Need some DEEP French Drains, how can I do this or hire someone?

[dodge man]

Lots of good advice here. After reading this all again, two thing jumps out at me. 1 Where is the water coming from? 2. What is the water doing.

I gave an example of a project I worked on that had homes with severe movement. When I say severe, I'm talking huge, 4 to 5 times worse than yours, plus horizontal movement. In this case, the homes are on a hill that's not that steep, but the surrounding ground is a steady hill. If you look 600' away, the ground is higher by 50' or more.

What does the uphill ground near your house look like. Is it uphill in a steady manner for a long distance? If it is, rain can get in the ground from uphill, and follow layers of dirt towards your house. If not, it's coming from a spring or some other source.

What is the water doing? You have one report that says it is doing nothing more than expanding. If this is the case, it's cheap to fix. In the example I gave, there is a slick, wet layer of dirt, maybe 30' deep, then when a lot of rain occurs, it makes the hill slide. They put the French drain downhill to let the water out. We won't know until another wet year if it works or not. In my case they drilled wells to try to pump the water away and it didn't help. They also took soil borings. This was analyzed by a geotechnical engineer.

This was a ongoing problem for over 20 years, and we still don't know if it's fixed.

As I can see from past experience, it's a complex problem, and it sounds like all the different things neighbors have tried is pulling you in deferent directions. Like Coyote says, come up with a plan and stick with it.

 

[mancho]

I'm sorry --- did you actually say you paid 350 DOLLARS for this house, not $350k? If so, yeah, you have a lot of room to work with to fix it....

Sorry, that was missing a K. $350,000.

 

[mancho]

I live for google earth...

Here is the info Mancho

Google Earth: Historical Imagery

Sorry, I can't go back to before the house was built... only 2001. The house was built in 1999.

 

[James150]

Hi!

I'm new here, and while I don't actually own a Tractor (I would love to if the HOA would let me keep it!), I do need some expertise opinions from you guys and gals.

I have a 1/3 acre property where the house is actually below a slight grade hill, and I get water run off into my property. This is bad, especially on the clay soils in our neighborhood. (this is one of those crazy water district developments where we have no real city acquisition)... anyway, my house is about 4" off kilter, yes WAYYY OFF. This causes problems! LOL

My neighbor is getting lots of movement (we have a ton) in their house and just hired an engineering firm to tell the landscaping company what to do:

- DIG a 9 FOOT french drain ALL THE WAY around the property RIGHT at the foundation.

This is extreme french draining! Any guesses to what the costs? It's north of 25K. ouch.

I think I can hire a company to do this or a bunch of low cost labor to dig it out, but I'm unsure of some details. I will hire an engineer to tell me, but I suspect its going to be the same prescription as my neighbor.

Any suggestions on equipment that could do this? I might need a small front loader to move the "massive" amount of dirt that would need to be removed.. and filled with pebble/river rock for the french drain. You can imagine it's going to be more than a few yards of material.

Anyway, I would love any feedback you folks could provide... I'm near 121 and Josey lane... land of the clay!

Here's a few pictures of exactly what you are talking about in your first post (I think). This was a house with a basement I owned in clay country in SE Wisconsin. The excavator came in with a mini digger and mini truck (small lot) and dug it out, laid the pipe, waterproofed the wall's exterior, installed a vapor barrier, filled with stone and did the final topsoil finishing all in a day and a half. $4500. **** cheap for the work they did.

Regards,

Jim

 

[mancho]

Got one bid yesterday for pro french drains, the contractor goes 18 to 24" deep BELOW BEAM (bottom of foundation). He wants to do the entire house, but not 9 or 14 feet.

His quote is $32K and he guarantees it 10 years. They are a legit company that does massive drainage systems for large multimillion dollar houses that have basements.

He uses a FASP (french angle slotted pipe) and claims it's the only way to do a french drain.

I'm not totally signing onto that. I think the water is coming up from the ground.

 

[California]

... going forward chances are through building inspections required at closing your property will be discounted as will most homes in your development.
Your development may become the 'mud-canal' of Texas. I know the above is depressing but I'd rather be blunt than gloss over the seriousness

That factor needs to be considered. An unrepaired house may be so damaged that it can't be sold as habitable.

