Catching gutters and cutting a swale

[@leecho9460]

I like how you show the job afterwards during the rain. It shows that you take pride in your work 💪

[@GCFD]

That's my favorite part! I like making sure things are working how I intended.

[@jeffh4505]

I was going to say the same thing. Seeing the flow during a rain is the closure I'm always looking for with any drainage videos.

[@lukeknowles5700]

Lovely project, allowing nature to be your partner in engineering solutions. Gravity is wonderful. I enjoy the camaraderie among your crew, each one working as hard as the next.

[@gwenwade6059]

Good to see neighbours working in tandem to solve drainage issues.

[@GCFD]

I agree!

[@mikeholubek4419]

Common Sense, they must be good neighbors to each other, kinda rare now a days.

[@wm1176]

Glad I found this channel. Seems like a good guy doing good job. This is giving me tips for my drainage issues.

[@ianwright6502]

Nice job on this one! I imagine you’re gonna get flack here for cutting through that berm, but from the video I can’t even see why it was there. It didn’t look to be the bank for the retention pond. Cutting the swale through the berm to keep the back yard dry was a good idea.

[@GCFD]

Thank you! We couldn't see a function to the berm either.

[@cheongyei]

Another nice job.....it's interesting how neighbors opt in to tie in some of their needs to your projects.

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@dylantrinder1571]

Wise move cutting that swale Shawn, great job as always.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Dylan!

[@steverusie6986]

It was great to wake up to new videos! Glad it finally rained so you could get the in action follow ups! No problem getting a full bubble on this project!

[@GCFD]

👍 Thanks for watching Steve!

[@michaellee695]

On the back side of that house, you shouldn’t pack in dirt up to the siding. There has to be a minimum of 6” clear space between the siding and the ground to allow for termite inspection. When you pack the dirt right up to the siding, termites have a direct path to the interior. You said the owner requested the dirt in that area. It would be wise from now on to advise against it. Other than that one issue, I appreciate the way you explain the process and especially going back to check on the work during a rain event. We would all have better outcomes with contractors if they were as conscientious as you.

[@GCFD]

I agree. The problem is the original grading was too low, which meant the siding was too low. We are trying to solve problems after the fact, so it can't be perfect. At least there shouldn't be too much moisture at the top of the dirt so there shouldn't be any termites in the area. Great comment Michael!

[@ednaemode5762]

2 videos in one day! Keep up the great work. I think it’s really good what you do for the community 👍👍

[@GCFD]

Thank you Edna!

[@jimanderson4495]

Shawn and Crew.... another good job. Happy homeowner.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Jim!

[@robertsalido1232]

I really like your channel, but even more so, I like that your a perfectionist. I notice time to time, some of the dumbest, negative comments left by those who do not have your experience and expertise in removing water from one place to another. You know what your doing and you know how to read the ground. Utilizing different tools, and equipment, along with your company workers, really shows the skills and knowledge of your Company. Thanks for doing a great job.

[@GCFD]

Wow! Thank you Robert! I do enjoy getting the job done right and seeing the results. 👍👍

[@LAZYDAYZAHEAD]

Love your work! And the way you go back to check during the rainy day. Proves you care!

[@GCFD]

👍

[@zacksgaragedoorserviceandr1208]

And ps The way you guys installed your pipes for this job I really love it I really like to clean out very clean and very professional

[@GCFD]

Thank you! The cleanouts look a little more industrial but they give great access to the system if its ever needed. 👍

[@dpeagles]

My favorite part is when it rains and you show the effectiveness of the system.

[@GCFD]

That's mu favorite part too!

[@whip205inthebam3]

Shawn and the guys and gals on the crew WTG great job! 👍

[@GCFD]

👍👍

[@bradbarr5658]

Glad you got some rain so we could have the video!

[@GCFD]

Same here! I have been sitting on footage just waiting for rain.

[@gattie12ben]

3 ac units wow!. Always enjoy these videos

[@GCFD]

👍

[@mzerv00]

It’s really satisfying to watch you show the end results in your videos!

[@GCFD]

I agree Mike! It's a pain to get that footage but so worth it.

