Cutting a swale to relieve driveway and crawlspace flooding

[@danielhutton3211]

I appreciate that you go back and show the results. Not many people show the after. Thanks. Great work

[@GCFD]

It's my favorite part!

[@Dripfed]

@@GCFD the money shot 👍

[@SylvanFosters]

I’m glad that, with this video, you taught homeowners that it’s good to have the grassy area next to a sidewalk be lower than the sidewalk.

[@robertm5969]

My basement had puddles of water and an active leak when we moved in. My dad and I spent 30min digging a simple drainage swale to carry water away from the house instead of towards. Bone dry ever since. Grading is such a simple yet powerful fix!

[@GMan-yv8cb]

Interesting to see different contractors bring different solutions! Having seen QUITE a few vids, I was pleasantly suprised at the path you took! I was half expecting MILES of pipe buried - or even worse, a sump pump installed (OUTSIDE ! ??????) Nice, clean job that solved the Customer's concerns with a relatively simple, Natural Fix! [ personally, I like the working WITH what's there, a change of grade, a swale, etc rather than TOTALLY re-inventing the wheel!] It also shows respect to the fact that Mother Nature REALLY does know better! GOOD JOB! THANKS FOR TAKING US ALONG !!!!!!

[@GCFD]

For sure G. I try to do the most simple and straightforward solution as long as it is 100% effective. Pumps work very well but only as a last possible resort. Thanks for watching!

[@silverharvest753]

I like how after two months either the homeowners or ISP still didn't bury the line yet.

[@weejohnbb]

He told the ISP not to bury it yet because Gate City was still to come.

[@silverharvest753]

@@weejohnbb near the end he says it's been two months since they wrapped and the line still wasn't buried.

[@weejohnbb]

@@silverharvest753 hahaha, like an idiot, I commented before watching the entire video, then I fell asleep halfway through. I'll watch the rest tonight.

[@GCFD]

Yea I don't know why the line was still unburied. I know they can take awhile to bury, but that's too long!

[@jsouto77]

@@GCFD Unbelievable. In a country where everyone likes to sue everyone, someone or even worst a business goes and lays a trip hazard!

[@cheongyei]

Large expanses of nearly flat land make moving water out trickier. All-in-all the concept works and I'm glad you brought back the right equipment to make the plan work better.

[@johnclements6614]

The developer could have cut some swales and had the gutters discharge into them. It would have been very cheap when the houses were being built.

[@GCFD]

I agree. I'm glad we got the water away from the foundation and heading down the way.

[@Mixdplate]

Really liked your approach to this situation and especially that you revisited the job at a time you can proactively assess the results. I am a little surprised that it's legal to have leads drain towards a neighbors property without there being some type of additional barriers in place.

[@dylantrinder1571]

That looked like a tricky situation to get the water away from the house, especially with all that flatish land and the surrounding properties. Your solution appears to have worked well though Shawn, so well done again. Great vid.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Dylan! It was a tough one but we got good results. 👍

[@hupur]

good job, i really like how you go back and check your work.

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@timgarner6768]

As always, you present a clear and easy-to-understand work plan to address the two issues. You and your team do great work. Again, Sean, I am stunned a resident would be permitted to export their runoff to a neighbor's yard. That would be an absolute no-no where I live. The review board on which I sit would be very much involved in enforcement. Where I live, both your customer and the neighbor would contribute to the cost of creating the swale to carry off gutter/downspout water to the street. And further, in this case, your customer would have had to take his runoff on the other side of his house to the street as well.

[@GCFD]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@bushmaster2936]

Where I live, the city charges us a "Storm Water Run Off Fee" quarterly, to pay for water that supposedly runs off of our property and into the storm drains. Sad part was that the water running down the street would come down my driveway and onto my property instead. I made the city put a berm across the end of my driveway to divert the water to the storm drains.

[@GCFD]

Our stormwater flows to creeks and rivers and not the WWTP. It's illegal to dump storm water or sump pump water into the sewage system because it overburdens the WWTP.

