Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Walk , yard is draining into crawlspace? Regrading is the best option.
drain tile may do little with saturated soil.

Kind of a dumb mistake improper grading. Improper or no waterproofing.
What else is wrong.?

I bought my present house knowing there is water in the crawl space from
rain run-off. Fortunately, I'm on a mountainside and it drops off 300 feet
at a 45 degree angle behind the house. I bought the pipe for a French drain
and will do it a little at a time myself. Total cost around $200.

Bob

"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Tom wrote:
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Remember that the seller and builder are not on your side, the inspector
is. If you think that the house is worth what is being asked plus $3,500
then go for it.

The story given to you by the seller sounds all wet to me (water
condensing from the A/C indeed!) . I would tend to go along with your
inspector. He may not be right, but at least he is on your side. Generally
when you have a drainage problem, you fix the problem. The drains to the
street sounds like a fix.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

I want to know where the downspouts are draining too. If they empty
within 10" of the foundation, that might be the real problem. They
shou;d always empty far away from the house. Use the black 4"
corrigated pipe to direct all roof water away and downhill as a test.
If that solves the problem bury it or cover with mulch incorporated in
a landscaping design. BTW, a magic 8-ball will give a correct answer
more often than any home inspector.

The lot needs to be re-graded away from house. In addition downspouts
should be piped off. THat may cure situtation. If it doesn't then outsided
perimeter drain needs to be installed. Relying on a sump pump is a problem
during a major storm when the power fails. Find another house unless this
one is a bargain.


"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Just to add that water is one of the biggest pains a home owner can have.
I would always avoid a house with a wet basement or crawlspace problem
unless I was willing to spend the bucks to fix it right. It would have to
be a heck of a deal.


"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

On 22 Jun 2004 17:21:15 -0700, (Tom) wrote:

| Hi Experts,
|
| I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
| house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
| crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

We have a French drain that works very well. It cost only a few
hundred dollars to build in 1982, but I have no idea what it would
cost now. Re-grading is the best solution, but generally not possible
unless you live alone on the prairie. We would have had to re-grade
the back yards of two of our neighbors along with our own. If the
water is from yard runoff, there is no way a sump pump will be able to
handle it.
|
| http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/
|
| The first picture shows the backyard
| The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
| The third picture shows standing water.
|
| The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
| of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
| has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
| a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
| way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
| backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
| is about $3500.
|
| The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
| warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
| not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
| looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
| from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
| sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
| for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
| someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
| prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
| problem.
|
| The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
| due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
| take care of it.
|
| BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:
|
| Shall I just stay away from this house?
|
| Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
| this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
| pump in the crawlspace?
|
| Thanks,
|
| Tom

There are several possible ways to solve the water problems you have. Since
the house is so young, there is not likely to be any damage from the water
standing there. Also, it looks as though the water collects in one
location.

You could add a sump pit to this location and pump the water out.

You could install a drain outside to catch surface and subsurface water
before it enters the crawl space. There are two possible drain types. You
could install a french drain which will mainly carry away surface water. Or
you could install a curtain drain which will be excavated to a depth greater
than the footing level. Then a sheet of polyethelyne is applied to the low
side of the trench and it is filled with gravel. This method can
effectively lower the water table in the area.

You could pipe all gutters away from the house. This can be a source of the
problem.

You could excavate the exterior of the crawl space and have it waterproofed
and install footing drains.

You could have the crawlspace waterproofed from the inside. I just had a
company calld B Dry install their system in a crawlspace of a house I have.
They offer a warranty for the life of the structure. The entire system was
less than $2,500.

You could hire Lyle Harwood to solve the water problem, but since he
advertises in this newsgroup you probably should not patonize him.

Consider the cost to fix the problem in your offer. If you like the house,
and you think its a good deal for another $3,500 you will likely come out
ok.

The pictures don't truly show the scope of the required work, but I think
you could solve the problem for much less than $3,500.

Shannon Pate

"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

You're nuts.

Can you get your ass off your shoulders for $3,500?

Shannon Pate

"Lyle B. Harwood" wrote in message
...
In article , Tom
wrote:

? Shall I just stay away from this house?

Yes.

There's no way that problem can be cured for $3,500.

Best of luck, and let us know how it comes out!

--
Lyle B. Harwood, President
Phoenix Homes, Inc.
(206) 523-9500 www.phoenixhomesinc.com

Tom:

If you get the house, all the several suggestions made should be quite
helpful insofar as reducing the hydrostatic pressure on the foundation
walls.

