You Warned Me, But I Didn’t Listen - Now I’m in Big Trouble!

[@kgbear3662]

Transparency is this channels root to success

[@skeetorkiftwon]

The best solution is to dig a pond deep enough and broad enough to deal with this seasonal flooding and make sure if it overflows that the water level at its fill level is still six inches below the bottom of his footing with drainage away from the property. The land is too flat for any less, and that will be the cheapest long term solution.

[@taylorchristie3570]

East coast man here. French drains 6in bellow footer. Backfill to surface with wash stone. Problem solved!

[@Tobblosh]

We do the same (pretty much) in sweden! 🙂

[@woodcutter3206]

And weeping tile along the footing

[@r.rodriguez4991]

Guy who's seen This Old House. I concur.

[@theadventuredowl3845]

High country man here in Colorado.. We have a French drain on the uphill side of the house and diverts to avoid erosion,

[@jonandaudrey]

My uncle Ernie did ag drains all around my house and inside the subfloor in Sydney. Also had to underpin and repoint in spots with the foundation sitting on clay and not sandstone. Bone frick’n dry forever. Pumps are for pussies; power or pump goes out and you’re sitting in a puddle. Best way is to prevent the water from penetrating in the first place. You gotta position the ag drains at the rock layer so the water flows into the drains. Anything above will allow the water to flow around and under back into the house.

[@SilentStudioExplores]

I say dig a moat and build a drawbridge

[@SpoiledBadgerMilk]

Truly a medieval pro ho.

[@michaela1655]

Beat me to the punch! The soil removed to build the moat is then used to build a dike. Or you could just pick the whole building up another 6 feet to get above that flood plane.

[@mclt8883]

Silent : I like your thinking ...lol

[@Usonian7]

Second! 👨🏻‍⚖️

[@CristianoNogueiraBushcraft]

Think that'll be the next 20-part séries!

[@HunterTN]

Really enjoying the DIY Cozy Houseboat series.

[@WhiteBreadThunder-op6in]

😂😂😂

[@elaczi]

Thanks for bringing us along. You could have easily hidden this, but the transparency is appreciated. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. I know it’s a bad situation, and I’m sure you must be stressed. Praying for ya, Cody.

[@D2O2]

Never let a good disaster go-to waste. Content is content....

[@darrenivey1452]

Chiming in late here, but I've built 30+ houses with crawl spaces, and it's critical to ensure that the grade inside the crawl space is higher than the exterior grade. The detail we use is masonry block 32" high, with the first 8" course of block backfilled inside the crawl space. I always keep the final grade on the outside 4" lower than the grade inside, and this eliminates the ground water issue. Sump pumps, gutters, and french drains help, but they don't work without some maintenance.

[@TribalLady12]

I don't understand how the inside grade can be higher than the outside & be buried... I can't picture that?

[@dl1662]

This video is giving horrible flashbacks. My contractor did the same thing and put a drain at level of the bottom of the foundation footer. He then backfilled the crawlspace with dirt so when the water came in, the crawl space was a knee deep slurry. Absolutely awful. I encapsulated and added three sump pumps that ran every 30 minutes year round for two years before I finally go my own equipment and added another deeper drain. Now my sump pumps only run in the winter. So I guess I have to go deeper yet again. I spent 15K on encapsulating, several thousand on sump pumps, and bought a tractor with a backhoe when all my contractor had to do was take an afternoon and dig a deeper trench.

[@deanmalkewich2366]

Excavate and install a weeping tile system around the perimeter, into a sump with a pump and alarm. If it works for 9 ft deep basements it’ll work for a crawl space.

[@PhoenixRising2040]

Depends on where the ground water level is at, there is a difference in ability in regards to putting a drain system in a desert compared to a mountain compared to a swamp, no drain tile system would keep up with groundwater in the center of the floor without 100% waterproofing under the crawlspace

[@setdown2]

Correct...he must know what the problem is "exactly" and know how it operates to come up with the fix...