[@chrisbull7676]

Thanks for all your videos Shawn. I enjoy them and it makes me think about how I install such systems. My only comments would be that (1) that berm is probably a part of a HOA storm water system that slows down flow and helps with pesticide and fertilizer runoff...might be a problem or might be ignored by HOA/inspectors (2) when packing dirt against house, leave at least 6” clearance from siding to greatly reduce chances of pests making their way inside and (3) with that nice flat bucket the homeowner would probably love if you saved the sod and put it back down after digging the swale...less scarring faster recovery but a little more work. Overall you are doing a lot of great work and I appreciate your videos! 😁👍

[@GCFD]

Thank you for the comments Chris!

[@mbarrett99]

The sod was coming up in nice sized pieces that might have been able to be used again.

[@Rubbernecker]

Another satisfied customer!!

[@GCFD]

👍

[@joeyware3619]

I like that you follow up with actual rain fall after your jobs.

[@GCFD]

It's my favorite part!

[@Matthew_Does_To_Many_Things]

I was about to fall asleep but then found out that you uploaded :)

[@GCFD]

Thank you for watching!

[@wcsd9577]

Keep up the great work, wishing you all the best!

[@GCFD]

👍 Thank you!

[@gwenwade6059]

What glue do you use to join your pvc pipe with? What product are your men using on the joins? Can you explain how the rectangular old guttering actually fits into a round pvc pipe without accumulating debris. I am in Africa. Would love clarity. Thanks.

[@GCFD]

We use Rain-R-Shine medium PVC primer+glue.

[@anthonyfindlay466]

Great content Shawn, job well done shout out to Ronald and the rest of the crew.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Anthony as always! - Shawn

[@alexplisko7794]

Great work guys! You should get shirts made up with "we got a full bubble of fall" as a slogan.

[@GCFD]

Hey Alex! I'm trying to figure out a shirt design with "Full Bubble!" on it! Thanks for watching, as always - Shawn

[@alexplisko7794]

@@GCFD Great! Love the "full bubble" idea. Fingers crossed you can post to Aus!

[@wendymorrison5803]

"FULL BUBBLE" its an easy slogan to remember.

[@JR-pd9xz]

enjoying videos - It appears on the videos that your drain pipes are not buried very deep. What is the normal depth? Your follow to your jobs is commendable. I must ask do any of your employees use the various pieces of equipment? I see you using the equipment and thought if something were to happen to you would the business continue?

[@GCFD]

The proper depth is whatever depth gives us fall. So staying high at the start and ending at our end point with fall in between. 👍

[@BoneItOut]

How many downspouts can you comfortably tie into a single 4” pvc pipe? I need to tie in 2 downspouts and 2 catch basins....thinking maybe I should go with 6” or pair the downspouts and catch basins on their own 4” line. Awesome work btw!

[@GCFD]

It depends on how much fall you have. I have done up to five without any problems with lots of fall.

[@Whatsacivic]

I have a question for my drainage I’m doing. Why don’t you use the fittings from at the gutter to the pipe from NDS that fit the gutter perfectly? The rectangle ones?

[@GCFD]

Check out this video where the customer had an adapter: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGjOf3iDrK2YnLM I don't use them because they often constrict enough to clog.

[@shanewhite499]

Another great video as always. Can't wait until the next one. Great job Shawn.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Shane! 👍

[@sawtownsupervisor8375]

Packing dirt up to the siding like you did along the back of the house is a recipe for rot. I always leave 8” of foundation showing between the ground and siding.

[@GCFD]

How would you recommend correcting the issue when things weren't correct to begin with? I favor solving the flooding issues over the possibility of rot because the grade is close to the siding. We have to prioritize.

[@sawtownsupervisor8375]

Maybe in your area conditions are different and it won’t lead to the house rotting. But I know in my area it will...as a carpenter I’ve fixed a lot of rotted siding, sheathing and sills from homeowners bringing mulch/soil up too high. Obviously the budget doesn’t always allow for best practices. Which I think would have been regrading the entire back yard/berm. I think a french drain along the rear of the foundation would have been my suggestion.

