Leak in walkout basement where floor and wall meat. It's a ground level walk out basement. my townhouse extends two feet past my neighbors and it's just that area that leaks. all common wall is dry. His grading is HORRIBLE.. He has agreed to regrade but FOUR waterproofing co's have turned down the job of excavating my foundation (on neighbors yard) saying they won't take a job that small or have a very high minimum ($2500).
Their advice was -call a handyman-. WHAT should I ask the handyman to do? Tar it with tar paper over, inject the crack?
I'm clueless about this. any suggestions appreciated.
Carol

 

hi
Just have him dig a trench along the footing of the foundation and install a drain pipe.
the top of the pipe must be even with the top of the footing.
cover it with 6 to 8 in of gravel.
backfill the hole but make sure there a slope in the pipe that would cary the water away from the foundation.
you could seal the bottom of the foundation and the footing with foundation sealer.

cheers

pg

 

Look into the "French Drain" system. It may or may not work, depending on your situation and the layout of the ground. There must be loads of info on this system and its applications on the web.

The French drain MIGHT carry the water out away from the house before the ground got waterlogged to the point where water is forced in through any openings. But, there's no guarantees...as previous posters experience have shown.

You probably need a "dirt doctor", someone who specializes in water problems coming into foundations to make an honest assessment. Good luck with that...the HONEST part.

 

The semi/french drain put in last week didn't work. I forgot to mention the townhouse is built on red Virginia clay. The builder included Viena Sausage cans and beer bottles in the grading. One guy wants me to build a drain system worthy of an Arnold Palmer golf course, another wants me to put in the Hoover Dam.
Perhaps I'll just start with a caulking gun from HDepot.
ARRRRGH!! I have nightmares of waking up in a 30 foot sinkhole.
Carol

 

By the way....does your neighbors roof drain away from his AND your house?

Just a thought, I don't imagine anything so simple might have been overlooked....

 

Had a big-gun basement guy out today. (free estimate, min $2500 to fix it) Draonage/grading is ok. (It WAS a good idea that I had my side regraded, lots of crap blocking the natural grade
The water is coming in from under the siding which was not installed down far enough over the foundation and had an improperly placed J channel. A reputable (they do exist) siding guy will be out to estimate the extent of the work needed in 2 weeks. Either just another course of siding on both sides of the corner and possibly some more impermeable membrane. Definately caul athe leaks inside and out. I'm learning more about the building trades every day.
Thanks
Carol