[@thehunt3652]

This is the correct answer

[@ps-gq5km]

This is only the correct answer if power and backup power is acceptable.

[@thehunt3652]

⁠@@ps-gq5kmhe already showed he has plenty of power in previous videos. And some sump pumps have battery backup for when power goes out.

[@nofxcasey]

Another note. As advised to me by the pros, you do not want water moving underneath the foundation. it will slowly erode and weaken the base which is holding the foundation causing cracks and settling over time.

[@TomWebb-s3x]

Exactly agree 100% from a commercial waterproofer down here East Coast man with his kind of money and resources he should have built that cabin about 6 feet above is now because he wanted a basement underneath to walk into and have his little house thing prior video he showed because he’s below grade and it’s not gonna work and his situation now what I would do is do the drains but also dig all around that concrete wall and I would put waterproofing material a product called Tremco. It’s below Grade, rubberized product along with a mesh and plastic backer board and it works great in Miami and other places for parking garage that are below sea level

[@choosetherightify]

As a fellow proho with an excavator (Kubota KX-161-3), let me tell you about a little experience I had once while clearing a neighbor's field of blackberries.... I was doing nothing out of the ordinary when one of the hoses, right at the point where the stick bends off the cab, burst. It happened to be the most exposed hose, and fortunately, I had the cab window closed because it sprayed hot hydraulic oil all over the cab window. Had it been open, I'd be dealing with the after-affects still. I don't open that window for any reason anymore. I'm not sure why there is no shield between the operator and the hoses, but there should be. It could have been a very bad day/year.

[@c6q3a24]

Consider covering those lines in an abrasion resistant sleeve. This can protect the line from abrasion and UV, and minimize the harm if and when a line does fail.

[@MrLandslide84]

Hoses wear out, definitely an inspection item. Great point on the door since most people don't think of that happening. Me included. (Anyone else see the garbage truck video on YT? fire and all)

[@Lucysdad66]

You are a weekend operator real operator's don't worry about the little stuff like hyd hoses

[@ThomasPerkinsWV]

Water issues can be a persistent problem, and while installing a sump pump is a step in the right direction, a permanent drainage system is the real solution. Based on personal experience, I recommend making a few key upgrades to ensure your system is effective and long-lasting. First, replace the black flexible culvert pipe with solid PVC pipe. The black pipe might be convenient initially, but it’s prone to crushing over time. PVC offers the durability you need for a reliable system. At the end of the pipe, consider adding a Y-joint to create two drainage outlets. This setup acts as a fail-safe, so if one side ever gets blocked, water can still flow through the other. Additionally, protect the pipe ends with a sturdy cover or grate. Something durable, like a concrete or steel plate, will keep the pipe from getting crushed or damaged by yardwork or heavy equipment. For a comprehensive fix, dig a drainage pipe that runs directly beneath the footer of your home and into the crawl space. This approach addresses the water problem at its source and prevents seepage into critical areas. Don’t forget to install a backflow preventer to keep water from reversing into your crawl space during heavy rains. Taking the time to implement these changes can save you from ongoing frustrations and provide a permanent solution to your water issues.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The cabin looks great

[@cjansson]

I think you are spot on regarding digging a trench and putting drain pipes on the other side/the high side, since it looks like the water is following the elevation thus you need to drain on the high side to prevent it going into the foundation in the first place. The trench you dug today, is useful for emptying the foundation but will not prevent getting into the foundation thus it will remain damp at the very best. You want to put trenches around the foundation on the high side to prevent it getting into the foundation in the first place.

[@karsonbranham3900]

Prett amazed at the amount of water, and the fact that your first drain install attempt isn’t working much at all. It does look like the new one will do the job!

