Water in the garage :(
#1
03-31-15, 11:43 AM
Water in the garage :(
Hi all,
I have been in my house a little over a year... this is my second winter. No issues first year (at least that I noticed!).. This year, I got some water in the garage
I got a free visit from a landscape architect. He recommended:
I had the landscaper this architect recommended (the job was too small for the architect to oversee) come out. He gave me a quote of almost $5,000!! I expected half this amount. I have seen videos of how to install a drywell--maybe the regrading is the pricey part?
Anyway, my question is this: how 'hard' is regrading? What are the steps involved? The area in question is maybe 25'x50'...
Wondering if I can do this myself... Do I need to rent anything?
Any advice most appreciated!
I have been in my house a little over a year... this is my second winter. No issues first year (at least that I noticed!).. This year, I got some water in the garage
I got a free visit from a landscape architect. He recommended:
- regrading the soil behind the garage so it slopes away (right now, it slopes TO the garage--we think due to settling after the previous owner had a swimming pool filled in.
- adding a dry well (actually, based on a landscaper quote, adding TWO? drywells?) and running the downspouts to the dry well
I had the landscaper this architect recommended (the job was too small for the architect to oversee) come out. He gave me a quote of almost $5,000!! I expected half this amount. I have seen videos of how to install a drywell--maybe the regrading is the pricey part?
Anyway, my question is this: how 'hard' is regrading? What are the steps involved? The area in question is maybe 25'x50'...
Wondering if I can do this myself... Do I need to rent anything?
Any advice most appreciated!
#2
03-31-15, 11:49 AM
Some pics would help us give better advice.
It's hard to say how much work is involved or what equipment is needed without being able to inspect the lot. Sometimes grading can be done with a shovel and wheelbarrow but other times you'd need a skid steer or tractor. How much dirt [if any] needs to be brought in? What type of soil do you have? some is easier to excavate than others.
Before hiring anyone to do work it's best to get multiple bids .... and check references!
It's hard to say how much work is involved or what equipment is needed without being able to inspect the lot. Sometimes grading can be done with a shovel and wheelbarrow but other times you'd need a skid steer or tractor. How much dirt [if any] needs to be brought in? What type of soil do you have? some is easier to excavate than others.
Before hiring anyone to do work it's best to get multiple bids .... and check references!
#3
03-31-15, 12:42 PM
Depending upon the grade surrounding the garage, maybe a level, Mark's shovel and wheel barrow, some landscape cloth and a half a dozen lengths of perforated drain tile would allow you to construct a french drain around the garage and take the water away from the garage before it reaches a level higher than the garage floor ?
It could be good exercise . . . . and you don't have to rush. Take your time; invite a few Friends over, bring your grill and some lawn chairs.
Your pictures will reveal whether that's practical or not . . . . I know it would be cheaper.
It could be good exercise . . . . and you don't have to rush. Take your time; invite a few Friends over, bring your grill and some lawn chairs.
Your pictures will reveal whether that's practical or not . . . . I know it would be cheaper.
#5
03-31-15, 01:28 PM
Group Moderator
I had a neighbor who lost $6K in grading changes alone. Cash goes fast in these situations sometimes....
#6
03-31-15, 03:33 PM
Spent some time in south jersey (Brick) and the soil was pure sand and easy to move. My back was young in those days and I moved a lot of it. But today, to rent a machine is not that expensive and 95% of the work will be done in a weekend. Not sure, but in northern jersey the soild get a bi tougher.
Picture will be great.
Bud
Picture will be great.
Bud
#7
03-31-15, 04:36 PM
This shows the area behind the garage. The idea would be to grade the area back, toward the camera. I will edit some other pics to show where the drywell would be (basically where I was standing when I took the pic)
This is roughly where the drywell would be, at the end of this gutter extension, closer to the fence. I would trench from the gutter this extension is on and also the gutter on the back of the garage
#8
03-31-15, 05:10 PM
Is there a basement, yours or your neighbors, anywhere near where you are thinking of installing a dry well. The obvious point being, you don't want to be sending a lot of water into the ground next to a foundation.
Your space looks rather limited and I actually don't see the garage.
Bud
Your space looks rather limited and I actually don't see the garage.
Bud
#9
03-31-15, 05:33 PM
The wall on the left is the house. The wall straight ahead is the rear wall of the garage, where the water is getting in.
No, no structures within 15-20 feet of where I am thinking about putting it, aside from the fence
The first pic is looking from backyard toward back of garage and (to the right) the gate to the driveway
No, no structures within 15-20 feet of where I am thinking about putting it, aside from the fence
The first pic is looking from backyard toward back of garage and (to the right) the gate to the driveway
#10
03-31-15, 06:01 PM
15 to 20 feet may not be that far when you are dumping thousands of gallons of water into the ground, water that previously stayed on the surface. If it is your basement then you know who to blame. But if a neighbor discovers they have a water problem in their basement (even if it was there before your install) they may point to you as being the source. 100' away and it would be difficult to make a connection, but 15' to 20', if they are that close, I'd be careful.
Do you have a surface option? I can't tell from the pictures, but does your property slope away in any direction, like to the street or woods?
Bud
Do you have a surface option? I can't tell from the pictures, but does your property slope away in any direction, like to the street or woods?
Bud
#11
04-01-15, 03:16 AM
If the whole neighborhood is that congested, maybe it's equipped with a storm sewer that you can direct this excess water towards ?
Last edited by Vermont; 04-01-15 at 04:43 AM.
#12
04-01-15, 06:01 AM
the problem is that, on this side of the house, I have (newly paved) driveway from garage foundation to property line (there are border stones at edge of driveway on the line itself)
Landscaper that gave me the estimate also suggested asking neighbor if they would be open to me running drain line on their side of property line to the street--thats a $2,500 job
Landscaper that gave me the estimate also suggested asking neighbor if they would be open to me running drain line on their side of property line to the street--thats a $2,500 job
#13
04-20-15, 01:23 PM
So, my uncle came down to visit (he's a contractor, but lives 300 miles away). He says he would just put perforated pipe down in the problem areas, and run them to the fence and try to get the pipe to drain above the driveway somehow (put a slight upward slope on the pipe a the end).
I mentioned I heard something about 'pop up emitters' He hadnt heard of them so I thought I would ask this thread-- anyone know what the deal is with a op up emitter? Could I use that to drain water above my driveway?
The root problem is that the land slopes down toward the driveway. So if I run the pipe underground, with a 1/4" slope (per how many feet?) down, I will be down 6-10" below the driveway surface, I think. I'm looking for an option to get the water up an out, onto the driveway...
The arrow shows where I want pipe to go. You can ALMOST see the driveway at the head of the arrow
I mentioned I heard something about 'pop up emitters' He hadnt heard of them so I thought I would ask this thread-- anyone know what the deal is with a op up emitter? Could I use that to drain water above my driveway?
The root problem is that the land slopes down toward the driveway. So if I run the pipe underground, with a 1/4" slope (per how many feet?) down, I will be down 6-10" below the driveway surface, I think. I'm looking for an option to get the water up an out, onto the driveway...
The arrow shows where I want pipe to go. You can ALMOST see the driveway at the head of the arrow
Last edited by sirk98; 04-20-15 at 01:28 PM. Reason: added pic
