hideous isn't even the word to describe this. When we moved in the house tested Radon positive & they installed a mitigation system. Though now I've taken a good look at this corner 7 tore out the DIY nightmare the PO me there are huge cracks in the floor & it seems that the area around the main drain stack is open to the ground under the slab. I suppose the radon fan is doing no good! Once I get it fixed up I'll have to re-test. I do want to do some DIY myself, but after all the half-a&&ed jobs they left me with, I want to make sure I do things right.

I just did a shower very much like yours with Kerdi for a local prep school here a few weeks ago. There's no need to fir out the walls at all. Just kerdi right over the block. I'm showing this last pic only because it shows the Kerdi drain. I wanted to take progress pics of this as I went, because I KNEW this would come up, but I forgot to, so there's my proof it's a Kerdi shower!! :-)

Anyone with any doubts about Superior Walls should use something else. I watched the setting of those for two houses before making my decision. The bolts installed when setting the panels hold the walls until the house floor structure is PROPERLY secured to the top of the walls. The basement floor slab keeps the walls from moving in at the bottom and if the builder chooses, the walls are secured to the slab to prevent outward movement for daylight basements. The backfill prevents outward movement at the bottom. Thinking things through from a technical perspective is helpful. Going on now with 12 years with my Superior Walls and am perfectly pleased. Concrete block probably comprises the majority of basement foundation construction and it is the poorest choice in my opinion. But that is not to say that it is a bad choice-- definitely not the best.

Best way to deal with something like this, if to allow the water to bypass the block and drain out under the slab. The water will percolate into the ground below the slab or find its way into the sump pump. We do this all the time and this method is approved by most engineers. The way this is done, on the problematic wall, you cut a narrow strip of the slab near the block wall 4' on center (strip to cut 3" x 8" big enough to install the pipe), drill a hole in the block and install a 3/4 PVC pipe with a 90-degree elbow and fill the cut portion of concrete with cement. If you handy enough it can be done DIY with a few tools you can rent for 1/2 day rental, if not you can hire a local masonry contractor and they can do that in one day. Here is a cross section so you get an idea. Filling with cement is not a good idea, you will not fill cinder block cells solid enough to prevent water seepage it will be a waste of time, money and too much work. If you have a cracked concrete wall the repair can be done by installing injector ports and the crack can be filled solid using epoxy.