Specify/Install Sump Pit and Sump Pump

Greetings,

I have (of necessity) just discovered alt.home.repair. It looks
very interesting.

I inhabit a small brick bungalow, built in 1954, poured-concrete
foundation, about 800 square feet. Perhaps twice a year we
get hard/fast rains (i.e. 3" in 12 hours) which cause a
hydrostatic water problem in the basement. The water "pushes
up" from underneath the basement floor.

I've a spare bedroom down there. And a workshop. And
utilities and storage, etc, and several rugs. Need to
eliminate the water problem.

I need to specify/install both a sump pit and a sump pump. I am
modestly competent (not expert) at such DIY projects.

I've scoured the net and talked to numerous home-improvement
type folks and about all of substance I've found is:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_plumbing...sposal/article
/0,1797,HGTV_3773_1385954,00.html

but it lacks all manner of detail. It also suggests a
5 gal. bucket for a pit lining, but I'm told that
submersible pumps require more clearance for the switch.

Questions:

1.) How critical is the location of the pit? I've some
limitations and am thinking of locating it very
close to the stack and drain.
2.) How can I cut the hole for the pit? I drilled a 1/2"
hole in the basement floor: the concrete appears to
be about 2" thick. For all I know, if I went after
it with a sledge hammer, the floor could crack along
the length of the house. There should be 6" of gravel
fill on the outside edge of the pit lining? Another
6" under the lining? Etc, etc.
3.) Can I run the sump discharge to the stack (code permitting)?
To the drain? How?
4.) What make/model of pump? I estimate that the pump would
run for perhaps 36 hours/year or a bit less.
5.) What are the potential issues with the check valve?
One often has to drill a special hole to get them to
work properly? Thumbnail sketch of such issues?

As regards 4.) and 5.), I'm told that Little Giant makes
an inclusive pit-liner/sump ("Drain Pump Kit") unit. I see
Teel (#4RK74) and Zoeller (#2P778) units in the Grainger
catalog for around $225. They are not described as sump
pump systems but might work OK? Are these a good bet?

It's such a lite-duty application that I'm not above
adapting the 5-gal. plastic pickle bucket that's been sitting
in my garage for years grin. But is there a pump/switch
unit that will fit in the 10.5" diameter bottom of the
bucket?

Any/all help/suggestions would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Puddin'