[@audikid89]

Your problem is the road right next to the cabin. It’s elevated above the field and all the runoff goes down into the field. Your field is oversaturated. You can see how dark your dirt is. It’s been very wet and has not dried out in a long time. Unfortunately that area is not gonna be good to build. It is what it is as you’ve already built that cabin, but you should’ve built the dirt up higher than the road before even making the foundation your best bet is to run a ditch along the road, and then the trench down the side of the cabin perpendicular to the road to redirect runoff

[@wutafungi]

There is a ditch beside the road .... you must have missed the culvert episode ....

[@ianalderson5133]

4:50 no not where the house is. Needs to be on that side of the road between the cabin ​@@wutafungi

[@yukiohorie7]

I think you are right. The house might tilt in a few years. Water problems will never leave you.

[@wutafungi]

@yukiohorie7 do you know anything about construction ..?

[@yukiohorie7]

@@wutafungi Well not as much as you obviously. But then again let's ses. I really don't want to get into a debate with a person that doesn't even say his own name thank you.

[@ctadventurist]

I never comment on his channel but it amazes me someone who runs an excavator as much as he has can't understand the water table is high where he is located. No amount of drains will solve this problem. Raise the cabin up and pour a taller foundation or you'll be running sump pump all the time. I grew up in a home with a wet basement and those are the options. For those saying gutters and drain pipes, this is not the solution.

[@KC-rk1hx]

I was thinking water table. I’m about 99.9 percent sure that’s the issue

[@colink4710]

As someone who measures the water table in Idaho for work this surprises me. Water table peak is generally in July out west. He should have seen the high water earlier if that was the issue.

[@moslaf]

Yep, it's hard to see but I think they didn't infill the crawlspace floor after pouring the footings. So now the finished floor height is level with the bottom of the footings while the holes of the perf pipe are closer to the top of the footings. Combine that with the water table bringing water literally up from underneath the foundation, and it's no wonder the drain can't redirect it.

[@moslaf]

Either need to lower the whole drain, or infill the crawlspace floor with gravel to above the water table level.

[@moslaf]

Dig a separate hole a little ways away in the field. Unconnected to the other trenches. When you hit water, use the grade laser to measure the height compared to the water in the trench and the crawl space. If they are all at the same level, that shows it's probably the water table in the field.

[@paladinjme]

The question should be: How is the water getting there in the first place? Gutter/downspouts directing the water away from the foundation should be step 1. Waterstop between the footer and the poured wall apparently wasn't done...big mistake. French drain has to be at or below the footer and surrounded by gravel to be effective.

[@traditionalcampcraft]

Looks like run off from the major road that runs almost right beside this cabin Was just a poor choice for cabin placement

[@blackberrystorm25]

100% Gutter/Downspouts =problem solved.

[@stevenkruszynski922]

A few questions to consider: 1) What is the water table depth? 2) Does the water seep in from around the building? 3) Where does water from the roof go? 4) Have you water proofed the exterior of the foundation?

[@morrisjunction]

Thank goodness for Jeremiah, wish you had more able men around you

[@dommy114]

Jiraiya

[@pati8142]

All the crafts have a specialized skill, it’s hard to be a expert at everything, love watching your channel for this reason…

[@nofxcasey]

My house had a similar problem. The solution was to install a sump pump in the lowest point of the crawlspace. The sump pump sits in a basin that's lower than the surrounding crawlspace floor. Perforated pipes were laid around the crawlspace to collect water and direct it into the basin. In my case, I had a nearby storm drain that could handle the pumped water. You'll need to figure out a suitable way to discharge the water from your crawlspace, whether it's a storm drain, a dry well, or another method. Good luck!

[@AutoMotoTour]

not good solution, water is entering your crowlspace under your footings so you are constantly moving with water particles under your footings and they will settle down unequaly

[@nofxcasey]

@@AutoMotoTour would you recommend an exterior perf drain go in as well?

