Home inspection question

[gregintenn]

21 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

It looks like they graded it fairly well. The front yard is sloped downhill with the house built into the side of the hill but before water runs into the house they graded a ledge that stops and then diverts it to the sides(in theory). 

I was feeling comfortable but now I'm starting to get cold feet. I really don't want to have to rip out the sheetrock in the basement to deal with mold.  I'm still waiting on the report so I'll wait to see what it says and might order the mold test. 

Go with your gut feeling and logic, Erik. Drywall is no big deal, but have a plan in place to fix the problem before money changes hands.

[ReeferMac]

On 3/12/2021 at 1:13 PM, peejman said:

They don't use block sealant on the outside (or don't use enough), they dont install French drains, they don't backfill with gravel, they don't get downspouts away from the house, and they don't grade properly... because all that takes time and money. 

Hahahaa, too true!

It sounds similair to the way an old friends house was situated on his property. Hillside ran into the back of his house.

It sounds like a couple french drains and gutter/downspout work should fix the problem? Couple grand, max, they're easy to install DIY (happy to help another EastTN TGO'er). If the retaining wall is being rebuilt, it ABSOLUTELY needs a drain installed behind it. Big 6" MF'er, backfilled with 1" or larger stone maybe 2 horizontal pipes if its a tall wall (any deadmen?).... 

If you're going to excavate the exterior wall to install drainage, got some comproco or like product (roofing tar...) on the outside surface. If you're going to rip the drywall off, Dry Loc paint on the inside as mentioned. Either of those should do the trick, both would make it bullet proof. Diverting and moving the water away from where you want it is the key. Weekend project if you've got a couple strong backs and cold beers.

[Erik88]

1 hour ago, ReeferMac said:

If the retaining wall is being rebuilt, it ABSOLUTELY needs a drain installed behind it.

Yes we will do that. The new wall will also have drains built into it which will help. 

[peejman]

8 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Hahahaa, too true!

It sounds similair to the way an old friends house was situated on his property. Hillside ran into the back of his house.

It sounds like a couple french drains and gutter/downspout work should fix the problem? Couple grand, max, they're easy to install DIY (happy to help another EastTN TGO'er). If the retaining wall is being rebuilt, it ABSOLUTELY needs a drain installed behind it. Big 6" MF'er, backfilled with 1" or larger stone maybe 2 horizontal pipes if its a tall wall (any deadmen?).... 

If you're going to excavate the exterior wall to install drainage, got some comproco or like product (roofing tar...) on the outside surface. If you're going to rip the drywall off, Dry Loc paint on the inside as mentioned. Either of those should do the trick, both would make it bullet proof. Diverting and moving the water away from where you want it is the key. Weekend project if you've got a couple strong backs and cold beers.

 

Water coming into the house is always fixed from the outside.  Dry Loc is good stuff, but its secondary protection. 

Come to think of it, I had a similar problem with our house. It's on a crawlspace and there was no vapor barrier when we bought it. While installing the vapor barrier, I found one corner kinda mushy with just a little mold on the joists. The downspout on that corner was buried, but clogged and not done properly. I went out in the pouring rain and saw water pouring out up against the house.  So I dug it up, unclogged the pipe, dug a big hole, filled it with gravel and put the end of the pipe in the hole.

It was dry as a bone a month later, the mold was dead, and been fine for the last 13 years. 

[Erik88]

1 hour ago, peejman said:

dug a big hole, filled it with gravel and put the end of the pipe in the hole.

What was the reason for the gravel? Trying to keep dirt and debris out of the pipe? 

[Swamp ash]

1 hour ago, Erik88 said:

What was the reason for the gravel? Trying to keep dirt and debris out of the pipe? 

Path of least resistance...

Gravel is permeable and allows a path for the water to collect and easily flow to your pipes. The easier you make it for the water to flow away, the less problem you have

Edited March 14, 2021 by Swamp ash

[peejman]

16 hours ago, Erik88 said:

What was the reason for the gravel? Trying to keep dirt and debris out of the pipe? 

 

14 hours ago, Swamp ash said:

Path of least resistance...

Gravel is permeable and allows a path for the water to collect and easily flow to your pipes. The easier you make it for the water to flow away, the less problem you have

Yes and yes. It helps prevent the pipe from clogging up and it helps prevent the water coming out from eroding a hole in the ground.  It spreads the flow out and gives a much greater area to absorb the water, just like a septic drain field. 

I have 2 downspouts on the other side of the house and my neighbor also has 2.  I presume they terminate at the same point between our houses as there's 2 depressions about 6" deep and 3ft long in the grass on the property line straight out from both sides sets of downspouts. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by peejman

[brianbennett863]

Only a professional can assess the quality of a building. You do not have to look for him through your friends or free ads in the newspapers, because today there are whole firms engaged in construction expertise. I would advise you to try to look for a property here https://www.lumina.com.ph/property-listing The specialists will determine all the most essential characteristics of the construction, e.g., thermal conductivity and load-bearing capacity of walls, ceilings and foundation, moisture of materials, presence of hidden cracks, and other defects, the efficiency of the engineering equipment used and so on.

Edited June 28, 2021 by brianbennett863

[Raoul]

8 hours ago, brianbennett863 said:

Only a professional can assess the quality of a building.

Professional what? 

[mikegideon]

4 hours ago, Raoul said:

Professional what? 

Are we talking about suck starting Harleys again?

[mikegideon]

On 3/14/2021 at 5:02 PM, Erik88 said:

What was the reason for the gravel? Trying to keep dirt and debris out of the pipe? 

Partly. Google French drain.

[gregintenn]

On 6/25/2021 at 7:51 AM, brianbennett863 said:

Only a professional can assess the quality of a building.

Bullchit. It ain’t that hard.

[Daniel]

https://fortune.com/2022/06/13/these-40-overvalued-housing-markets-could-see-15-to-20-home-price-declines-if-a-recession-hits/