[@GCFD]

@@sawtownsupervisor8375 great comment! Thank you

[@phillipmckinney7906]

You do great work but if i were to do the grading of the back i would have went much further on both sides and feathered it and made it mow able with a rider

[@GCFD]

Good point! 👍

[@rgoers]

That homeowner's lawn was beautiful. I would have considered using a sod cutter to cut out all the sod from where the pipe were going and where the grading was done so it could just be put back after the pipes were in and grading done. Then again, I've never been to North Carolina It seems like getting new grass to grow doesn't take much time or effort there. That berm at the back of the yard makes no sense to me unless the builders were required to have the water only drain to the retention pond. The way it drains now through the berm it doesn't seem like it will flow to the pond. But it is pretty hard to tell from the video where it will end up. Love your videos though.

[@GCFD]

That's a great idea Ralph. We don't do it because the trench settles. We mound up the dirt and it settles back flat. If it's flat when we leave, the trench re-forms as the disturbed soil settles.

[@dock_yard1149]

Off topic, but an average sized, relatively new colonial needs 3 AC condensers - why? Does that mean there are 3 separate cooling coils on the inside? And 3 furnaces? A separate HVAC plant on each floor? Is this typical in NC???

[@GCFD]

We do see that sometimes.

[@gwenwade6059]

Please teach me why the straw is spread. Is it to stop muddiness or clay on feet. Do you sow grass seed beneath. If so what type? What gardening zone? Never seen this done in Africa. So video on that would be good. Could include termite education from that comment as Melville, Johannesburg, South Africa does have termite issues. Bankenveldt climate and dolomite rock.

[@GCFD]

The straw stabilizes the disturbed soil and protects the seed. It also hold moisture and releases nutrients as it decomposes. 👍

[@davidbernstein4812]

Sean, I noticed you don’t bury your pipes very deep under the surface, is that ever a problem when aerating the yard? I feel like it would hit the pipe pretty easily. Love your videos, great work.

[@GCFD]

An aerator shouldn't hurt this pipe unless it's a ride-on aerator.

[@garyyoung5368]

Question, Is 3/4 down not recommended for a french drain?

[@GCFD]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

[@garyyoung5368]

@@GCFD you use angled stone. 3/4 Crush limestone is what I have readily available on site already.

[@willemb847]

Can somebody explain what that weird drainsystem is on the right of your screen at 14:03? what does it do?

[@el_covfefe]

The drain from the back of the house flows into that one and that drains to the lake.

[@GCFD]

Bob - that's a Radon gas system to evacuate Radon from the ground.

[@frankjoshum]

Love your videos. I'm tackling my own gutter drainage system because of your explanations. Question: I need to create fall by having a PVC 90* above grade and then it will slowly go below grade. To conceal the above-ground PVC, have you ever painted it? I can use mulch to an extent, but eventually the PVC 4" pipe will be completely above grade (right at the 90* from the gutter). Also, are cleanouts a requirement or just good design? Thank you!

[@GCFD]

Hey Josh, it sounds like you're correct on all points! I would recommend painting the exposed pipe or planing a bush in front of it. Keeping the pipe high at the start means you have that much less digging to achieve fall. Best luck with your project!

[@toast6578]

loving the videos shawn, very satisfying to watch. keep it up!

[@GCFD]

Thank you Ryan! More to come!

[@davidnull5590]

So the land developer and house builder had to meet county requirements for surface water and water detention by showing the county some plan on a drawing, they did that, problem was the plan for the county was impractical for real houses. Thanks for the video.

[@GCFD]

👍

[@Justafewanimals]

I’m just curious as to why you chose not to use the drainage basin on the left side of the house?

[@GCFD]

There was no way to get the rear left gutter into that basin so that is why. I should have mentioned that as part of the assessment. Great question!

[@obviousness8113]

Shawn: "This corrugated system has failed..." Me: "Surprised Pikachu Face..."

[@GCFD]

Haha. The problem here was the water was shooting back against the house and eroding along the foundation.

