New Home Begins

[dstig1]

Dig a hole down to well below grade where the soil tends to drain better. Line with filter fabric and fill with clean rocks in the 1-2-3" range (no fines). Fill up to the grade and cap it. You want to keep fines out so it doesn't plug up over time. Then you pipe drainage water into it (usually with the pipes buried and terminating in the pit higher up towards the surface) and it drains away below. It is a simple solution for handling runoff water that works well when you have no slope to send the water away, or cannot do so due to some rule or other condition.

 

[tkappeler]

Dig a hole down to well below grade where the soil tends to drain better. Line with filter fabric and fill with clean rocks in the 1-2-3" range (no fines). Fill up to the grade and cap it. You want to keep fines out so it doesn't plug up over time. Then you pipe drainage water into it (usually with the pipes buried and terminating in the pit higher up towards the surface) and it drains away below. It is a simple solution for handling runoff water that works well when you have no slope to send the water away, or cannot do so due to some rule or other condition.

Interesting. How well would that work if the water table is only 4' down? that is why we are only digging down that far and putting the basement up out of the ground.

 

[sdkubota]

Interesting. How well would that work if the water table is only 4' down? that is why we are only digging down that far and putting the basement up out of the ground.

That is a good plan because you will never win a battle against groundwater. Sump pumps may keep it at bay but someday they will fail and your basement will be flooded. I am 100% certain of this outcome.

 

[tkappeler]

With an 1800 square foot basement, I have planning on two sumps in opposite corners, separate circuits, generator backup on both

 

[dstig1]

Ah well a high water table shoots that plan. Looks like you are out of other options and just need to bring it into the sumps and pump it out as originally discussed.

What is your contingency if you strike water before you get down 4' for the foundation? You should bounce that one off the excavator/contractor as it is a real possibility. There are other options for shallow frost protected footings that can work with much less digging:

Tomorrow

This is for our area, but you should be able to find similar.

 

[tkappeler]

Ah well a high water table shoots that plan. Looks like you are out of other options and just need to bring it into the sumps and pump it out as originally discussed.

What is your contingency if you strike water before you get down 4' for the foundation? You should bounce that one off the excavator/contractor as it is a real possibility. There are other options for shallow frost protected footings that can work with much less digging:

Tomorrow

This is for our area, but you should be able to find similar.

The perk tests included digging two test holes down 11' per county monitored procedures. This was done in spring which traditionally has the highest water level. The septic guy expected it to be in the 2' range, so almost 4' was great.

As for contingency plans, the existing house is on a crawl space and is in OK shape as far as water is concerned and it's been vacant for at least 12 years. One new home a few doors down built completely on existing grade and brought in 6' of fill around the basement walls to completely raise it out of the ground. I really do not want to go that route if possible as the water runoff issues become significant with what would be a 6' drop in only 30' to the sides.

 

[Obed]

With only a 4' deep water table, I'm a little surprised you are building a basement. You are going to have to walk up a lot of steps every time you enter the house just to get to the kitchen. Unloading a car full of groceries means a lot of trips up the stairs. Of course, to each his own. I see lots of houses with steps to the main floor, but normally in hilly terrains. I rarely see that in flat areas unless the area is in a flood zone.

 

[tkappeler]

It's been awhile with little progress as the permit process in NJ is arduous.

sealed Blueprints (12 pages) - check
sealed truss shop drawings - check
TJI IJoist subfloor plan - check
sealed surveys - check
building application - check
electrical application - check
plumbing application - check
cut sheets for heater and A/C - check
cut sheets for fireplace - check
cut sheets for wall systems - check
mechanical plan - check
plumbing Plan - check
electrical plan - check
sealed proposed foundation survey - check
well approval from state and county - check
signed applications by all foundation, basement wall system and framing subs - check

septic plan approved by county - IN PROCESS
architect's review of truss and floor system - IN PROCESS

If all goes well, the last two items will be this week.


[edit] I am so grateful that the township accepts email and I can forward all non-sealed items to them and they print to the permit package. This saved a lot of driving to the township. [edit]

In addition, the demo of the old house, which we were originally going to have done in spring, is now scheduled for this Monday, 11/12 as the demo company feels the old home is too close to the new footprint and they want to be able to navigate all around. So the basement walls are now pushed back to 11/29.

Next photos will be the demo of the old house next week. Finally!!

 

[sdkubota]

"architect's review of truss and floor system"

Thanks for the laugh...that is precious!:laughing:

 

[ENG18LT]

"architect's review of truss and floor system"

Thanks for the laugh...that is precious!:laughing:

I too had a laugh on that one too. Some architects are...well, full of themselves.