I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

So I am in need of expertise.

1. Does anybody know a Twin Cities expert with many years of basement
experience? I will pay for expert (and I mean EXPERT) consulting from
a grizzled veteran who's seen it all, and can express opinion without
bias.

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think? I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

Bryan Scholtes wrote:

I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

-snip-

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think?

What you need to do is eliminate the water under your slab. You are
wasting every bit of money and effort you put into that job until your
water problem is fixed.

I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

I don't think that epoxy is a good idea--- but why would you ever want
to take those bottom plates off?

Jim

On Jun 29, 6:56*pm, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
*Bryan Scholtes wrote:

I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

-snip-



2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think?

What you need to do is eliminate the water under your slab. * You are
wasting every bit of money and effort you put into that job until your
water problem is fixed.

I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

I don't think that epoxy is a good idea--- but why would you ever want
to take those bottom plates off?

Jim

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

wrote:
(snip)

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

As we have discussed on here before, drains belong OUTSIDE the wall.
Sometimes an interior drain system may be the only practical
alternative, but OP should look at all the usual suspects and cheap
cures first. Yard grading, gutters, etc. From OP's description, this
sounds like surface water getting under the slab, unless the water table
fluctuates a lot in his area. Need to figure out where the water is
coming in before doing anything.

OP, do you have a sump pit? Does it always have water in it? Is the leak
on same end of basement? Another sump pit may be called for. Do you know
if you have footer-level foundation drains, and where they drain to? If
the drain point is accessible, they may need to be cleaned. Any sign of
seepage or white crystals or mold growing on the walls? If walls are dry
and clean, I suspect water is coming down outside the walls, and leaking
in at footer level.

Here, in five years, my sump pit has stayed bone dry. Fixing outside
grading in a few spots, and disabling the pipes idiot previous owner
installed to direct downspout water straight down around the foundation,
solved 98% of my problem of damp spots in corners. Even with failed
sealing on outside of foundation, and failed foundation drains (if they
were ever there) a little more landscaping and some epoxy injected into
one rusted-out form tie hole, would dry me out completely. And my water
table is only a couple feet below slab level.

--
aem sends...

On Jun 29, 10:52*pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

On Jun 29, 6:24*pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

So I am in need of expertise.

1. Does anybody know a Twin Cities expert with many years of basement
experience? I will pay for expert (and I mean EXPERT) consulting from
a grizzled veteran who's seen it all, and can express opinion without
bias.

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think? I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

Can't help you with #1. You might find someone via this newsgroup but
it's doubtful.

I agree with some of the other posters about looking ourtside first.
Make sure that you have done everything you can to get the water away
from the house. Extend the gutter drains a minimum of 10'. Correct
any grading so you have lengthy slopes away form the house. If all
that is already in place then the concenr would be that the water
table is simply coming up under your basement floor. Have you ever
had any water problems before? How long have you been in this house?
Do you believe you drilled through the slab?

I agree about epoxy verses other solutions. It's a difficult choice.
I know nothing adheres like epoxy and it is the most likely to remain
adhered over the other options. But as you pointed out you will have
to cut the tapcons off to remove them. If this is where the wall sare
going to stay then maybe that is not an issue. The trouble with other
solutions is that if they loose adherence to the concrete or tapcons
some years down the road it will be difficult to redo them. I'd
probably go epoxy. But I am an epoxy bigot :-)

You said this happened after a week of heavy rains. If this is as bad
as it gets and you have never had water problems before then maybe
this isn't a big deal. The pt is the right thing to connect to. I'm
wondering if maybe you should use pt as the bottom plate on your wall
as well so you have two layers. I would definately keep the
insulation above the bottom. What wall coverings were you
considering? Leave a healthy gap and prime the backside of the
molding.

What's your schedule? Can you seal the holes and then take a break
for a few months to see what happens?

On Jun 30, 8:03*am, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Jun 29, 6:24*pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:





I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

So I am in need of expertise.

1. Does anybody know a Twin Cities expert with many years of basement
experience? I will pay for expert (and I mean EXPERT) consulting from
a grizzled veteran who's seen it all, and can express opinion without
bias.

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think? I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

Can't help you with #1. *You might find someone via this newsgroup but
it's doubtful.

I agree with some of the other posters about looking ourtside first.
Make sure that you have done everything you can to get the water away
from the house. *Extend the gutter drains a minimum of 10'. *Correct
any grading so you have lengthy slopes away form the house. *If all
that is already in place then the concenr would be that the water
table is simply coming up under your basement floor. *Have you ever
had any water problems before? *How long have you been in this house?
Do you believe you drilled through the slab?

I agree about epoxy verses other solutions. *It's a difficult choice.
I know nothing adheres like epoxy and it is the most likely to remain
adhered over the other options. *But as you pointed out you will have
to cut the tapcons off to remove them. *If this is where the wall sare
going to stay then maybe that is not an issue. *The trouble with other
solutions is that if they loose adherence to the concrete or tapcons
some years down the road it will be difficult to redo them. *I'd
probably go epoxy. *But I am an epoxy bigot :-)

You said this happened after a week of heavy rains. *If this is as bad
as it gets and you have never had water problems before then maybe
this isn't *a big deal. *The pt is the right thing to connect to. *I'm
wondering if maybe you should use pt as the bottom plate on your wall
as well so you have two layers. *I would definately keep the
insulation above the bottom. *What wall coverings were you
considering? *Leave a healthy gap and prime the backside of the
molding.

