Last August, we got a guy in to install a new concrete driveway connecting
to our garage (for cash if you know what I mean). The guy didn't slope it
correctly and, when it rains, the water run directly into the south-east
corner of our garage (see photo here):
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage3.jpg.

The water runs along "line B", instead of along "line C" like it should of
(see photo from above).

Somehow, I have to get the water to run along "Line A" (it appears to be the
best way to route the water), here is another couple of photos:
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage1.jpg,
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage2.jpg.

I just put in a paving stone patio a couple of weeks ago. My questions:

1) Should I call the guy up and complain? What can he do about it? Remove
the driveway? What if he doesn't want to do anything about it? I can't sue
a guy that I paid cash to do the job can I?

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south where
the water should run (along line A)?

3) Any other comments / advice / tips / suggestions?

Howie

1. Call and ask him to use a concrete saw to install a drain across the
driveway. Home Depot has the plastic trough with a heavy plastic grate that
can be installed. You might want to shop around for a metal equivalent. You
can sue, but don't let it come to that.
2. Don't add a ridge, because when water gets stuck on the wrong side of the
ridge, you will have a flood that can't drain.
-B

"Howie" wrote in message
...
Last August, we got a guy in to install a new concrete driveway connecting
to our garage (for cash if you know what I mean). The guy didn't slope it
correctly and, when it rains, the water run directly into the south-east
corner of our garage (see photo here):
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage3.jpg.

The water runs along "line B", instead of along "line C" like it should of
(see photo from above).

Somehow, I have to get the water to run along "Line A" (it appears to be
the
best way to route the water), here is another couple of photos:
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage1.jpg,
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage2.jpg.

I just put in a paving stone patio a couple of weeks ago. My questions:

1) Should I call the guy up and complain? What can he do about it?
Remove
the driveway? What if he doesn't want to do anything about it? I can't
sue
a guy that I paid cash to do the job can I?

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along
the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south where
the water should run (along line A)?

3) Any other comments / advice / tips / suggestions?

Howie

"Howie" wrote in message
...
Last August, we got a guy in to install a new concrete driveway connecting
to our garage (for cash if you know what I mean). The guy didn't slope it
correctly and, when it rains, the water run directly into the south-east
corner of our garage (see photo here):
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage3.jpg.

The water runs along "line B", instead of along "line C" like it should of
(see photo from above).

Somehow, I have to get the water to run along "Line A" (it appears to be
the
best way to route the water), here is another couple of photos:
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage1.jpg,
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage2.jpg.

I just put in a paving stone patio a couple of weeks ago. My questions:

1) Should I call the guy up and complain? What can he do about it?
Remove
the driveway? What if he doesn't want to do anything about it? I can't
sue
a guy that I paid cash to do the job can I?

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along
the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south where
the water should run (along line A)?

3) Any other comments / advice / tips / suggestions?

Forget about trying to get patch mix to hold together as a curb- first time
you drive over it, it would break apart. You may be able to find some sort
of heavy rubber or metal garage threshold molding you can fasten down with
construction adhesive and some ramset studs, to coax the water where you
want it to go. Proper solution, short of ripping out end 8 feet of driveway
and starting over, is to rent a concrete saw (or hire someone) to cut a slit
trench in front of garage door. You then dig out and form a concrete trough
and cover it with a grate to drive over. Trench is sloped to whichever end
provides best drainage. If you get a lot of water, you may need a catch box
and drywell to accept the runoff. You don't want to encourage the water to
pond near the house, the better to avoid wet basement, etc. Your local
precast concrete place should be able to set you up with all the bits you
need for DIY, or a real paving company could knock it out in a couple days.
Of course, if you hire out, you should have them crunch the numbers both
way- drain trench vs. repaving end section. No idea what to say about going
after the original guy. Tradesmen working off the books like that are
usually pretty judgement-proof. Unless you can guilt him into trying again,
probably SOL. And if he screwed up something basic like that the first time,
do you really want him working for you again?

aem sends...

----- Original Message -----
From: "ameijers"
Newsgroups: alt.home.repair
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2004 8:54 PM
Subject: Driveway/Garage Drainage Problem



"Howie" wrote in message
...
Last August, we got a guy in to install a new concrete driveway
connecting
to our garage (for cash if you know what I mean). The guy didn't slope
it
correctly and, when it rains, the water run directly into the south-east
corner of our garage (see photo here):
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage3.jpg.

The water runs along "line B", instead of along "line C" like it should
of
(see photo from above).

Somehow, I have to get the water to run along "Line A" (it appears to be
the
best way to route the water), here is another couple of photos:
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage1.jpg,
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage2.jpg.

I just put in a paving stone patio a couple of weeks ago. My questions:

1) Should I call the guy up and complain? What can he do about it?
Remove
the driveway? What if he doesn't want to do anything about it? I can't
sue
a guy that I paid cash to do the job can I?

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along
the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south
where
the water should run (along line A)?

3) Any other comments / advice / tips / suggestions?

Forget about trying to get patch mix to hold together as a curb- first
time
you drive over it, it would break apart. You may be able to find some sort
of heavy rubber or metal garage threshold molding you can fasten down with
construction adhesive and some ramset studs, to coax the water where you
want it to go. Proper solution, short of ripping out end 8 feet of
driveway
and starting over, is to rent a concrete saw (or hire someone) to cut a
slit
trench in front of garage door.