[@bushmaster2936]

@@GCFD I edited my comment. The fee actually goes for repairs to the WWTP and SWRO piping maintenance. The SWRO does not get treated. Thank you. : )

[@bruce-le-smith]

Very professional work, great video. Nice you went back to the job site a couple months later to do a quality check on your job. Wish we had more contractors like you in our area!

[@GCFD]

Thank you Bruce!

[@Dripfed]

Looks like a development i.e. all homes built at the same time. Plots built privately and in isolation, I can understand why drainage isn't considered correctly. But a development where water is not considered, and gardens flow into others etc. That's just wrong. The cost of appropriate land drainage when building a new estate is cents on the dollar. Drainage is simple if you consider it before building. Water flows downhill. You don't even need pipework if you work with the land, just a couple of hours of earth moving. Flat sites, just grade a gentle slope. A site like this, you'd need to slow the flow to reduce erosion, so some berms to direct flow into shallower swales. You're encouraging me to set-up my own business in the UK. Use what I know for myself 😊 all the best.

[@GCFD]

I see this type of thing all the time with developments.

[@nigelwilliams8191]

I've worked on a load of ground work firms, they're either really good or absolutely dire, I've seen it all from good foremen who consult drawings and clients on levels and amend as necessary to slapped up with no physical drainage from patio drains, driveway pots, gulleys and gutters to storm lines.

[@2wwwilly]

Poor or no city planning n building laws...NO Standards ..means no laws ..

[@kathic8823]

I was baffled when he said there was no place to go with the water - I was like, why aren't they just running it out to the street? Shocking to me that there are no drains off the street.

[@michaelsfabwork2985]

good job. people ask me all the time to level out there yards but they don't realize how much work goes into doing it right and when you give them a price they don't want to pay. great video take care and stay safe.

[@GCFD]

Yea stay away from those people. I had a homeowner ask if I would discount my price for him and I thought to myself, I don't do discount-quality work, so why would I discount, I don't know you... I've found there are plenty of people who want quality work.

[@michaelsfabwork2985]

@@GCFD I hear you on that. You do good work. Thank you for the reply back. Take care and stay safe

[@arellyo]

Generally speaking about how much does this type of work (from the video) cost doing it right?

[@NealORussa]

If I get a little deep spot in a swale like that I go with a shovel during or just after a big rain and cut a 6" wide trench or so in the soft ground down the middle of the swale till it drains out. Grass will grow across it and it will be unnoticeable and drain out the low area. Nice work. Much better than a French drain in that application.

[@RiverValleyLandscaping]

That one tree he had removed was the root of his problems. As it grew the roots pushed up and raised the land so it no longer was pitched correctly. As that stump and root system decays over the years he will be back to having a puddle in the same spot. Great job doing what you did, I feel to properly fix that issue entirely the stump and roots would need to come out and that is a lot bigger of a job than originally anticipated by the customer

[@bushmaster2936]

Did you watch the video? Stump had already been ground and this guy pulled the remaining roots with his special equipment.

[@GCFD]

Yes we tried to get the remaining wood material out of there. I take out trees with my excavator, stump, roots and all. The idea of cutting a tree down and then grinding the stump is not ideal.

[@IAmKyleBrown]

Thanks for sharing. I'm amazed when I see downspouts ejecting to a neighbor's property, that's against code at least where I live.

[@TJ-Travler]

I was happy to see this notification on Saturday night!!! Between you and Letsdig18 I am truly entertained and educated!

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying my stuff - Shawn

[@davethorsen8538]

Im from Denmark so I get its different around the world, but how can it be legal to make a downspout and just lead the water towards the neighbour and be done with it

[@GCFD]

It's legal here in our area to discharge your water on your own property. The fact that the neighbor is downhill is your problem. You can't discharge a pipe directly onto a neighboring property but the effect is the same in this case.