What's your schedule? *Can you seal the holes and then take a break
for a few months to see what happens?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

since water has been a issue even once its far better to do it once do
it right then relax and enjoy your new room knowing it wouldnt have a
water issue someday. DEFINTELY USE pressure treated wood for the
bottom plate.

since no one knows for sure if the water table in the area is high,
the french drain protects from all that with the gutter and weep holes
at the bottom of al, exterior walls.

it might be 5 years till the 100 year storm floods his basement, so
waiting isnt a reliable option.....

On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:09:29 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

wrote:
(snip)

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

As we have discussed on here before, drains belong OUTSIDE the wall.

But still below the footings. A perimeter drain 18" below grade will
do a little good-- but an interior perimeter drain will do more.

Jim

Bryan,

How long have you lived in the house? I'm in Eagan and had some water
in the basement last week for the first time in five years or so. I've
been fighting the moisture thing for the last 25 years with reasonable
success. It was really bad when we first moved in.

I find it hard to believe the Tapcons punctured the vapor barrier
under your slab, unless they were over six inches long. Depending on
the age of your house you may not have a barrier there. Were you in
the house during our last 700 year flood (10 or 12 years ago?). My
guess is you've always had a moisture problem, you just didn't have
enough moisture to experience it.

Good luck.

dss

On Jun 29, 5:24*pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

So I am in need of expertise.

1. Does anybody know a Twin Cities expert with many years of basement
experience? I will pay for expert (and I mean EXPERT) consulting from
a grizzled veteran who's seen it all, and can express opinion without
bias.

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think? I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

Do you have a drain tile and sump pump? I think you need one. I have
used these guys in two homes for drain tiles, and one of my friends
used them also on my recommendation. In my experience they are the
best in the TC's. I would highly recommend. They are experts and
will advise you exactly what you need. When I did my first house I
had about 8 companies come out, and heard different suggestions from
all of them and none of them seemed to really know what was going on.
These guys identified the problem exactly and explained it to me
clearly. It seems there are a lot of fly by nights in this market
that don't really understand the finer points, but these guys at
standard are proper experts with many years' experience. Can't hurt
to get them out to have a look. Honestly, I have no affiliation with
them.

http://standardwater.com/

On Jun 30, 9:24*am, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:09:29 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

wrote:
(snip)

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

As we have discussed on here before, drains belong OUTSIDE the wall.

But still below the footings. * A perimeter drain 18" below grade will
do a little good-- but an interior perimeter drain will do more.

Jim

An interior drain system is a huge job. I would not go there because
1 time he had some moisture where he penetrated the slab.

On Jun 30, 12:00*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Jun 30, 9:24*am, Jim Elbrecht wrote:



On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:09:29 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

wrote:
(snip)

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

As we have discussed on here before, drains belong OUTSIDE the wall.

But still below the footings. * A perimeter drain 18" below grade will
do a little good-- but an interior perimeter drain will do more.

Jim

An interior drain system is a huge job. *I would not go there because
1 time he had some moisture where he penetrated the slab.

If water came up through holes in the slab, then best case he's going
to have damp and mold issues. I wouldn't be finishing the basement
without getting that checked out at least. In an unfinished basement
it need not be a huge job.

On Jun 30, 1:23*pm, cubby wrote:
On Jun 30, 12:00*pm, jamesgangnc wrote:





On Jun 30, 9:24*am, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:09:29 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

wrote:
(snip)

OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK

with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight

As we have discussed on here before, drains belong OUTSIDE the wall.

But still below the footings. * A perimeter drain 18" below grade will
do a little good-- but an interior perimeter drain will do more.

Jim

An interior drain system is a huge job. *I would not go there because
1 time he had some moisture where he penetrated the slab.

If water came up through holes in the slab, then best case he's going
to have damp and mold issues. *I wouldn't be finishing the basement
without getting that checked out at least. *In an unfinished basement
it need not be a huge job.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If his problem is the water table then cutting into the slab is only
going to make it worse. There is no certainty with anything but I'd
start simple and watch it for a while.

If his problem is the water table then cutting into the slab is only
going to make it worse. *There is no certainty with anything but I'd
start simple and watch it for a while.........

cutting into slab adding french drain and wall drains with sump pump
will definetely fix the moisture problem forever....far cheaper than
the other way............

exterior drains sound great but are costly. execavate all the way
around your home, losing all plantings landscaping sidewalks patios
etc AC compressor may be in way cut down a tree or two to get bachoe
in back yard. have to dig BELOW footer level and even then a high
water table directly under your home you can still get water in your
basement. any paved areas must only be backfilled with gravel to
pavement level or pavement may tip or move, and even if you do it
perfect it may move anyway

scrub exterior walls super clean and paint with water proofingn and
add drainage membrame/

dig a ditch to daylight somewhere, hopefully your home isnt the low
spot of the neighborhood.

now regrade lawn the backhoe has things torn up and rutted, might as
well replace the gas line the backhoe bumped while digging, new
downspout underground drain lines too. now plant and water
grass.........

home finally looks nice, county asseor noticed and raised homes
value...and you needed building permit. nosey inspectors came
visiting, is so and so up to code?