[@scotthayka]

Love your channel, how do I find someone in my area to do the kind of work that you do? I have all kinds of drainage issues in my yard.

[@coenfilm]

You probably have a good idea what to tell your contractor exactly what you want. My contractor brought the corrugated pipe by one day and I said absolutely not. He does excellent work but he didn’t know the corrugated pipe clogs. Schedule 40 4” pipe is the way to go.

[@GCFD]

I get asked that a lot Scott. We are basically using plumbing materials and techniques for outdoor drainage solutions. One of the reasons I am in this business is because I realized most companies are addressing the water after it's already in the basement or crawl, and I focus on keeping it out in the first place.

[@GCFD]

Say no to corrugated! 👍

[@electricaf365]

@@GCFD I get so tired of these people trying to defend using corrugated pipe. It’s just pure laziness and lack of skill. Oh, and trying to be cheap 🤣

[@robertsalido1232]

You are the "Water Whisperer!"

[@GCFD]

hahah good one!

[@mathusvaiaoga9787]

Shawn I gotta ask man how do you land these big jobs??? Seems like every job you has gotta be high dollar value... keep up the great work man.

[@GCFD]

Part of the reason is I don't think i charge enough. I own my own used equipment and drive trucks with 200k+ miles. I park everything at my place. So my overhead is relatively low. I really enjoy this stuff so I'm not focused on the price as much as I perhaps should be.

[@PlasmaRaven]

to bad your not located arround us we have like a bad area in our yard that likes to make it hard for me to mow when it does get bad like it is dry right now for somereason because before it was bad for like a month straight atleast it was so bad that theres a some what small ditch in our yard from it

[@GCFD]

👍

[@hollandduck79]

from the Netherlands thanks for the video . who is the shy and camera shy camera woman?

[@GCFD]

That's Crystal. She's not camera shy in some other videos!

[@michaelwerbick]

The berm was there for a flat back yard. 80% of the water issue in the back yard was from poor gutter placement. You could have at least cut thru to divert the water to the retention pond too!

[@GCFD]

There's a creek back there so I was happy with the solution. Great comment!

[@nickpersenaire4443]

Thanks for sharing more awesome content. 👍💪

[@GCFD]

Thank you for watching and commenting! - Shawn

[@rollawy]

do you use schedule 40...how wide is you chain 6" or 4"

[@GCFD]

We use 4" sch 40' The trencher is set up with a 6x24" bar and chain.

[@rollawy]

@@GCFD thanks for the reply...i was thinking you were,,,,

[@landcruiserin]

Isn’t that first clean out you showed on the wrong side?

[@GCFD]

Yes it's on the wrong side but on the correct side it would have been sticking way out. We did it that way because it looks a lot better, isn't as prone to get caught by the lawnmower, and still does work to access the system. Great comment!

[@KevinBenecke]

And if the drains get clogged, call Post 10.

[@GCFD]

👍👍

[@timkd5vmv583]

Curious as to why the berm was there to begin with. Seems to me the original builder just created an issue for someone else to fix later.

[@el_covfefe]

I suspect that either the lake might over flow

[@GCFD]

We are not sure. The retention pond can over flow into the creek, so the berm seems pointless.

[@coryquammen1346]

That berm was probably part of the storm water design required to get approval for the development. The pond treats excess fertilizer and the like from lawn runoff. Cutting through the berm subverted the storm water treatment design, which might have consequences for the HOA/homeowner when the pond is next inspected.

[@SkyCharter]

14:26 Does this new swale and drain output bypass the settlement pond? If so, any worries about detouring around the environmental intent of the original design? Hell hath no fury like a county inspector scorned. 14:39 Winged whosawhatta now?

[@GCFD]

Here runoff from the yard, roof, street can go directly into the creeks and surface waters. Runoff from parking lots and shopping centers goes into a biological filter located on site.

[@sku32956]

Good to put clean outs on the system

[@GCFD]

I agree. We do so when the customer requests them.

[@peterhandelson1193]

Why do they even have a retention pond when there's all that woodland behind them?

[@GCFD]

We are not sure! It must have been something with the HOA or developer.