The costs are considerable as Lyle mentions, and the selling price value
of the house should be adjusted accordingly.

Divert the surface water away from the house.

Some type of concrete surface drains could be constructed higher up on
the slope. What is happening with the higher neighbors? Is it possible
that they have been thinking of some garden designs involving
water-diverting hardscaping?

The photos show surface erosion. ground cover plants may help hold the soil.

Lyle may be able to offer suggestions regarding the treatments for the
exterior foundation walls, drain fabric panels, and footing drains. He
is the local expert.

An interior sub-floor tile drain system could be installed. Also, a sump
pump in a deep pit that is occasionally active in combination with
perimeter sub-floor interior foundation tile drains could lower the
interior water levels.

I would additionally suggest that the HVAC system for the basement be
isolated from the rest the house. The water vapor laden air should be
exchanged with dry air from the outside to carry out the moisture that
is damaging the wood structure of the house. Via evaporation exchange
air can transport a considerable amount of water to the outside, and
also lower the moisture content of the wood structure of the house. An
air to air heat exchanger with in-duct fan would conserve energy, and a
condensation water drain provided (Lossnoy is one Japanese brand).

80mm thick polyurethane or polystyrene foam insulation panels adhered to
the previously water sealed (but not possibly water tight) concrete
walls will stop or considerably lower condensation on the walls.

Insulate the exterior walls at the floor joists with +20cm of lightly
packed fiberglass, and add an impermeable vapor barrier inside of the
insulation. No higher interior air pressure should be allowed to carry
water vapor through any gaps the the outside or through the insulation
where water vapor can condense into water.

Ralph Hertle

........................

snippage much of this has been covered, im just concentrating on one
particular item.

you said:
"The owner says that he already has someone who is willing to pay more than
I am paying and that the new prospective buyer has looked at this and does
not think that this is a problem."

i say:
whenever someone tells you that they have another buyer ready to pay more,
walk away (which isnt to say end negotiations, but you need to make a
physical action and in this case it would be to make a face like someone
farted and leave or at least start to go through the motions of leaving.
why? its a sales tactic used to counter their sales tactic. you need to
show them you arent afraid to just walk away.). i mean think about it. it
almost cannot be true. if it were, they would be GLAD if you simply opted
out of the deal. it makes NO sense that they would be trying to convince
you to buy it when they really already have someone who will pay more.

7 times out of 10 they will call you back later (if not sooner) with a more
reasonable offer and an unconvincing excuse why that other person didnt buy.
3 times out of 10 they wont, and its because they were full of **** to begin
with and they know that you know.

and my final note, theres always another house out there. unless this is
your dream house (and lets face it, if it is you probably would have already
signed the papers) move on.

randy

On 23 Jun 2004, Tom wrote

Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at
purchasing a house. We had house inspection done. There was water
in the crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

-snip-

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water
is due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain
will take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced
opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Add me to the batch of people who say "listen to your inspector", but
"walk away unless it's a breathtakingly good bargain": they should be
fixing it *before* they try to sell it to you.

There are lots of houses out there that are worth buying; you don't
have to settle for a wet one.

--
Cheers,
Harvey

For e-mail, change harvey to whhvs.

As xronger said If he said he has another buyer at a higher price he
is full of hooey so was the builder, so why is he even talking to you,
hooey. Pumping could add alot to your expenses if you figure it over a
5-10 yr period. And what if it doesnt work, A big rain depending on lot
slope will overload a tile system.

I bought a house with a wet crawl space. The water coming in washed all the
fines out of the soil under the footings and I had major settling of the
foundation and sheetrock damage. I ended up spending about $10,000 on a
$70,000 house. I had piers placed under the foundation, installed a french
drain myself, and repaired the sheetrock myself.

You do not want the water getting inside the perimeter of the foundation.
Sump pumps are just a band-aid.


"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Tom

You need more information........obtain a full report from a Geotechincal
Engineer or Land Drainage specialist which fully identifies the exact cause
/ source of the water and if applicable details any practical rectification
works that could be undertake including likely costs.

This report may indicate that the water could not be effectively kept out of
the property but at least you would have the right information and be
certain that walking away was the right decision.

Act in haste.....repent at leisure

Kriss

"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

In article , Joseph Meehan says...

Tom wrote:
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

Remember that the seller and builder are not on your side, the inspector
is. If you think that the house is worth what is being asked plus $3,500
then go for it.