On Jun 30, 1:50*pm, " wrote:
If his problem is the water table then cutting into the slab is only
going to make it worse. *There is no certainty with anything but I'd
start simple and watch it for a while.........

cutting into slab adding french drain and wall drains with sump pump
will definetely fix the moisture problem forever....far cheaper than
the other way............

exterior drains sound great but are costly. execavate all the way
around your home, losing all plantings landscaping sidewalks patios
etc AC compressor may be in way cut down a tree or two to get bachoe
in back yard. have to dig BELOW footer level and even then a high
water table directly under your home you can still get water in your
basement. any paved areas must only be backfilled with gravel to
pavement level or pavement may tip or move, and even if you do it
perfect it may move anyway

scrub exterior walls super clean and paint with water proofingn and
add drainage membrame/

dig a ditch to daylight somewhere, hopefully your home isnt the low
spot of the neighborhood.

now regrade lawn the backhoe has things torn up and rutted, might as
well replace the gas line the backhoe bumped while digging, new
downspout underground drain lines too. now plant and water
grass.........

home finally looks nice, county asseor noticed and raised homes
value...and you needed building permit. nosey inspectors came
visiting, is so and so up to code?

Well said.

OP needs to get the experts in now.

wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:52 pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK
with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight
What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

I still say retro-fit interior french drains are always a last-resort
solution. They break the slab-to-footer connection. If water table is
high enough, sub-floor drains should go in before slab is poured. I've
personally seen one extreme installation, where a rich doctor simply HAD
to have a basement even though local water table was high, and every
other house in the sub was on a crawl or slab. Whole network of sub-slab
perforated tile leading into 2 sump pits, and a doomsday overflow line
leading into a precast manhole-size sump in front yard, so silly doctor
could go rent a commercial pump and drop it in the hole in an extended
power outage, and pump it out into street. Not sure where they thought
it would go, other than into the neighbor's yards- whole sub was rather
flat.

And yes, you CAN seal out water, with proper prep work as foundation is
being built, as slab is poured, and wall sealer and proper footer drains
installed before backfill is put in. They do it in swimming pools all
the time. All a basement is, is a swimming pool with the water on the
outside. That doesn't mean you don't need to grade the yard properly and
have good gutters, of course, since nothing is perfect or lasts forever.

--
aem sends...

On Jun 30, 10:00*pm, aemeijers wrote:
wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:52 pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK
with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight
What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

I still say retro-fit interior french drains are always a last-resort
solution. They break the slab-to-footer connection. If water table is
high enough, sub-floor drains should go in before slab is poured. I've
personally seen one extreme installation, where a rich doctor simply HAD
to have a basement even though local water table was high, and every
other house in the sub was on a crawl or slab. Whole network of sub-slab
perforated tile leading into 2 sump pits, and a doomsday overflow line
leading into a precast manhole-size sump in front yard, so silly doctor
could go rent a commercial pump and drop it in the hole in an extended
power outage, and pump it out into street. Not sure where they thought
it would go, other than into the neighbor's yards- whole sub was rather
flat.

And yes, you CAN seal out water, with proper prep work as foundation is
being built, as slab is poured, and wall sealer and proper footer drains
installed before backfill is put in. They do it in swimming pools all
the time. All a basement is, is a swimming pool with the water on the
outside. That doesn't mean you don't need to grade the yard properly and
have good gutters, of course, since nothing is perfect or lasts forever.

--
aem sends...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

around here code requires french drain with every new home built. and
exterior french drain too.

far too many wet basement complaints........

and would you really want to remodel a basement into a nice room/s
then have water issues a year or two after spending all that money?

the time to fix this is before remodel......

On Jul 1, 6:40*am, " wrote:
On Jun 30, 10:00*pm, aemeijers wrote:



wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:52 pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK
with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight
What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

I still say retro-fit interior french drains are always a last-resort
solution. They break the slab-to-footer connection. If water table is
high enough, sub-floor drains should go in before slab is poured. I've
personally seen one extreme installation, where a rich doctor simply HAD
to have a basement even though local water table was high, and every
other house in the sub was on a crawl or slab. Whole network of sub-slab
perforated tile leading into 2 sump pits, and a doomsday overflow line
leading into a precast manhole-size sump in front yard, so silly doctor
could go rent a commercial pump and drop it in the hole in an extended
power outage, and pump it out into street. Not sure where they thought
it would go, other than into the neighbor's yards- whole sub was rather
flat.

And yes, you CAN seal out water, with proper prep work as foundation is
being built, as slab is poured, and wall sealer and proper footer drains
installed before backfill is put in. They do it in swimming pools all
the time. All a basement is, is a swimming pool with the water on the
outside. That doesn't mean you don't need to grade the yard properly and
have good gutters, of course, since nothing is perfect or lasts forever..

--
aem sends...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

around here code requires french drain with every new home built. and
exterior french drain too.

Did you even read what AEM wrote?

far too many wet basement complaints........

and would you really want to remodel a basement into a nice room/s
then have water issues a year or two after spending all that money?

the time to fix this is before remodel......

Retrofitting exterior drains and interior would make such a remodel
prohibitively expensive and still not guarantee that there wouldn't be
problems. As AEM suggested, breaking the slab/footing connection
isn't a good thing to do. If you're going to insist on going this
far, sell the house and buy one that works for you.

keith wrote:

-snip-

Retrofitting exterior drains and interior would make such a remodel
prohibitively expensive and still not guarantee that there wouldn't be
problems. As AEM suggested, breaking the slab/footing connection
isn't a good thing to do. If you're going to insist on going this
far, sell the house and buy one that works for you.

