to be pitched to them,
but most people do NOT want sloping floors.

If there is no spec for the job that the floor has to pitch to drain,
there is probably no obligation on the part of the contractor to do
anything. There is a customary tolerance of un-evenness, a
residential basement will NOT be finished to a commercial flatwork
standard unless that is specified (and paid for).

The owner should tell the contractor his concerns, see if something
can be worked out, but it does NOT appear to be a "defect" that the
contractor has to fix.

-v.