[@AutoMotoTour]

@@nofxcasey If your underground water level is high there are only two solutions, french drain as deep as posible around whole house, which will drop water level in whole area or fill crowl space with gravel, vapor barier and 4" concrete, vapor barier shloud be above water level

[@nofxcasey]

@@AutoMotoTour thanks. Vapor barrier is already there. I appreciate the reply

[@briansimkins9488]

Deep permanent concrete sump basin that everything drains to and an indicator that pump is working. You got this, God bless and stay safe.

[@wallyhall]

UK government is aiming for 2 new houses to be built built every minute. Yes. 120 an hour. In our tiny island. I bet 9/10 folk wouldn’t bother with this degree of attention to detail and care to “do it right” with that kind of pressure. I sure won’t be buying a brand new house any time soon. Deep respect to you for putting in the graft!

[@destroyerkuroshiokai]

French drains specs around here call for 2B "clean" stone to allow water to flow readily through. With as much rain as you get I'd consider wrapping the drain around the cabin to isolate the footing from the ground water in any direction. Cheap insurance. We damp proof the walls too, but that doesnt help much if you have standing water against the wall. Glad you found this out before anything was placed in the crawl space that would have cost $$$ to replace. Its an honest man that shows when things dont work out.

[@metallitech]

So the stone joined the 2B Movement?

[@danielalamo2075]

This brings back memories of my parents wine/root cellar. Dad kept (still does) a pump down there. The water table was really high. My dad and uncle had drains put in the fields to lower the water table and help the crops grow better. I'm not sure why, but the last few years he's having trouble again.

[@thebullgator]

Using Underseal Underslab Membrane is a great way to eliminate this issue. It forms a mechanical bond to the underside of the concrete and exterior beam and turns the foundation into a boat. Gravel and exterior drain tile as a back up and you are golden.

[@jimmycarter3498]

I'd go twice that deep

[@JohnDoe-cd6ro]

Yep. Just to be safe and sure. Might as well if you're already doing it.

[@LuciferMorningstar-wk8qu]

Thats what she said

[@tomray4139]

In Minnesota, we install drainage system next to the foundation and skim coat sealant on the outside of the concrete wall. Even then, standing water will seep in through the concrete. Landscape away from the home and install gutters.

[@jeffhuntley2921]

My father is a smart man. His first gift when I bought my first house was a sump pump. Used it for 20 years now

[@David-e1b3t]

It's interesting how small details were so important, in hindsight.

[@nathanboyer6011]

Your grade needs to fall away from foundation, with no gutter system and no where for water to run it’s going to be an ongoing problem, this guy is something else

[@riverrockranger812]

He is a dumbass

[@akmarksman]

He's either a boomer or gen-x..you can't tell them anything that'll stick.

[@removechan10298]

37 seconds in and my heart is already warm

[@briarus1000]

my family in Minn. have these same issues. the clay doesn't let the water drain away and pushes the water up and out of the ground when there is a lot of water. the sump pumps go below the basement level and pump water out. also a nice place to drain the basement shower.

[@whosoever316]

Question - is cold climate a factor in this situation? Where I am from we always need things buried below the frost line to prevent freezing. Learning as I watch & read the comments. Thanks!

[@Melkizidor]

I'm a recent transplant in Corpus Christi, tx. I used to live in the valley in Oregon. I currently live in my car while attending a trade school for HVACR. Seeing you turn on the heat made me wonder how cold it was that morning. Today it hit 50. Normally I wouldn't have thought that was cold, but that was after I sort of got used to to 90+ F heat.

[@jimh472]

Keep the faith and stay in school. HVAC folks never run out of work.

[@MarkJones-sk6vk]

I lived in my car on the beach there for a few yrs.

[@Dustindoesitall]

Wish you all the best buddy hang in there and get your education and in 10 years if the world is still here, stop back by here and let us know where you're at

[@cmeeoutdoors7556]

Was in your shoes 20 years ago. Two trash bags of clothes, a Ford Ranger, and my then girlfriend now wife figured out how to get me into HVAC trade school. It has opened so many doors for me. Study hard and get certified. If you're willing to work hard and go, you'll be on your feet in no time. God bless

[@raedunnit8623]

Sorry! Don't get discouraged. I will pray that God will give you his joy to the fullest and then if nothing else...you can sing while you work. It's too cold to have to do this but I will pray it will go by fast and maybe He will send you some helpers. Wishing You Blessings Brother !