Except this is alt.home.repair - not alt.buy-a-new-house.

Exterior drain could be as cheap as a couple shovels, a pick, a
wheelbarrow & 100gallons of sweat. [and probably a couple bottles of
naprosyn for the first week or two.]

The cost of a used elephant foot is advisable.

I rented a backhoe when I did the first half of mine. The next
section will likely be all handwork. It is only 25 feet long and
equipment will make more of a mess than it will save labor.

The point that everyone who has 'been there, done that' is making is;
don't waste your money on finishing the basement until it is ready to
be finished-- which means getting rid of the water under the slab. If
that means moving or abandoning the idea of making that space
livable-- then that is what you need to do.

Jim

On Jul 1, 8:46*am, keith wrote:
On Jul 1, 6:40*am, " wrote:





On Jun 30, 10:00*pm, aemeijers wrote:

wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:52 pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK
with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight
What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

I still say retro-fit interior french drains are always a last-resort
solution. They break the slab-to-footer connection. If water table is
high enough, sub-floor drains should go in before slab is poured. I've
personally seen one extreme installation, where a rich doctor simply HAD
to have a basement even though local water table was high, and every
other house in the sub was on a crawl or slab. Whole network of sub-slab
perforated tile leading into 2 sump pits, and a doomsday overflow line
leading into a precast manhole-size sump in front yard, so silly doctor
could go rent a commercial pump and drop it in the hole in an extended
power outage, and pump it out into street. Not sure where they thought
it would go, other than into the neighbor's yards- whole sub was rather
flat.

And yes, you CAN seal out water, with proper prep work as foundation is
being built, as slab is poured, and wall sealer and proper footer drains
installed before backfill is put in. They do it in swimming pools all
the time. All a basement is, is a swimming pool with the water on the
outside. That doesn't mean you don't need to grade the yard properly and
have good gutters, of course, since nothing is perfect or lasts forever.

--
aem sends...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

around here code requires french drain with every new home built. and
exterior french drain too.

Did you even read what AEM wrote?

far too many wet basement complaints........

and would you really want to remodel a basement into a nice room/s
then have water issues a year or two after spending all that money?

the time to fix this is before remodel......

Retrofitting exterior drains and interior would make such a remodel
prohibitively expensive and still not guarantee that there wouldn't be
problems. *As AEM suggested, breaking the slab/footing connection
isn't a good thing to do. * If you're going to insist on going this
far, sell the house and buy one that works for you.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Indoor retrofits typically come with lifetime warrantiesand elminate
the need for outdoor french drains..... they tend to clog over time
anyway. I found some in a gravel bed packed with dirt.

so whats the big deal of breaking the slab footing connection? its
replaced with concrete and around here is only a inch or two thick so
its not providing much structurally anyway.

It cost me $3500.00 bucks to do a interior french drain, I first spent
over 8 grand plus me free labor doing the outdoor drain that
ultimately didnt stop the water

Lessons learned the hard way, yard looked great, and asseors noticed
that too

The reason why thos who have been there done that have such strong
opinions?

We learned the hard way

Its NORMAL AND EXPECTED that things break on any home......

We're not talking about fixing something that's broken, ditz. *The original
problem was to add livable space to the house by finishing the basement. *This
can often be done on the cheap, but not if there is foundation work to be
done. *The right answer is to move.

new home builders and realtors must love you, anyone who happily
spends 10 grand to save $3500.00

Try taking remedial reading again, then try mommy's computer again.

No doubt you buy a new vehiclew yearly so you dont waste money on
repairs?

totally ignoring the first year new vehicle depreciation.....

You *are* retarded.

refusing to spend 3500 bucks to fix a water problem is insanity on
your part.....

if you dont fix it it can cost you 7 grand or more.....

you should try trimming quotes..... makes it look like you dont know
what your doing

On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:00:28 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:


Its NORMAL AND EXPECTED that things break on any home......

We're not talking about fixing something that's broken, ditz. *The original
problem was to add livable space to the house by finishing the basement. *This
can often be done on the cheap, but not if there is foundation work to be
done. *The right answer is to move.

new home builders and realtors must love you, anyone who happily
spends 10 grand to save $3500.00

Try taking remedial reading again, then try mommy's computer again.

No doubt you buy a new vehiclew yearly so you dont waste money on
repairs?

totally ignoring the first year new vehicle depreciation.....

You *are* retarded.

refusing to spend 3500 bucks to fix a water problem is insanity on
your part.....

You're illiterate, too (but that's obvious to everyone here).

if you dont fix it it can cost you 7 grand or more.....

you should try trimming quotes..... makes it look like you dont know
what your doing

You don't, must make you feel right at home.

On Jul 4, 12:50*am, "
wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:00:28 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:







Its NORMAL AND EXPECTED that things break on any home......

We're not talking about fixing something that's broken, ditz. *The original
problem was to add livable space to the house by finishing the basement. *This
can often be done on the cheap, but not if there is foundation work to be
done. *The right answer is to move.

new home builders and realtors must love you, anyone who happily
spends 10 grand to save $3500.00

Try taking remedial reading again, then try mommy's computer again.

No doubt you buy a new vehiclew yearly so you dont waste money on
repairs?

totally ignoring the first year new vehicle depreciation.....

You *are* retarded.

refusing to spend 3500 bucks to fix a water problem is insanity on
your part.....

