Solving a Homeowner’s Water Problem
Constant basement flooding and an overworked sump pump every heavy storm. We solved it at the source, regrading the lot and building rock terraces to pull water away from the house.
Homeownership comes with plenty of challenges, and one of the most stressful is flooding. That is exactly what this client was dealing with, basement flooding and an overworked sump pump every heavy storm. They had been treating the symptom for years. We went after the cause.
The problem
The lot sloped toward the house instead of away from it. The grade behind the home pushed runoff straight at the foundation, and during heavy storms there was nowhere for the water to go but down into the basement. The sump pump was running constantly and still losing the fight.
What we did
We re-shaped the grade behind and beside the house so water moves out and away instead of toward the foundation. To hold the new grade in place on the uphill side, we built rock terraces and short retaining walls that double as a clean landscape feature. New swales and surface drainage carry the runoff out to a discharge point well clear of the house.
The sump pump is still there as a backup, but it is no longer the first line of defense.
How it held up
Since we finished, the homeowners have been through multiple heavy rainstorms with no flooding and almost no sump-pump cycles. The basement stays dry, the yard handles the water the way it always should have, and the family stopped dreading the forecast.
Working on something like this? Call us at 719-649-1030 or send a quote request, we’ll talk you through the spec.