The story given to you by the seller sounds all wet to me (water
condensing from the A/C indeed!) . I would tend to go along with your
inspector. He may not be right, but at least he is on your side. Generally
when you have a drainage problem, you fix the problem. The drains to the
street sounds like a fix.


More than that, I would walk away because I would wonder what *other* problems
there are that the seller and builder aren't on the up and up about. Or just
clueless about.

Tom - is there something about this house that you really, really like so much?
Drainage problems are a pain.

Banty

I am now retired retired but during my "Second career" I was a real estate
associate for over 17 years. RUN from this house don't walk. Add up your
replies, over 90% say no. Withdraw your offer, if you have made one and
look for another agent. I would never show such a house to a potential
buyer if I had prior knowledge of its condition. Also was there a
disclosure statement which shows known defects??? included in the counter
offer?? Run man Run.
Ross

"Tom" wrote in message
m...
Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

SNIP SNIP

On 22 Jun 2004 17:21:15 -0700, (Tom) wrote:

Hi Experts,

I need an your expert advise urgently. We are looking at purchasing a
house. We had house inspection done. There was water in the
crawlspace. The URL to the pictures is:

http://www.geocities.com/tttwilson/

The first picture shows the backyard
The second one shows previous repairs and dried mud on the plastic
The third picture shows standing water.

The house inspector says that due to the improper backyard slope/grade
of the house and lot of rains in the last couple of weeks, the water
has gotten into the crawlspace. He says that to rectify this problem,
a french drain needs to be put in to the backyard that runs all the
way to the street. He also suggested soding (puting grass) into the
backyard to prevent the water from going in. The estimate on repairs
is about $3500.

The owner of the house says that the house is still under builders
warranty because it is less than 1 year old. Owner said that he was
not aware of any previous repairs. He says that he and builder have
looked at this and think that it is mainly due to water condensating
from the airconditioning unit. He says that the builder will put a
sump pump in the crawlspace. But they (owner and builder) will not pay
for sodding and french drain. The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think that this is a
problem.

The inspector says that he is pretty sure that most of the water is
due to rain water getting in and that sodding and french drain will
take care of it.

BUT what I need to know is clear and experienced opinions/suggestions:

Shall I just stay away from this house?

Or do you all think that if I get the house, $3500 will take care of
this problem once and for all? Would anyone buy a house if it has sump
pump in the crawlspace?

Thanks,

Tom

I would call a company that does waterproofing of foundations....have
them inspect it and give a report and of course an estimate. The price
could be shared or whatever you can work out, BUT I wouldn't buy the
house without this if it was me.


NEVER FORGET!!!
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/us/01...toyen.amy.html

....
The owner says that he already has
someone who is willing to pay more than I am paying and
that the new
prospective buyer has looked at this and does not think
that this is a
problem.

Then walk, don't run, away from this "deal". That's a hard
sell tactic and an attempt to negate the inspector. Other
than that, without knowing what has or hasn't washed
away/out that's not visible, and lack of mention of future
requirements or length of time and likelihood of the success
of such a fix, I think it's better to let the higher
offering party (there isn't one or it wouldn't have been
stated that way) have their joy. As for running the water
to the street? Be ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that the
ordnances/codes would allow that, and would allow it to be
permanent. In CT, certain parts, it ain't allowed! There's
not enough street drainage to pick up directed runoffs, they
claim.

Not to mention the ineptitude of woever did the layout/work
for thisproblem to occur. What else did they screw up that
won't be visible right away? I'd take a pass, even if it
was going to be my only chance for many years to get a
house. I've seen places like that - there are lots of them.
Code? What code? Zoning ordnance? What's that?

Pop

Water issues cause all kinds of damage and not always easy or
inexpensive to fix. Save yourself headaches and find another house !

Tom:

I spelled the name of the heat exchanger wrong. See,

http://www.mitsubishi-aircon.co.uk/lossnay/

The ducted commercial model would require heavy insulation on the ducts
heading to the outside. I don't have the USA reseller URL.

If room a de-humidifier is not used there would be a considerable amount
of water condensation in the heat exchange element, and drains should be
provided. Every so often all the water that you see on the floor and
walls would be ducted to the outside through the heat exchanger. The
vendor should be asked for information regarding the condensation drain
function of the unit. It changes out the air and saves the heat or cool.

The unit is only an exhaust fan with a fresh air supply and core, and it
is not a heating or air cooling device.

The fresh dry air is a remedy. The hydrostatic pressure at the wall
exterior is the problem.

Ralph Hertle