You're illiterate, too (but that's obvious to everyone here).

if you dont fix it it can cost you 7 grand or more.....

you should try trimming quotes..... makes it look like you dont know
what your doing

You don't, must make you feel right at home.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I trim quotes frequently.......

So do tell if your home needed a new roof would you sell it?

if your hmes gas line developed a leak would you sell it?

if your home needed a paint job would you sell it?

since you claim its always better to sell what is a acceptable fix for
you?

I am mfascinated most posters here enjoy fxing up their homes, you
appear very unique.

given all this I would NEVER want to live in a flood zone where every
heavy rain creates worry will there be 8 feet of water in the basement
and a few feet in the living room.......

but thats not what were talking about.......

On Jul 3, 12:34*pm, "
wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 09:52:49 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



On Jul 3, 1:08*am, "
wrote:
On Fri, 2 Jul 2010 21:00:17 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 2, 6:14 pm, "
wrote:
On Thu, 1 Jul 2010 07:44:21 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 1, 8:46 am, keith wrote:
On Jul 1, 6:40 am, " wrote:

On Jun 30, 10:00 pm, aemeijers wrote:

wrote:
On Jun 29, 10:52 pm, Bryan Scholtes wrote:
OP postrer needs interior french drain before ANY FUTHER WORK
with a sump draining to a pump or ideally daylight
What do you think about just a sump pump? I suppose the water table
may be the problem, as I've never had any water in the basement, ever,
until now.

What would a french accomplish that a sump pump by itself wouldn't?
I'm being sincere, I really don't know.

interior french drain collects water from all over basement area,
directed by underground lines to a sump and pump or better a daylight
drain its far superior to just a sump and pump which will only collect
water from its immediate area.

before finishing basement you really must fix the moisture issue.
otherwise mold bad odors etc will ruin your new room.let alone the
possiblity of a flood someday

as to fix grade redirect downspout drains etc.

i spent over 8 grand doing that with new sidewalks steps etc and 6
months later still had a wet basement....

the interior french drain with sump cost $3500 bucks and i didnt have
to do any work, i was the laborer for the 8 grand job without my bck
breaking effort it would of been 12 grand took most of summer

sure fix obvious issues, but before finishing a basemet install proper
drainage.

otherwise one storm can ruin all that work...........

and its far easier to install french drains with a nice open basement
with no finished walls etc.

you CANT seal out water all you can do is direct it somewhere else!!

I still say retro-fit interior french drains are always a last-resort
solution. They break the slab-to-footer connection. If water table is
high enough, sub-floor drains should go in before slab is poured. I've
personally seen one extreme installation, where a rich doctor simply HAD
to have a basement even though local water table was high, and every
other house in the sub was on a crawl or slab. Whole network of sub-slab
perforated tile leading into 2 sump pits, and a doomsday overflow line
leading into a precast manhole-size sump in front yard, so silly doctor
could go rent a commercial pump and drop it in the hole in an extended
power outage, and pump it out into street. Not sure where they thought
it would go, other than into the neighbor's yards- whole sub was rather
flat.

And yes, you CAN seal out water, with proper prep work as foundation is
being built, as slab is poured, and wall sealer and proper footer drains
installed before backfill is put in. They do it in swimming pools all
the time. All a basement is, is a swimming pool with the water on the
outside. That doesn't mean you don't need to grade the yard properly and
have good gutters, of course, since nothing is perfect or lasts forever.

--
aem sends...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

around here code requires french drain with every new home built. and
exterior french drain too.

Did you even read what AEM wrote?

far too many wet basement complaints........

and would you really want to remodel a basement into a nice room/s
then have water issues a year or two after spending all that money?

the time to fix this is before remodel......

Retrofitting exterior drains and interior would make such a remodel
prohibitively expensive and still not guarantee that there wouldn't be
problems. As AEM suggested, breaking the slab/footing connection
isn't a good thing to do. If you're going to insist on going this
far, sell the house and buy one that works for you.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Indoor retrofits typically come with lifetime warrantiesand elminate
the need for outdoor french drains..... they tend to clog over time
anyway. I found some in a gravel bed packed with dirt.

Like all warranties, these aren't often worth the paper the trees wasted. I've
heard the same from the water-proof paint types, too.

so whats the big deal of breaking the slab footing connection? its
replaced with concrete and around here is only a inch or two thick so
its not providing much structurally anyway.

If it's only an inch or two thick, no wonder you have problems. Every slab
I've had was 4'6", and certainly is structural.

It cost me $3500.00 bucks to do a interior french drain, I first spent
over 8 grand plus me free labor doing the outdoor drain that
ultimately didnt stop the water

You're lucky. They don't always work either. I've seen a lot of homes
(immediately crossed of my list) that had such abortions in the basement, that
didn't work out so well. One that did, couldn't be closed because there was a
stream running though the basement.

Lessons learned the hard way, yard looked great, and asseors noticed
that too

The reason why thos who have been there done that have such strong
opinions?

We learned the hard way

So have I. Move before ****ing money down a hole.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

well wet basements in pittsburgh is almost normal, concrete floors are
normally just a inch or two thick. homes with basements sit on the
footer 3 feet below the frost line.

Wow! *You have some real crooks building houses there. *I knew Pittsburgh was
the pits, but that's worse than I thought. *I've *never* seen less than 4"
used, and often 6". *Even my first crappy house (bad enough that the roof
decking was luan) had a 4" slab.

now over many years a waterproofing company may go away, national
franchises can protect you from this, the offer warranties backed by a
insurance company rather than a mom and pop joe and larry
waterproofing warranty.