What do you mean by a "slit trench"?

You then dig out and form a concrete trough
and cover it with a grate to drive over. Trench is sloped to whichever end
provides best drainage.

Would I slope this trench in the opposite direction as "line A" in the
photo?

If you get a lot of water, you may need a catch box and drywell to accept
the runoff.

We don't a whole lot of rain, but occasionally....

You don't want to encourage the water to
pond near the house, the better to avoid wet basement, etc.

The driveway is highest along the house, so that's not a problem...

Your local precast concrete place should be able to set you up with all
the bits you
need for DIY, or a real paving company could knock it out in a couple
days.
Of course, if you hire out, you should have them crunch the numbers both
way- drain trench vs. repaving end section. No idea what to say about
going
after the original guy. Tradesmen working off the books like that are
usually pretty judgement-proof. Unless you can guilt him into trying
again,
probably SOL. And if he screwed up something basic like that the first
time,
do you really want him working for you again?

I don't care, as long as he fixes it, and it doesn't cost me for him to fix
what he screwed up.


aem sends...

ameijers wrote:
"Howie" wrote in message
...
Last August, we got a guy in to install a new concrete driveway
connecting to our garage (for cash if you know what I mean). The
guy didn't slope it correctly and, when it rains, the water run
directly into the south-east corner of our garage (see photo here):
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage3.jpg.

The water runs along "line B", instead of along "line C" like it
should of (see photo from above).

Somehow, I have to get the water to run along "Line A" (it appears
to be the best way to route the water), here is another couple of
photos: http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage1.jpg,
http://eteamz.active.com/amtrakfastb...es/garage2.jpg.

I just put in a paving stone patio a couple of weeks ago. My
questions:

1) Should I call the guy up and complain? What can he do about it?
Remove the driveway? What if he doesn't want to do anything about
it? I can't sue a guy that I paid cash to do the job can I?

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge
along the edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the
garage south where the water should run (along line A)?

3) Any other comments / advice / tips / suggestions?


... Tradesmen working off the books like that are usually
pretty judgement-proof. Unless you can guilt him into trying again,
probably SOL. And if he screwed up something basic like that the
first time, do you really want him working for you again?


I don't know about that. After all not only is he still subject to
legal action by the owner, he is also under threat from the local
authorities for failing to have a license (this could also involve a problem
for the homeowner since it is not likely that a permit was obtained (another
good reason to get a permit) and he is under the larger threat from the IRS.
Don't feel bad if he would happen to be turned in to the IRS. Remember that
the taxes he does not pay, you get to pay.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

On Sun, 8 Aug 2004 18:26:34 -0600, "Howie" wrote:

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south where
the water should run (along line A)?

I have a similar problem where the double garage door could not seal
properly to prevent water from seeping in. My solution was to glue a
strip of 1/2 x 2 inch hardwoodwood trim to the floor. After gluing
the strip let the garage door sit on it to press it down and to get
the proper alignment. When dry caulk the seams.

"papapeng" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 Aug 2004 18:26:34 -0600, "Howie" wrote:

2) Could I use a layer of "Top and Bond" and make a 1 high ridge along
the
edge of the large garage door and along the rest of the garage south
where
the water should run (along line A)?

I have a similar problem where the double garage door could not seal
properly to prevent water from seeping in. My solution was to glue a
strip of 1/2 x 2 inch hardwoodwood trim to the floor. After gluing
the strip let the garage door sit on it to press it down and to get
the proper alignment. When dry caulk the seams.

Won't that hardwood trim just rot eventually? Does it look "out of place"?

On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 11:23:25 -0600, "Howie" wrote:



I have a similar problem where the double garage door could not seal
properly to prevent water from seeping in. My solution was to glue a
strip of 1/2 x 2 inch hardwoodwood trim to the floor. After gluing
the strip let the garage door sit on it to press it down and to get
the proper alignment. When dry caulk the seams.

Won't that hardwood trim just rot eventually? Does it look "out of place"?

Five years now and still looks new. All my friends who saw it thought
it a great idea. It looks like a regular door threshold. Before
glueing stain the wood to improve rot resistance. Mine's stained dark
walnut to match the trim. If it does eventually rot or just looks
ratty its easy enough to scrape it off the concrete and glue another
strip. You are looking at under $20 cost and almost no preparation is
required other than to wipe the glue area with paint thinner to remove
oils, dust, etc.

Rot resistant woods include white oak, redwood, mahogany and there are
others. A finish to seal it would also help.

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 22:02:37 GMT, papapeng wrote:

On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 11:23:25 -0600, "Howie" wrote:



I have a similar problem where the double garage door could not seal
properly to prevent water from seeping in. My solution was to glue a
strip of 1/2 x 2 inch hardwoodwood trim to the floor. After gluing
the strip let the garage door sit on it to press it down and to get
the proper alignment. When dry caulk the seams.

Won't that hardwood trim just rot eventually? Does it look "out of place"?

Five years now and still looks new. All my friends who saw it thought
it a great idea. It looks like a regular door threshold. Before
glueing stain the wood to improve rot resistance. Mine's stained dark
walnut to match the trim. If it does eventually rot or just looks
ratty its easy enough to scrape it off the concrete and glue another
strip. You are looking at under $20 cost and almost no preparation is
required other than to wipe the glue area with paint thinner to remove
oils, dust, etc.