We have a bi-level home on a hill; recently the garage, which is about
6' under ground, has been taking on water after a heavy storm. The
house is on a slope, and we know that hydrostatic pressure is the
culprit. We asked 4 contractors for ideas/bids and all suggested a
French drain-sump pump set-up, which seems like the correct way to go.
The sticking point is this; the garage is a 2 car, divided by a
cinderblock, load bearing wall. One contractor says he can just go
through that wall, and around the perimeter of the garage. This makes
the job much less expensive, instead of going around 6 walls with the
drain, he is going around 3, so the linear footage is much smaller. He
says, the hole that would be cut through the load bearing wall is
insignificant, and will be recemented anyway. I tend to agree with
him after thinking about it, but I do not want to wake up with a
collapsed/cracked wall one day! I would love to hear everyone's
opnions.