Basement flooding

[price914]

Hello plumbing gurus -

This may or may not be the appropriate forum for my question, but I gotta start somewhere. We're under contract to buy a raised-ranch house in Seattle, and had the inspection today. Lo and behold, there is water in small puddles in the garage (which we figured was due to the big rains we've had and the downsloping driveway with the supposedly clogged-by-leaves trench drain) AND also all the way into the basement rec room and laundry room. Carpet is soaked. No one living in the house but we figure it may have been like this for a week at least since there is only a small puddle in the garage now. Obviously more to it than a few leaves (as it appears this has happened before), but I have no idea what to expect as a reasonable remedy. It's a double car garage, but the drain is only on one side and appears to be concrete. I'd appreciate a best and worst case scenario, in the event we decide to go forward and the seller agrees to credit us the money or fix it. Thanks so much.

[Bob NH]

If you are going to accept a credit to get it fixed, then the credit should be based on getting professional quotes to fix it with a warranty.

You will probably be surprised to get quotes on the order of $5000 to $10,000 to put French drains around the outside of the house with gravity drain or sump pump.

Taking a token $1000 off the price now puts you at a risk of:

1. Never get it fixed because it costs too much, or

2. Pay a lot more than the credit you got.

[price914]

Thanks for the reply. If the only sloping to the house is at the garage, would we still need drains around the whole thing? Also, is a French drain different than a trench drain, and where does a sump pump go? Sorry for all the stupid questions, but this is our first house (or might be!).

[Cass]

You need to call professionals in your area for a few quotes and they will be able to answer your questions better because they can see the job and we can't. You need to be there when they go to quote the job not just get estimates.

[price914]

That was our other question - is this something plumbers do? Not even who to call.

[Randyj]

It may be a job for a plumber or someone in the septic tank/drain business. Not all plumbers dig trenches. Septic tank & drain cleaner guys usually are cheaper. The drain cleaner guys frequently have only a sub contractors license and can not mess with a public water or sewer system...just clean drains.

[kordts]

Around here the concrete guys who pour the footing install the drain tile. Your area might be the same.

[Cass]

A good plumber will be able to do it and there are company's that waterproof homes that will be able to do this job also. I would suggest you check references and find one that has been in business a long time and offers a guarantee. You will pay more for work done with a guarantee but if they have been in buisness a long time it will be worth it.