[@clacicle]

@@GCFD that’s terribly inconsiderate. I’d be embarrassed if water from my property was causing such damage to someone else’s property.

[@GCFD]

Same but water flows downhill, right? Drainage problems are tough ones for sure.

[@josephj6521]

Dave, I know. I was very surprised. Here in Australia, you must make sure water from the roof of your home either goes to the street, a water-tank (overflow to the street) or towards a council pipeline taking the water away if unable to take to the street.

[@clacicle]

@@josephj6521 that’s how it should be. Otherwise you end up with chaos.

[@lauralee2514]

Nice to see someone that does a job the right way!

[@Rick-tb4so]

Your video beats all the rest, showing the results after a rain is the icing on the cake.

[@druszaj]

Maybe file down those pvc shavings when you cut a pipe, you do great work but some sort of finishing endpiece could really seal the deal and make it magnificent

[@GCFD]

Great idea!

[@shanewhite499]

Great job Shawn! Another quality job well done. I know the homeowner is going to be happy.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Shane!

[@tnt666tnt]

Yay. Great 30th birthday gift to me, a video from the best KZbinr!

[@GCFD]

Thank you! Happy birthday!

[@garagekeys]

I like this guy better than the FDM. Intelligent and not arrogant.

[@GCFD]

Thank you! Thanks for watching and commenting on my channel - Shwn

[@jimrkimo]

Hahahah. Homeowner redid your outfall…..that’s kewl.

[@GCFD]

I was wondering if anyone would notice! lol

[@joshg1244]

Yea I notice that too

[@RHEC1776]

@@GCFD your way looked nicer

[@mike88g1]

@@RHEC1776 that’s embarrassing u do a job and the owners doesn’t like it so he modified what he could. Makes u think what else he didn’t like

[@mike88g1]

@@RHEC1776 also the seed never germinated, ans still stranding water not moving how it was intended to do so. I would go and redo it if I was him.

[@65csx83]

Good job. Puts me in mind of my grandmother's yard which was a depression from 3 sides. For your job, I'd have liked a berm to repel the runoff from the neighbor's yard and downspouts..

[@TealCheetah]

Im glad you included footage a few months later, I was super curious!

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

Another good video, keep 'em coming. It's your channel and you can do whatever you want, of course, but personally I enjoy these drainage project videos more than the equipment buy/build ones, and clearing land for Other Shawn. I just enjoy the problem-solving aspect, guess. But like I said, keep 'em coming!

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I have several drainage videos waiting for rain footage. I have a large project that I'm wondering if I should make into a series of videos because of the length.

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

@@GCFDYes please! I always appreciate when titles indicate the series, the order, and one way or another when we're reached the end: "Big Project: part 1 of 4", "Big Project: part 2 of 4", etc. Or "Big Project 1: Getting Started", "Big Project 2: Unexpected Issues", "Big Project 3: The Rain Footage".

[@GCFD]

Good idea! I like the idea of a complete story in one video but on my end I'm looking at 175 video clips for this project and that is daunting to try and get started. I have some rain footage but not the best so waiting for more. Ideally, I have the videos all finished up until the rain footage then I can very quickly add that and upload.

[@meganm3270]

It's like you know exactly when I need videos

[@GCFD]

👍

[@AtomicQuotient]

@@GCFD Shawn knows we all itching for his next video.

[@AtomicQuotient]

Awesome video Shawn. Tell him to concrete that pipe coming from the neighbors property, is that even legal to dump water onto your neighbors property? I would be upset if neighbor was dumping water on my property, I would concreting that quickly if he didn't move it .. They should have just run it to pipes from either side of the house to get rid of that water once and for all.

[@GCFD]

Here in our area homeowners are not responsible for water flowing off their property. You can't discharge a pipe directly onto a neighboring property, but in this case the pipe discharges away from the property line, but obviously flows directly downhill to my customers property.