[@tonyp35]

Can you recommend someone in Kansas that does excellent work as you?

[@GCFD]

Hey I don't know anyone in KS.

[@zacksgaragedoorserviceandr1208]

Really good job your work is very good very honest I just sometimes wish there’s something you guys can change about hooking the downspouts directly to the pipe to make it look a little bit more better but overall you guys do really honest work there’s even a new construction home that their pipes or installed so damn poorly it’s not even funny you guys should check into of doing new construction homes in my opinion I feel like you guys will make a lot of money doing that too because a lot of people do not understand that drainage has a very big key of keeping your house actually standing

[@GCFD]

Thanks for your comment Zackary! I've thought about new construction but there are a couple problems with new construction. They want things done as cheaply and quickly as possible and if there aren't current drainage problems, there's no reason to spend that money. I often see huge issues with brand new houses, but they take time to show up.

[@zacksgaragedoorserviceandr1208]

@@GCFD you are absolutely correct because my two hobbies are drainage and this is gonna sound kind of dumb but garage doors I seen these two things done incorrectly so many times it shakes my head about the quality these days I mean maybe we can do it on the cheap side but what I like to do is if you get something kind of cheap make it better but you make that cheap product something that will last 10 times longer than it would originally would it’s a pretty sad generation but yeah

[@chekzin3080]

2:00 your head ok?? 😂

[@GCFD]

👍

[@SayaAensland]

6:04 Yeehaw!

[@GCFD]

👍 hahah

[@devan2462]

If he said he had 10 videos waiting up, that would mean 8 more days of videos!

[@GCFD]

👍 I'm working hard to get caught up!

[@jamieperkins8796]

Lol to the concrete with your hand

[@GCFD]

👍 Get it done.

[@arleathialorenzen5664]

So smart

[@thinkpad4]

I call those Maple seeds, Spinners

[@GCFD]

It's crazy how they can fly over to the roof with no trees overhanding.

[@silverclaw4]

5:35 almost done yourself a mischief

[@GCFD]

👍

[@chrishelms1967]

You hit your head on that Satellite Dish didn't you ??

[@GCFD]

👍

[@chrishelms1967]

@@GCFD ....that's what I thought

[@jonahc021]

yayyy ty

[@GCFD]

👍

[@Losttoanyreason]

I really don't understand why these contractors don't do a better job with drainage on these building sites. You would think it would be law.

[@GCFD]

I don't know why either. I suspect it's because that would cut into their profit margins.

[@coryquammen1346]

Storm water regulations. Someone downstream is going to drink that water. Runoff loaded with silt from erosion and lawn chemicals/fertilizer makes cleaning that water much harder.

[@RHEC1776]

Good whoever did that grading job the first time should be fired absolutely horrible.

[@GCFD]

It was beyond our understanding..

[@BruceLee-ve6pi]

Why even bother to have one from the front of the house as the pitch is huge

[@GCFD]

It was because the pitch was so huge...the water would move very fast and was causing erosion. Great question!

[@BruceLee-ve6pi]

@@GCFD Actually no. It's the effects from harmful weeping tile that caused the damage. Remove the existing CORRUGATED weeping tile then add the Downspout Splash Blocks and all would have been fine. The huge pitch is normal for such house design.

[@BruceLee-ve6pi]

@@GCFD You definitely have a point regarding, "the pitch was so huge...the water would move very fast and was causing erosion."

[@Boss-vd8vt]

I would have packed that hole in the slab with concrete .

[@GCFD]

We wanted the dirt to settle and fill in even more.

[@singhA1968]

Hi dear don't mind me. i believe until you don't have good friend whose always criticize you. means you just believe you are perfect in your life . and its not good for more developments and learn. कबीर जी Quote नींदो नींदो मो को नींदो। means please criticize me . . my view on this job. after 10 or 15 ft you should have small pot like gutter pot. so . if there is a blockage of maple leaf can clean easily for landlord .

[@GCFD]

👍

[@tonkatoytruck]

Fixing all the the things the builder should have done. Typical.

[@GCFD]

👍