If the warranty isn't full of disclaimers...

paints are near useless........

...and "waterproofing" companies are right next to "settle your debt now -
government bailout" companies.

exterior french drains must be below footer to be most effective...

Certainly. *That's why they're such a ball-buster to install after and why I'd
sell the house and move before retrofitting.

certinally nothings perfect but interior french drain appears the most
effectie

Moving is far more effective than most any addition to a house.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

moving is assuming your new home has no water problem and never will.
so hows that guaranteed?

If it does, it has a higher chance of having future water problems than if
there is no evidence that it does. *It's really that simple. *You said it
yourself, fix the water problems before renovating. *My fix is to move to a
house with no problems.

lets assume a $100,000 home in pittsburgh its OK but not fancy.

So you would sell and move? fine the realtor fee to sell is 7% thats 7
grand, now assume painting and fixing up before putting on market, 3
grand is probably not too much.

so your going to spend 10 grand to save $3500 fixing water problem?
You know you MUST disclose that water problem local realtors claim wet
basements can decreas home value 7 to 10 %. Perhaps its more cost
effective to spend the $3500 fixing the water problem before sale?

... a $3500 bet on the come. *You bet I'd move, in a heartbeat. *I'd move
*immediately*, before there is an issue with mold. *If there already is, well
I screwed up.

sorry your decision to sell is completely non effective, a real money
looser.........

Nope. *Taking a risk on a money pit is the real loser. *It's almost always
cheaper to move than do any major renovations.

any response to this? bet we hear dead silence

You bet wrong, as always.

Dude, admit defeat on this one. Putting it a drain is not a big job
(unless you are a complete novice). My house has a 1800 sq basement
and it took a day to punch out the trench, run pipes etc, and the next
morning to concrete over. From that point on, no water, no damp and
no worrying whenever I hear rain at night. It cost me about 6k to
do, but I had knocked the same amount off the price I was willing to
pay for the house. Suggesting someone needs to move house because of
something like this is ridiculous. You must be the type of guy that
sells a car because it needs new tires.

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 05:56:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 4, 12:50*am, "
wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 20:00:28 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:







Its NORMAL AND EXPECTED that things break on any home......

We're not talking about fixing something that's broken, ditz. *The original
problem was to add livable space to the house by finishing the basement. *This
can often be done on the cheap, but not if there is foundation work to be
done. *The right answer is to move.

new home builders and realtors must love you, anyone who happily
spends 10 grand to save $3500.00

Try taking remedial reading again, then try mommy's computer again.

No doubt you buy a new vehiclew yearly so you dont waste money on
repairs?

totally ignoring the first year new vehicle depreciation.....

You *are* retarded.

refusing to spend 3500 bucks to fix a water problem is insanity on
your part.....

You're illiterate, too (but that's obvious to everyone here).

if you dont fix it it can cost you 7 grand or more.....

you should try trimming quotes..... makes it look like you dont know
what your doing

You don't, must make you feel right at home.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I trim quotes frequently.......

As do I, ditz.

So do tell if your home needed a new roof would you sell it?

After telling you to read again, you refuse. Maybe you're not illiterate,
just posses a single-digit IQ. That would explain your existence here.

more from the moron snipped

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 07:08:51 -0700 (PDT), cubby
wrote:

On Jul 3, 12:34*pm, "
wrote:
On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 09:52:49 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:
snipped at the request of the moron

You bet wrong, as always.

Dude, admit defeat on this one.

Another illiterate speaks.

Putting it a drain is not a big job
(unless you are a complete novice).

It is a *huge* job for a home-owner, with all sorts of complications and
risks. I'm not against fixing problems, but I would *never* finish this
basement off following such a repair. They too often don't work. If there is
that much water on the other side of the wall it *will* leak again, sooner or
later.

My house has a 1800 sq basement
and it took a day to punch out the trench, run pipes etc, and the next
morning to concrete over. From that point on, no water, no damp and
no worrying whenever I hear rain at night. It cost me about 6k to
do, but I had knocked the same amount off the price I was willing to
pay for the house. Suggesting someone needs to move house because of
something like this is ridiculous. You must be the type of guy that
sells a car because it needs new tires.

You're as moronic as halliburton.

On Jul 1, 3:46*am, wrote:
On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:24:31 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Scholtes





wrote:
I am finishing my basement. I used Tapcons to secure PT 2x4 to the
basement slab.

After a week of heavy rains, I noticed that all the screw holes were
weeping water. There was definite circles of moisture (but not
standing water) coming from underneath the bottom plate.

So I am in need of expertise.

1. Does anybody know a Twin Cities expert with many years of basement
experience? I will pay for expert (and I mean EXPERT) consulting from
a grizzled veteran who's seen it all, and can express opinion without
bias.

2. I am considering pulling each screw and injecting silicone into the
holes, then re-driving the screw. What do you guys think? I was also
considering polyurethane foam or epoxy. If I shoot epoxy down the
hole, I'll NEVER get those bottom plates off.

Apparently you drilled all the way thru the concrete to the gravel or
soil base. *Otherwise why would water be coming out of the concrete if
it never did before. *Normally you only drill in the depth of the
Tapcons, and most concrete slabs are 4 inches or more. I would have
only drilled in 2 inches and used Tapcons that are 3 inches long
(going into slab 1.5 inches and thru 2x4 which is actually 1.5 inches.