[@ryanwaltos2206]

@@GCFD that is an intentional drainage discharge, as opposed to water merely flowing off their driveway, lawn or patio. Different localities have different codes and laws than others...

[@jonathanlanglois2742]

"Neighbour downspout" is something that I really don't get about a lot of your videos. If somebody did that in my city, a call to the city would quickly result in an inspector paying them a visit and telling them to remedy the situation.

[@GCFD]

For whatever reason property owners in our area are not responsible for water flowing off their property. So it's completely the downhill person's problem.

[@randythomas4549]

SHAWN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I AM THE FIRST PERSON TO COMMENT, I DONT CARE WHAT YOU PUT UP, I AM GIVIG IT THE THUMBS UP.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Randy! I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@randythomas4549]

Always Shawn, you don't drop them regular enough, I am always checking every day buddy, lol, top notch work, keep it up.

[@GCFD]

@@randythomas4549 click subscribe and the bell and KZbin will notify you when I post some thing

[@randythomas4549]

Shawn, I am a subscriber from the first day that I saw your videos bro, lol.

[@Ang.0910]

Next time I would definitely put the wood chips (then add straw if needed) down in the swale. It will act as a sponge and also break down over a long period of time for the soil to have nutrients for less run off. Permaculture principals. Edit: I forgot to commend u for using a natural swale! That was the perfect choice. So many others would have done a French drain know nothing about permaculture. If they did their jobs would be much easier.

[@steverusie6986]

Great job! That Harley rake is just awesome!

[@GCFD]

I agree! I like it. Make sure to see the video where I rebuild it.

[@hollandduck79]

from the Netherlands thanks for the video Shawn

[@GCFD]

Thank you hollandduck!

[@rodcoslett173]

Talk about doing it the hard way dude!!! All you needed for that project was an excavator with a grading bucket and a 12" digging bucket to do that in about an hour or less.

[@GCFD]

I have two excavators with grading buckets and I like using the mini skid and harley rake for feathering the grade out. The grading bucket smears too much. I have though about building a swale bucket for my larger excavator. Might be a cool way to go.

[@thinkpad4]

Why was that internet line just lying on the grass? What kind of ISP just leaves the wire exposed so you can cut it with a lawnmower?

[@GCFD]

They must not have buried it yet.

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

The video suggests the tree people cut the original line, and since the homeowner knew GCFD was coming, he had the ISP install a temporary line on the surface where it isn't at risk of getting cut by the drainage work. If the homeowner mows his own yard, the risk is pretty small.

[@dericanslum1696]

...nearly all of them...usually around 30 days until crews come behind to bury them...

[@mocoloco67]

Excelente solution, fast not so expensive, and the best part is working

[@GCFD]

I agree! It was a simple solution that works!

[@marka7532]

Buy a deburr tool , they sell them at Lowe’s or home depot, super cheap like $1-3 , it’ll make that cut pvc look cleaner

[@GCFD]

👍

[@toddgolling5760]

i use my tshirt to deburr. Cheap and effective.

[@marka7532]

@@toddgolling5760 or that ☝️

[@AtomicQuotient]

Another good idea at the end of the video covering the white pipe with landscape fabric to hide it and let it blend it. I wonder why he moved the rocks, probably to make mowing easier.

[@GCFD]

I think so too. He originally wanted the pipe sticking out but it looks like he cut it back. Either way, he's happy to have that water off the house now.

[@MrDbone75]

Good Sunday morning to you sir and your family from Wellington Somerset in the UK

[@GCFD]

Thank you David!

[@jimbeck6093]

Another great video! Question: when would you incorporate a sod cutter to save all of that precious sod and reuse? Thank you for your great very informative videos!! (Raleigh, NC)

[@GCFD]

I Had bought a sod cutter for that very reason but no one ever wanted the sod placed back. I sold the sod cutter and never even used it.

[@steve_ks]

We could use this at our house in Alabama. Can’t find anyone to do it. I may have to rent equipment and do it myself. Thanks for the videos and education !