[@graciegolden2290]

Like your humor and your channel. Bummer on that flooding. You'll figure it out.

[@Goolio2020]

Great video! Love the first person footage from the operator's view. Best of luck with the project. You're channel is second to none

[@josephpadula2283]

I live in the same county as he does . Most of us would kill for Any water table problems as we mostly dry farm winter wheat . There is not enough rain to grow anything else if you do not have a well And the Water Rights to use it !

[@mcslaughter88]

Glad you shared this! Very interesting to see how to remedy the issue using gravity/slope.

[@firebpm4977]

I live in Massachusetts on the ocean, where our house is 58 feet above sea level, and I get constant water under my foundation from December to May. From January to March, my sump pump kicks on every 3 minutes! I have a spare completely hooked up and ready to go in the hole as soon as this one dies, and I have a high water alarm in the sump hole so when it DOES stop working, I have about 12 inches of time to swap the pumps! French drains are great, as long as the water table isn't where the French drain needs to go! I noticed you have a color demarcation line on the foundation that looks about 12 inches down from the window. Was it possible that the water rose to that level ? Keep on bringing the content! 16 years !!! you sir have managed the times well!

[@iqvoice]

If your sump kicks on every 3 minutes, you might have a crack in the outside line. You pump water out and the same water comes right back in. You should consider a dye test.

[@firebpm4977]

@@iqvoice it only happens when the water table rises enough to fill the sump hole... its been bone dry since April of last year, and once the drought here ends, It will take a month but then it wil come up for the winter, then go back down in the summer... Been in the house for 12 years and I can almost set my clock to it LOL

[@SilentStudioExplores]

I'm from MA and live on an island off the coast of the North shore! Nice to meet you!

[@firebpm4977]

@@SilentStudioExplores swamscott?

[@SilentStudioExplores]

@@firebpm4977 rockport area! Practically neighbors

[@PurpleFinchFarm]

Sea level rise. Gretta told me so. That's why the water keeps getting higher in you're crawl space.

[@SheepleHunter77]

We love you Sir! Hello to all the other "Beloved's"!

[@olsonkyle12]

Its the high water table. You'll need the perf pipe within the actual crawl space (below grade ideally) and then daylight it out under the foundation drain (assuming you put a foundation low point drain in).

[@KuzConstrution]

I would definitely say I like the idea of putting drain rock on the sides with a perforated pipe but I would wrap the rock and pipe in a permeable fabric because overtime the dirt will settle in the pipe and in the rock and just stop the drainage

[@clydeacor1911]

Hind sight is always 20/20 but that property looks like it sits low and is always wet, probably should've hauled pit run in and built the pad up but with what you have to work with now I'd put those drains in as deep as you can especially since they're going to be farther away from the foundation. If you have 2 feet of fall I'd go 12-18 inches deep, 6 inches of fall for 150 feet should be enough.

[@wallyhall]

Automatic sump pump (or alarm) and make sure anything you store down there is 4 inches off the ground - redundancy ftw!

[@25cmslak]

Place a barrier over the drainage layer in the crawl space. Install ventilation that remains open during the winter but closed in the summer. This summer, we completed approximately 120 meters of French drainage around a house and received a tip from a relative who works with re-draining old houses. According to them, you should only lay the geotextile fabric on top, not wrap it like a burrito. This person claims that the fabric will no longer allow water to pass through after 20-30 years or will do so much less effectively. We also saw evidence of this at the end of our old drainage system, where the fabric might as well have been a vapor barrier plastic. It’s interesting to hear your opinion on this. I am a man who values order and regulations-construction standards take precedence over wise old men. However, in this case, it was a relative on my wife’s side...