Personally, I'd remove the 2x4s and seal all the holes with epoxy.
Then glue the 2x4s to the slab with PL400 or something similar and
wait for it to dry before attaching studs. *Be sure to apply weight to
that 2x4 after you apply the adhesive. *Maybe just precut the studs
and cram them against the ceiling joists avery few feet to press the
adhesive tight.

Just my 2 cents as a retired builder.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like may also be a water accumulation problem below the slab?
Maybe proper drainage has been neglected or if there was drainage away
from the house it has been damaged or interfered with?
Our basement, 40 years ago we installed perforated drains pipes
outside and inside of the footings and lots of gravel to a sump in the
corner, before the concrete floor was poured and finished. There is a
pump in the sump which runs very occasionally.
The time to fix any potential water problem is 'now' before doing any
work on finishing the basement area. Mould damp and rot are not nice!

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 10:59:50 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

They're raking a lot of money.

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

....and many who are not so happy, after spending *thousands*.

On Jul 4, 3:59*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 10:59:50 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

They're raking a lot of money.

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

...and many who are not so happy, after spending *thousands*.

Gee ALL new homes here are REQUIRED to have french drain which must
add thousands to new home price. so do tell is that all a waste?

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 14:08:37 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 4, 3:59*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 10:59:50 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

They're raking a lot of money.

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

...and many who are not so happy, after spending *thousands*.

Gee ALL new homes here are REQUIRED to have french drain which must
add thousands to new home price. so do tell is that all a waste?

Idiot! We aren't talking about *new* homes. You truly are retarded.

On Jul 4, 5:32*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 14:08:37 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:





On Jul 4, 3:59*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 10:59:50 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

They're raking a lot of money.

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

...and many who are not so happy, after spending *thousands*.

Gee ALL new homes here are REQUIRED to have french drain which must
add thousands to new home price. so do tell is that all a waste?

Idiot! *We aren't talking about *new* homes. You truly are retarded.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

no what i am asking is if retrofitting a french drain is a waste that
you would sell your home over, then you would go buy a new home with a
french drain? and water problems may not show up for years, well past
the builders warranty......

so its likely you might trade a otherwise fine home that needed say 5
grand in basment waterproofing for a far costlier new home and pay
all that real estate commision just to find you bought a new home with
water problems??

how dumb is that?

now perhaps your issue is having finished rooms in a converted
basement?

I am not wild about that, generally too little windows, but lots ofb
owners do it, and are very happy weith the outcome.

Hey I get it now you must be a realtor thats hurting for sales BE
GONE!!

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 16:18:58 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 4, 5:32*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 14:08:37 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:





On Jul 4, 3:59*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 10:59:50 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Well all those basement waterproofing companies arent doing anything?

They're raking a lot of money.

amazing since I have met many who were very happy to finally have a
dry basement

...and many who are not so happy, after spending *thousands*.

Gee ALL new homes here are REQUIRED to have french drain which must
add thousands to new home price. so do tell is that all a waste?

Idiot! *We aren't talking about *new* homes. You truly are retarded.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

no what i am asking is if retrofitting a french drain is a waste that
you would sell your home over, then you would go buy a new home with a
french drain? and water problems may not show up for years, well past
the builders warranty......

You are clueless. Of course a new home *could* have water problems, but your
existing house *DOES*. No, it's not worth risking major remodeling on a known
problem.

so its likely you might trade a otherwise fine home that needed say 5
grand in basment waterproofing for a far costlier new home and pay
all that real estate commision just to find you bought a new home with
water problems??

You assume a lot.

how dumb is that?

Not as *stupid* as you, Haliburton.

now perhaps your issue is having finished rooms in a converted
basement?

That's that the thread is about, idiot.

I am not wild about that, generally too little windows, but lots ofb
owners do it, and are very happy weith the outcome.

I wouldn't, particularly one with a leaking basement where the water table is
*known* to be too high.

Hey I get it now you must be a realtor thats hurting for sales BE
GONE!!

You're as stupid as a stone. Your name fits well.

if you have a reputable water proofing company do the job, wait 6
months or a year to make certain all is well and remodel.....

well lets assume you have a water problem after that. thats what
homeowners insurance is for make certain it covers water inflatration.

if you then get water damage make a claim with your homeowners
insurance and they will take care of it and duke it out with the
waterproofing company.

theres very little for the homeowner to do to with basement
waterproofing, hire a good company and sign the check when they are
done, many will move the stuff in your basement for free to get the
job.......

they should be expersts and know what to do if something wierd comes
up.

On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 08:22:02 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:


if you have a reputable water proofing company do the job, wait 6
months or a year to make certain all is well and remodel.....

....and if it was the first time in ten years the basement flooded?

well lets assume you have a water problem after that. thats what
homeowners insurance is for make certain it covers water inflatration.

Does yours? Homeowners insurance doesn't cover "rising water". Flood
insurance is required. More reasons to move.

if you then get water damage make a claim with your homeowners
insurance and they will take care of it and duke it out with the
waterproofing company.

You're clueless.

theres very little for the homeowner to do to with basement
waterproofing, hire a good company and sign the check when they are
done, many will move the stuff in your basement for free to get the
job.......

You missed the part about waiting for the next flood.

they should be expersts and know what to do if something wierd comes
up.

Sure they do; take more money.

On Jul 5, 11:36*am, "
wrote:
On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 08:22:02 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



if you have a reputable water proofing company do the job, wait 6
months or a year to make certain all is well and remodel.....