If some homeowners in that neighborhood have little equity and don't have the money for a second expensive round of repairs, and instead abandon un-habitable houses and walk away there is a possibility that appraisals neighborhood-wide could fall to where repairs aren't cost effective.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Sorry, I can't go back to before the house was built... only 2001. The house was built in 1999.

Have lost your address, but that said pull out a bit. It is one of the quirks of google earth. As I remember there was pictures of your area around 1970.

Also check out Microsofts version, they pull from different photographic archives.

Bing Maps

And there is the classic

TerraServer - The Leader In Online Imagery - Aerial Photos & Satellite Images

 

[mancho]

Have lost your address, but that said pull out a bit. It is one of the quirks of google earth. As I remember there was pictures of your area around 1970.

Also check out Microsofts version, they pull from different photographic archives.

Bing Maps

And there is the classic

TerraServer - The Leader In Online Imagery - Aerial Photos & Satellite Images

I tried Terra server but didn't get much and if you can post a screen shot of the area in 1970, that would be great, I didn't see any other options in google earth when I pulled out some.

Addy is 803 Sir Galahad Lane, Lewisville TX 75056

Thanks!

 

[dodge man]

I looked at it on google maps. I noticed on the street in front of your house, you can see several places where water is coming out of the lawn and running across the street. Also in the alley east of your house. A block north in the alley I also could see water running across the alley. This could be from people watering there lawns, who knows. The ground appears to be higher to the east and north of you if you go a block or so away. Just from looking at it on google maps, there could be enough hill that is could be ground water affecting your lot. I actually notice several of the streets, a block or two away have water running on them, but once again it could be from people watering the lawns.

 

[mancho]

I looked at it on google maps. I noticed on the street in front of your house, you can see several places where water is coming out of the lawn and running across the street. Also in the alley east of your house. A block north in the alley I also could see water running across the alley. This could be from people watering there lawns, who knows. The ground appears to be higher to the east and north of you if you go a block or so away. Just from looking at it on google maps, there could be enough hill that is could be ground water affecting your lot. I actually notice several of the streets, a block or two away have water running on them, but once again it could be from people watering the lawns.

While I would love it if it was all sprinkler water, but no. I know exactly the alley "stains" you speak of, but the neighbors have had their sprinkler off for a couple of months.

The EAST side is UPHILL< the north is my neighbors which is downhill from me.

A very qualified french drain guy came over today and finds it hard to believe that the water that is on the "downhill" side of the home is what is heaving the home.

His plan is to french drain the house counter clockwise, and the biggest drop on my property is 5 feet from where he plans on starting the counterclockwise.

His bid is 13K and he showed me the detailed materials list. He has a whopping 3K of profit built it and he will have a crew of 3 guys and him for 2 weeks... he wants to make the drain 8 to 10 inches below beam.

HE ADMITS this WILL NOT LEVEL the home, but merely get the drainage correct.

Next, he says, the only way to actually deal with the heaving is to excavate UNDER THE FOUNDATION for about 2 months (figuring about half of home). This will be around 10K or so... be he doesn't want to do that first. He thinks correcting the water flow in the top ground water will be step 1.

Excavating will only be about a year or two after the french drains and then he thinks that will settle the HEAVING part of the home. The 3rd step is to pier the SOUTH SIDE of the home to bring the "low" side (in the -1 to negative 2 inches down) up.

The piers are not estimated, but he does not want to pier even half the house, just the one bedroom on the south side of the house.

In general, this guy does PIER and FRENCH DRAIN work for a large company that fixes multimillion dollar homes... and he's the foreman that has this side company that does work. I've seen him doing pier work in pictures on his site.

SOoooooooo... while 13K is pretty cheap (considering all the labor, materials and such) and while I might be able to find someone for a K or so less, this guy has experience.

This doesn't mean I'm pulling the trigger, but just weighing my options. I do like that he can excavate and actually bring the high side down, (which is probably the only thing that will). He does NOT believe the drains will correct the heaving.

Thoughts?

I wish anyone that can see some OLD photos to post them here so I can see them... or email them to mark@webix.com

Thank you!