[@kandylandfarms9898]

Cody, not knowing your soil type out west but leaving a ditch open in Most any where in Ohio with wet (muddy) walls and flowing water the side ussaly fall in. Also I would look at getting washed river gravel to cover the pipe and put straw over the gravel toss the faberic in the trash can I put in a drain line beside my cattle barn US soil and water that helped disign the barn said I had to put faberic over or use the sock type tile and use lime stone ot cover it it worked for about a month. I built the barn in 2018 I need to did it up and do it my way which is the way I told you. River gravel under and over the pipe if it is really fine soils you can put straw over it. I have put in thousands of feet of farm field tile.

[@shilohsshorts-militarymaca6985]

French drain under the middle of house #1. Slope grade under house to the French drain. All Solid pipe drain lines out side of foundation to a deep leach field full of gravel. You don’t want to encourage water to drain under the footings then your house will settled because the compaction is being compromised. You will have to dry it over time. I’ve done this many times on raised foundation builds. Hope this helps.

[@stewartstewart2693]

Mound builders along time ago , built up there site before building on there flat planned area. My heart feels for you right now. Gutters and concrete around your whole cabin. Add a ditch towards the greatest slope from the cabin . Then plan fruit trees or anything that grows well in your area along both sides of the ditch. I my humble opinion

[@scottmcintosh2988]

They always made us place perimeter drains inside and outside so all we had to do was to knock a hole in the basement floor you may have to dig under the footing to pipe it out via gravity no electric pump needed like you are aiming for ! Prayers !!!!

[@ps-gq5km]

You want to keep your water as far away from your foundation as possibly to stop moisture transfer to your crawlspace, That goes for depth as well as horizontal location. You don't want a river 6" under yours slab. Find out what your max drop off is, and dig your drain trench to that depth +4 or 5% (Minimum requirement is 2%). That will ensure you have good flow away and as much dry soil under your slab as possible. (Obviously after a certain depth, it does get ridiculous, so that's discretionary, but I would be really happy if I could keep the river 3.5 ft under my slab and I had good vapor barrier. If the end of the drain doesn't drop off drastically, a french drain (Gravel pit/field) at the end should be built. I'm just a Carpenter though, not an engineer..

[@theturfking5290]

All part of the DIY process! Live and learn

[@janebayley4800]

If I might make a suggestion, let the water make your levels right when the water runs away. You've got the right grade❤

[@MrF4tty]

Might be better to just lift the whole building now. Build up the elevation and foundation so that the problem is fixed the correct and permanent way. Less stress in the future. Either way, good luck!

[@thomasszyszka3223]

No hate just wondering. Why did they only do concrete foundation on the sides and not as the floor? If the entire crawlspace including the walls and floor were concrete wouldn’t it keep out all water. Or is that improper building technique? Thanks!

[@Majuscule2012]

9:42 True! I never leave the cab of my haul truck.

[@diftoyota]

As an operator, it bugged me to see you guys digging without clearing the water first, dig the other end first so the water can drain/run out first, wen you are dealing with water, you want to work dry as possible Unblocking the other end wouldve gotten the water somewhat out of there and keep your material dryer as possible, so you can maybe reuse it if need be, if it be me, go 6” lower than the footing, all around the cabin, lay 2-3” of drain rock, lay your pipes and fill to the top with drain rock, it will catch any water that way around the building, its costly a bit but cheaper than water damage in the cabin 👍 Its never easy to work with water, you will get it

[@Blakep7704]

Dig a hole under the footing to drain the crawlspace, run 3" pipe through tying into the footing perf pipe. Add backwater valve inside the crawlspace to meet code. There should have been a sleeve pour into the footing to take care of all this before this point. Shouldn't need a sump if you daylight your pipe out down the hill. Could add rock in the crawl to mee the top of footing to help balance the water hydraulics to ensure perimeter perf pipe is below water level. Good luck!