...and if it was the first time in ten years the basement flooded?

well lets assume you have a water problem after that. thats what
homeowners insurance is for make certain it covers water inflatration.

Does yours? *Homeowners insurance doesn't cover "rising water". *Flood
insurance is required. *More reasons to move.

if you then get water damage make a claim with your homeowners
insurance and they will take care of it and duke it out with the
waterproofing company.

You're clueless.

theres very little for the homeowner to do to with basement
waterproofing, hire a good company and sign the check when they are
done, many will move the stuff in your basement for free to get the
job.......

You missed the part about waiting for the next flood.

they should be expersts and know what to do if something wierd comes
up.

Sure they do; take more money.

well a brand new home is a complete unknown, 5 years after buying it
could devlop a wet basemnent problem.

insurance will add coverage for near anything, for a few bucks extra.

obviously your posting in the bwrong group this s home repair not buy
a new home when anything breaks.

PLONK!

OK, so an update...

I pulled a couple of the bottom plates. Looks like I didn't drill
through the slab. I assessed this by trying to drill with a non-
masonry bit in a couple of the holes, and they didn't go anywhere.
Most of the holes were about 1.5 inches deep. But the plates I did
pull were certainly moist underneath.

Over the phone, one local place suggested I look at the height of the
first concrete block. He deduced the slab thickness by assuming the
slab was as thick as the buried portion of the first concrete block.
So that;d be about 4 inches. He also didn't want to come out because
he didn't believe I had a problem. He's convinced I need to grade
better and do a better job of keeping water away from the foundation.

The second guy is coming by Wednesday night to physically check it
out. He believes it's condensation wicking through the slab and
expressing itself on the bottom plates. His suggestion was the same as
the first guy's, but contingent on stopping by and actually looking at
it.

Everything is on hold for now. If I have to install a French drain, I
can't afford it. I'll probably pull out the existing framing and scrap
the refinish. Maybe I'll insulate above grade and just make the
unfinished basement as comfortable as possible.

So we'll see... My situation seems to be unique. It's nowhere else on
the Web. I hope this is a reference for people in the future.

Thanks for your help!!!

On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 11:21:59 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Jul 5, 11:36*am, "
wrote:
On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 08:22:02 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



if you have a reputable water proofing company do the job, wait 6
months or a year to make certain all is well and remodel.....

...and if it was the first time in ten years the basement flooded?

well lets assume you have a water problem after that. thats what
homeowners insurance is for make certain it covers water inflatration.

Does yours? *Homeowners insurance doesn't cover "rising water". *Flood
insurance is required. *More reasons to move.

if you then get water damage make a claim with your homeowners
insurance and they will take care of it and duke it out with the
waterproofing company.

You're clueless.

theres very little for the homeowner to do to with basement
waterproofing, hire a good company and sign the check when they are
done, many will move the stuff in your basement for free to get the
job.......

You missed the part about waiting for the next flood.

they should be expersts and know what to do if something wierd comes
up.

Sure they do; take more money.

well a brand new home is a complete unknown, 5 years after buying it
could devlop a wet basemnent problem.

You do know that the new home has proper footing drainage, something you don't
know with your inside hack job. You also know that the new home has an
unbroken slab, with proper sub-slab drainage.

insurance will add coverage for near anything, for a few bucks extra.

Bull****.

obviously your posting in the bwrong group this s home repair not buy
a new home when anything breaks.

You're absolutely clueless. ...but I'm not breaking the news to anyone here.

PLONK!

Don't run away mad, moron.

On Jul 5, 2:45*pm, "
wrote:
On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 11:21:59 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:





On Jul 5, 11:36*am, "
wrote:
On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 08:22:02 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

if you have a reputable water proofing company do the job, wait 6
months or a year to make certain all is well and remodel.....

...and if it was the first time in ten years the basement flooded?

well lets assume you have a water problem after that. thats what
homeowners insurance is for make certain it covers water inflatration..

Does yours? *Homeowners insurance doesn't cover "rising water". *Flood
insurance is required. *More reasons to move.

if you then get water damage make a claim with your homeowners
insurance and they will take care of it and duke it out with the
waterproofing company.

You're clueless.

theres very little for the homeowner to do to with basement
waterproofing, hire a good company and sign the check when they are
done, many will move the stuff in your basement for free to get the
job.......

You missed the part about waiting for the next flood.

they should be expersts and know what to do if something wierd comes
up.

Sure they do; take more money.

well a brand new home is a complete unknown, 5 years after buying it
could devlop a wet basemnent problem.

You do know that the new home has proper footing drainage, something you don't
know with your inside hack job. *You also know that the new home has an
unbroken slab, with proper sub-slab drainage.

insurance will add coverage for near anything, for a few bucks extra.

Bull****.

obviously your posting in the bwrong group this s home repair not buy
a new home when anything breaks.

You're absolutely clueless. *...but I'm not breaking the news to anyone here.

PLONK!

Don't run away mad, moron.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

with a new home even with a properly installed drain system something
can get blocked, like a drain line filling with silt, i dug it up and
saw that first hand

water flow in area may change. this happened to a buddy who suddenly
had a wet lawn and water in basement, where none had existed before. 3
years later the water line leak 1/2 mile away must of got worse,
anyhow after that was fixed his yard and basement got dry
again........

nothing in life is for sure except in your world you must be rich to
replace anything that breaks