[@GCFD]

Thank you Steve and good luck!

[@johnclements6614]

The trouble with these little jobs that only take part of a day is you still have to pay people for the whole day. Also when you need a bump truck and a machine you need people to drive them there, but in some cases there may be insufficient work for both people on the site. People will get contractors to come over and give a price for the job then not like the price. The contractor after a few of those will not want to waste their time going to the site to price a job that they think they will not get.

[@GCFD]

I agree John. Or if the contractor prices it so low to try and please the homeowner, they will never want to actually go do the work because it's not worth it.

[@ninecila9150]

This is something I also noticed in some other clips, which caused some confusion for me: Is it normal in the US, that runoff from the roof is simply directed onto the ground right next to the house? I am from Germany and have never seen downspouts of houses simply ending above ground over here. Ours normally connect to the sewage system or an underground cistern (the overflow of this also connects to the sewer). The only buildigs without sewer connection are usually small structures like a shed or small carport, and then those normally don’t have gutters or downspouts

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Same in Adelaide . The engineering for blocks of land and Houses foundations is always higher than the road and all roof stormwater has to go to road via pipe . You're not allowed to allow it to run into another property . Then the street has a gentle fall towards a larger pipe system . There it looks like do what you want , doesnt matter how low you build the house and who cares about the other houses and their paddocks

[@thebigmacd]

Here in London, Ontario (and most Canadian cities) it is illegal to discharge gutters directly into the stormwater system. We used to do it that way but all connections had to be disconnected. In a large downpour the storm system would be overwhelmed, and it would also accelerate flooding of Municipal ditches, where the pipes terminated. It was also notorious for flooding basements when the piping failed due to frost or settling. There's a mandate now to buffer runoff as much as possible, by discharging above ground, using permeable pavement, and creating retention ponds in new developments.

[@LAZYDAYZAHEAD]

Love your work Shawn.

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I have many many more videos that are waiting for rain footage.

[@GiftedDotado]

Shawn… my man…. Im having withdrawals on no new videos so im rewatching old ones again lol hopefully the hurricane has gotten u more business and videos for us comin up

[@GCFD]

Don’t watch ones that are too old!

[@GiftedDotado]

@@GCFD lol I cant help myself! Lol

[@darrensmith3647]

Always some interesting content.. lots of love from Jamaica 🇯🇲

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@edpoints1127]

Awesome job Gate City! Great video Shawn

[@GCFD]

Thank you Ed!

[@Hezkezl]

Dang. I wonder if the homeowner has any kind of legal case against the neighbors who are basically shunting all their rain water to his house. Maybe get them to pay for a part of what it cost to hire you and get you in there to fix it!

[@GCFD]

In our area homeowners are not responsible for water that flows downhill off their property. Sometimes we run into neighbors who help out, and other times the neighbors are horrible to work with. In this case the neighbors were working together.

[@EverydayKindaGuy]

Your channel blew up? This is why we call 811.

[@GCFD]

Haha!

[@kevinm5177]

Would it help if you used a transit to shoot these super shallow falls?

[@GCFD]

Yes we sometimes do shoot them. Or string a line.

[@mathehack1]

Whoever did the original grading of that neighborhood did a crap job. Awesome job fixing it.

[@blizzxrd3817]

So much green space , looks beautiful

[@GCFD]

For sure!

[@anthonyfindlay466]

Another successful job thumbs up Shawn, hey a swale bucket for the big excavator would make quick work of jobs like these, I saw Andrew Camarata make one in one of his videos that might be a neat implement to add to your arsenal.

[@GCFD]

Yea that was a cool bucket he made. I seriously thought about it for my machine. It seems so fast to produce a nice swale.

[@StevenCasper]

Nice work thanks for the video. That neighbor's discharge line to your clients house maybe legal where you live but what ever happened to courteous behavior.

[@GCFD]

It is legal and I think the uphill neighbor was trying to help in this situation.