[@BattleChemist]

Crazy that the drain on grade isn't draining that and you need the deeper french drain.... but if it works, it's not stupid.

[@zo1574]

An East Coast man would come give you a hand and help you out. I hope it works out well for you. PRAYERS 👊🏻

[@danielpeddie5532]

I did a French drainover 20 years ago in my yard. Waterproofed the outside then 6 in perforated with a white cloth and crushed gravel. All the way to the top. Never ever had standing water.

[@amochswohntet99]

ohh I see, I didn't even know that footing drains were even a thing until you mentioned it and I looked them up, and I see now that it's just a matter of clearing the drain, and it's built into the gravel under the foundation so it'll drain out pretty easily. Well that's a relief 😅 and I learned something. My grandfather built a spec house on a hillside for which building codes, I think, required there be a substantial French drain behind the retaining wall, so I was only familiar with those before these couple of videos.

[@kj3n569]

Digging a French drain around the perimeter will probably stop water intrusion from the surface, but you may still get water from beneath. If the land is saturated it may "wick up" through the soil. The temperature differential between outside vs inside could cause this, I'm not sure. Seems the safe bet is digging a sump in the crawlspace to prevent this from happening. Good luck!

[@user-zw1xs8qw9y]

agree. pair a fenestrated pipe next to the solid pvc pipe

[@roughlandings]

Boy I wish you luck on this, looks like a mess. We just put up a building and with all buildings we erect, I hauled in 18-24" dirt for the pad to make sure we had good drainage. Amazing how dirt fills in around buildings over the years and the grade is reversed.

[@buffydog21]

Here in the Midwest, we have to dive below the freeze line, which is almost 4 feet.

[@mytruckownsit]

Might be worth waiting until spring summer to finish. Let it all drain naturally first then worry about sub mesh and drainage filtration.

[@Sailor376also]

If I might suggest,, "Put another inch in." No,, Put another foot in. Ground water can be defeated, but no half measures. Another inch can be defeated by a heavy drizzle. Your final trench looked good.

[@bottlebrush]

PNW looking beautiful. Same weather in Eastern Australia right now

[@cjorg16]

We had a water problem in our crawl space at our house. Natural spring next door and up hill. Problem was not solved until we had put a French Drain around the entire perimeter of the house that drained lower. It worked well.

[@dirtdigger9000]

West cost man here, your laser is ancient!

[@anewamericaallnewagain6089]

Maybe some gutters & spouts to help catch all the roof water . Maybe some catch barrels for garden water? Good luck. I'll be following along.

[@emeralddrgn4]

Looks like groundwater. Gutters will not help.

[@anewamericaallnewagain6089]

Maybe not, but it sure won't hurt. Leech beds? Raise up ground for better drainage?

[@hamanncheese]

Mike Holmes collaboration video! You're welcome.

[@robertbennett6697]

There are certainly times, when the Professional Home Owner in you, undeniably, shines through.

[@dirtdigger9000]

Every operator I work with started in the hole. And they were the best hand for a couple years at least some more. None are lazy. Boss says it perfect… if you want to operate, you’re gonna labor too.

[@obyvatel]

The road appears to have been built up above the level of the prairie, and that's probably what should have been done with the cabin. The whole thing should be sitting on a big pile of rocks. The current problem is water, but what will happen when there's a drought? Will the foundation shift and crack? If you dig all around the cabin the water will just fill up the dug area because you will have made that the low point. Where is the natural lowest point in the area? It looks very flat. Any further trenching will draw water from everywhere the trench goes through. If you try to draw the water towards a basin that you dig, when it's an especially wet period the water will stop draining.

[@donmonroe5642]

I would put a Drain all around the House like East Cost Man said too ! I put a Drain all around my Home , it’s on a heal ! Just good drainage !