[@KoRMaK1]

it looks like you ran over the fiber line a couple times at 8:19, the line didnt get cut when that happened? also, how often do you see situations where one neighbor is just absolutely causing misery for another by not handling their drainage properly? feel like there should be codes for that...

[@GCFD]

The line wasn't damaged if I did run over it. Tracks are the way to go. I do see horrible situations with neighbors occasionally. I try to help if I can.

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

Anytime you build on a slope the practical necessity of water drainage comes first and desired appearance comes second. If you reverse those then the practical necessity of water drainage that you ignored will mess up your desired appearance every time.

[@GCFD]

Seems pretty simple but I see it all the time!

[@TurboLoveTrain]

Urban watersheds are horrific environmental disasters--every single one of them.

[@alanostner4909]

Great swale! Clog free solution: I like it

[@GCFD]

👍👍

[@marccole8345]

Nice work on that job! Tricky elevations to work with for sure.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Marc

[@ROSS2309]

This might be a stupid question but I've seen you put straw over the dirt at the end of jobs - why is that?

[@GCFD]

It protects the bare soil and seed while the seeds germinate. 👍

[@ROSS2309]

@@GCFD Thanks!

[@arielhernandez2911]

The hay you guys put down was that to keep the grass moist for the seeds ??

[@GCFD]

Yes and to protect the bare soil from erosion.

[@rightyouareken7587]

Man that rains looks and sounds so nice. Envious out here in central California

[@GCFD]

👍

[@dannycottrell4387]

Did this stop water from getting under the house? I am in Clarksville Tennessee, and we have had a lot of rain in the last two days. I have water under my house all around the outer walls. I think I may just need a swale. I have a little more slope than that yard.

[@GCFD]

Yes it has worked very well. If you have more slope to your yard you're in even better shape.

[@thomasmorrison3279]

I would put a french drain that outputs to a sump pit and a sump pump that pumps water back up to the street, rather than putting in a swale. To me you are just causing a future flooding problem in the backyard. But, there are many ways to skin a cat.

[@GCFD]

That would be a fantastic option but would cost considerably more than the swale plus the ongoing maintenance and electric costs. These are all factors to consider.

[@emmett3067]

Is there any reason why roof water doesn't get taken to the street? In almost all metropolitan areas here in Australia it is a requirement to discharge stormwater to a legal point of discharge - this is often the street or a dedicated storm drain.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

A lot of new subdivisions do have drainage handled much better. (Or at least they are required to plan for it better). But most houses don’t have their gutters caught, and most of the time it isn’t a problem.

[@GCFD]

99% of downspouts don't cause any problems discharging by the house. You're seeing the worst cases on this channel. In newer developments they seem to take drainage into more consideration than some older neighborhoods.

[@ahndeux]

I was thinking digging a trench, gravel, sump pump and all he did was just grade the land and problem went away. It goes to show you the simpler solution is usually the best.

[@jplee3]

Quick question: would you recommend a skid steer if we have a number of old ficus tree roots in our yard? The two trees were removed over a year ago but many roots remain - the biggest I've come across are maybe 1-1.5" in thickness/diameter. We had turf removed but the excavation company didn't go deep enough to account for what we're trying to do (a flagstone patio and crushed rock path). I do need to grade the area to make sure it's properly sloped but wondering if a skid steer will be enough or if I should be using a mini excavator. The tree removal company stump grinded the ficus stumps but not entirely, and if you start in the area where they were removed (in one corner) you'll likely hit the stump (along with old irrigation lines we will have abandoned). The main area of the yard we are excavating though is sort of away from the stumps but the roots have spread...

[@martinmontez5950]

You can use a sawsaw with a Pruning blade. It must be a pruning blade. Or hook up a chain and pull it with a pickup truck. Yes, skidsteer will work but not necessary unless you already have it for grade.

[@vtrandal]

By definition a swale creates ponding which exacerbates flooding. Removing a swale is often the most cost effective solution to solving a drainage problem.