[@TimothyAdams-ln2jr]

I would suggest a vertical drain either under the low corner or a couple in the crawl space with a sloped drain line going to a drop tank

[@pughconsulting]

Well, ProHo can't lay in that water while sniping kneecaps for very long, so this is a troubling issue.

[@DeminicusSCA]

the pressure that put water in the space was the height in water column to the surface, this is going to be much, much,h more force than, it draining out to the tile. So just because it's not draining, does not mean that once you get your tile fixed it will flood again , you can cant have water stacking up around the footer

[@musky629]

What’s going to happen when you flood the fields with the irrigation water ? Will it back feed the day lighted drains ? Water level’s equals it self does it not? Or is this not next to where you irrigate .

[@carlzirk]

Definitely add a sump pump. The water might not drain with freezing conditions.

[@nellermann]

amazing to me that is all the lower you go in your area for footers and foundations.

[@andrewmills2136]

Looks like you are also below grade of the road? What about a curtain drain as well just between your house and road?

[@Nick-gi6ym]

I believe you should dig all around the cabin deep you have the equipment. I mean at least 50 feet all around replace that beautiful soil with sugar sand or pool sand then the water will go with the flow of pitch. Recover the top soil with loam only about six inches now water will go with the grade. Dig down til the bottom of foundation.

[@maxmajoros8917]

I'd for sure install some gutters & downspouts sir. Makes such a difference.

[@CplcDesbiens]

Here in Canada we install French drains all around our houses at the level of the foundation base (a 6 feet deep trench with a pipe all around the house and the pipe then brings water away). Also add a sump pump to pump away any water coming in. And finally add a secondary electric power solution for that pump in case there is no electricity. So in conclusion, yes to it all around the house. Do it once and be fine for the next 20 years. Good luck with this.

[@kylewilson8750]

Old Cody never afraid to eat a piece of humble pie got to respect it

[@79mini]

Living somewhere that can easily get 8 inches of rain in 2 hours. Proper French drain fully encompassing the structure is always a win. I'd over build it, 12 inches seems to be the trick. But maybe go one better and install a drain inside the footing directly in each corner, to the French drain eliminating the need for a sump.

[@ericksoncraig2519]

Add rain gutters and divert them away. Also when you built the cabin maybe you didnt want to do it but you could have brought in back fill and built the csbin on a mound 2 + feet higher than the surrounding area and had a nice long slope away from the cabin.

[@ZipKickGo]

If you get the inclination to drill holes in your sump basin, avoid drilling too many holes, 4 is good. In downpours it will help transfer groundwater surges into the basin faster than the weeper draining into the basin but too many holes will have it constantly filling and it will begin drying soil below the foundation which will leave voids and cause foundation settling. If your weeper is day lighting and not connected to the sump, it may not turn on ever.

[@donaldmatthies6026]

Cody, Everybody seems to have the answers. I'm just curious if I'm the only one thinking about possible mold in the crawl space, get fans in there and some sort of cleaner to take care of the mold for long term.

[@kyebo1776]

You will need a way to keep crawl dry. Mold will start. Probably a dehumidifier or put a vent down there from your ac. Personally, my next place will be on a slab.

[@greggoldman893]

No waterproofing, and open floor. Saturation from field will continue until remediation. It may want to float away, but sealing it is necessary in addition to grade work.

[@BvictoryforChrist]

Eager to see the end results. Keep us posted

[@brycebergren1367]

Seems like it’s just a high water table, I would dig a French drain around cabin

[@garysnotsowildadventures3045]

What is your water table depth in that area of your property this time of year?

[@zx900steve]

You need a " dry well" far away from the cabin that's below the footer level to give the water a place to run to and fill up away from the cabin. Good luck!

[@kyleh2007]

You need to pour a slab in the crawls space with drain tile(under the slab) around the perimeter of the inside of the crawl space going into a sump pit. This is standard practice for houses we build at lake level.

[@kyleh2007]

To think you are going to be able to drain the level of the ground water with a footer drain seems like a crazy idea to me.