[@susanfarmer3168]

Homeowner should put in a rain garden at the end of the swale.

[@GCFD]

Great idea

[@jimanderson4495]

This is Jim. Thanks Shawn

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@tucobenedicto109]

Not bad, smart to leave the "Live wire of communication open!" all rights reserved. then bury it later. smart on the root, and shavings, the scraped off gras in the truck had dirt, and if you left tufts of gras it would just regrow, so no loss there. Like how you cleaned the top. For seeding i see you didn't harley rake again after final grade, and compaction. Would you recomend harley raking for a bad lawn then seed, then use the back of a rake (Like roger cook says) and straw?

[@GCFD]

Yes the harley rake works great for re-seeding existing lawns.

[@joeshmoe7789]

Looked like a job you do the basic fixes and then see how it works. I really thought you'd have to go back to tweak the repair, but it seems you got it right the first shot!

[@GCFD]

I thought so too. I kept in touch with the homeowner in case I needed to tweak something.

[@squidusn71]

Thanks for showing the result.

[@GCFD]

Thanks for watching Squid!

[@squidusn71]

@@GCFD love watching your work.

[@subeyguy66]

My dad was an electrician and roughed in a ton of Adams Farm back in the 90s. I remember him saying that half the houses in this neighborhood were a drainage nightmare when my sister was looking at houses years later.

[@GCFD]

Yes there are drainage issues in Adams Farm for sure!

[@AtomicQuotient]

These houses sure get an incredible amount of rain, rain is good, but that's too much.

[@GCFD]

For sure. We have to manage it.

[@craigdavis5030]

Have watched and enjoyed a few of your videos,is it common practice in the US to just drain storm water to the surrounding ground? ie: down pipes just finish at ground level. Here in Australia storm water is drained into mains pipes and well away from housing.

[@GCFD]

Yes we drain things right by the house and 99% of the time it's not an issue. You're seeing the worst cases on my channel here. 👍

[@A.Martin]

@@GCFD yea I was wondering, I would have figured you could drain to the road then the road takes it away to the storm water. But I guess it is not permitted there? You can discharge into a waterway if there is one that is convenient, just can't discharge onto a neighbours section unless its a existing waterway crossing their section.

[@IntegraDIY]

Maybe it could’ve been a little steeper, just so there’s no standing water in the swale, but nice job though very cool 😎

[@GCFD]

If we had gone deeper at the end, the area past that would have to be even deeper. We quickly ran out of fall on such a flat area. It was very tricky.

[@leolldankology]

I was really hoping for a French drain....lol 🤣

[@GCFD]

A FD would have been too deep and we would have ruined our fall because it was so flat.

[@leolldankology]

@@GCFD I know, you said that in the video, but the FD videos are oddly satisfying.

[@GCFD]

@@leolldankology I have my most beautiful FD that is still waiting for rain footage. It’s been months now!

[@leolldankology]

@@GCFD that's the best part. 🖖

[@superflyp0]

UPS 🙂 I WAS JUST THINKING 🤔 ABOUT WORK.. TAKING AN EXTRA DAY OFF AND USE YOUR TIPS

[@wasblind4835]

Why not direct it to the street? And did the neighbor do anything with there drain to stop sending it your way?

[@GCFD]

The street was uphill in this case. We normally try to direct to the street.

[@brianrbailey]

nice way to end my day with your vid!

[@GCFD]

Thank you Brian!

[@wendymorrison5803]

Again the wierd situation where homeowners can let their roof drains empty into the neighbours yard. Why is this a thing? It creates so many issues.

[@GCFD]

It's a thing here for whatever reason. NC says homeowners are not responsible for water flowing downhill.

[@dericanslum1696]

...I fixed the issue for MY property...YOU chose to buy/build DOWNHILL from me on YOUR property...now it's YOUR problem...

[@andreaberryman5354]

I'm in Washington State, and it is ILLEGAL to drain your property onto someone else's like seen here, and you can see why! I am on the East side, so more arid, but I am gutterless-which helps a LOT. But boy-back yard is negitive slope! I've dug swale, but all of my work has to be done by hand. REALLY need a backhoe to haul off several tons of dirt, but was quoted over $5,000.

[@cindyrogers107]

Going back and checking your work would seal the deal for me! Do you recommend anyone in Oklahoma, I need the exact same work done.

[@GCFD]

Hey Cindy - In a tricky swale like this I always tell the customer to check back in with me in case I need to go back and touch something up after it settles for awhile. I don't know anyone in OK to recommend to you.

[@davidnull5590]

Try diggingok on KZbin, he occasionally posts videos, from what I've seen he does excellent work. OK is a big state, I don't know where he's located.

[@paulbetka6477]

Couple dry wells, size of a 55 gallon barrel's. 2 barrel's deep 👍🏻😵‍💫 lots & lots of small holes drilled in the barrel's. Wrapped with ground cover so dirt/soil doesn't Dirt doesn't get into the barrel...Let the ground suck it up.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@peterryan7340]

Damn why don't these discharge into a large drain out to the street. In Australia you really can't discharge your storm water in towns into your neighbours property

[@GCFD]

Thanks for sharing Peter!

[@dericanslum1696]

...THIS IS NOT AUSTRALIA...

[@alibuolayyan9038]

Hi.Why didn't you bury the internet cable?

[@johnclements6614]

If Shawn buries the cable the home owner is responsible. The cable company will never bury it deep enough but that is their problem.

[@GCFD]

The cable company will come back and bury. They seem to be way behind on getting that done for the homeowner though!

[@alibuolayyan9038]

@@GCFD

[@dericanslum1696]

...not his scope or right to do so...

[@Mark.Watson]

I like the music.

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I do too.

[@erwinbrubacker7488]

👍 you know yer stuff.

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@alantorrance6153]

Very crazy house and land planning to have the house on low ground.

[@GCFD]

I see it all the time!

[@jackcutter3415]

What grass seed mix are you using?

[@GCFD]

We use the rebels from lowes.

[@tnacrew]

How much was this work? Just trying to get an idea of what the ballpark would be for something of similar nature. I know price is different from contractor to contractor and all across the country but just trying to get a rough idea

[@mrmeener625]

I would say a lot of money. 10K

[@youtubecommenter4213]

always fun to realize your neighbors are trying to flood you out...

[@GrzegorzDurda]

A french drain would have been 10x easier and 10x more effective. There is still pooling close to the house and in a terrential down pour the problems will manifest again.

[@GCFD]

the problem with a french drain is I had nowhere to send the pipe. I wasn't willing to have a pipe discharging directly at the neighbors. With a swale, it's just water running through the yard.

[@GrzegorzDurda]

@@GCFD It's to go directly to the street and then you either drill through or cut a section of curb out then re cement to original finish. In the end youre correct but in my case i would have taken the french drain option.

[@jacksimper5725]

It makes me wonder why these developments are allowed to be built without water displacements as mandatory?

[@GCFD]

Money.

[@maplenook]

It’s ridiculous

[@tracyrain4941]

Thanks for another great vid...😊

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@AlwaysBored123]

Great job. Does that Harley rake do well pulverizing the sod? I've been going back and forth on getting one.

[@lifeisgood070]

how hard is it to cut a swale with a bobcat? I'm thinking of renting one

[@GCFD]

It's not too bad and you can work it back and forth, if you go too deep you can re-work the dirt and track it back out. I would rent one and jump in.

[@Martina-xk6zo]

Great work! I have something similar at my new, old fixer upper. Is it best for your clients to have video or photos of what happens when it precipitates or can you give an estimate during dry months? I just moved into a house and there is water damage to basement. I see there is negative slope but don't know if I should wait for the winter to be over or have the work done now?