New Construction - Wet Basement
K K
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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ktj459
6 years agocpartist
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Cracked Foundation Walls - New Construction Walk-out Basement
Comments (6)Without pics or measurements it's impossible to give an accurate answer. Shrinkage cracks are standard. As it cures, concrete shrinks about 1/16" per ten feet. The mandatory government warranty programme Construction Performance Guidelines I work under say the following about poured concrete foundation wall cracks: "1.11 CONDITION CAST-IN-PLACE CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALL IS CRACKED Acceptable Performance/Condition Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage are acceptable; cracks in excess of 6 mm in width are not acceptable. Warranty One-Year Work and Materials Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage of materials caused by drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty. Action Walls with cracks exceeding the acceptable condition shall be repaired. Remarks Concrete walls naturally crack during curing due to shrinkage. Where lateral or vertical movement is evident, further investigation may be required. The colour and texture of a repaired area may not match the surrounding concrete"...See MoreBasement Walls and Floor Wet During New Construction
Comments (0)I am having a house built. The foundation was poured in March of 2018. I noticed that the basement walls and floor are wet in two areas for the past three weeks. The area did receive a good amount of rain over this period. The house has an exterior drainage system that drains by gravity to the back of the property into a drainage pipe that leads to the detention basin. The exterior basement walls had tar applied to them as well as a membrane to keep water out. There is also a sump pump in the basement that has not been turned on during the last three weeks. The builder turned the sump pump on and it shut off in 15 seconds because there was no water in the sump hole. The builder claims that once the gutter system and final grading is done (grading looked ok to me), the walls and floor will not get wet anymore and basement will be dry in all areas. The builder also stated that since the sump pump did not have to pump any water, this is proof the exterior drainage system is working. Once I close, the limited warranty for the basement only kicks in if there is water on the floor. I am not covered for wet (damp) walls or floor. My opinion is that the basement should be dry now because of all the basement waterproofing that was done regardless of the amount of rain. I think there is a problem with the exterior drainage system or cracks in the walls or floor that is letting moisture seep in. I also have noticed a hairline crack on the floor in another area of the basement. The gutter system and final grading will help the situation, but if there are periods of heavy rain in the future, I think this water problem will come back. The wet walls and floor now show a weakness in the water management system for the house. What should be my course of action? Am I paranoid? Should I take the builder's word?...See MoreNeed help designing new construction finished basement
Comments (10)Thanks, Sharon. Our budget is pretty small -- we are basically building on a shoestring here -- and I think we have done the best with what we can afford (but we're certainly not pros at this!). However, it is a full walkout on the side with the door, and the elevation on the front and rear slope down, like the sides on the house you show. The elevation drawings I included aren't up to date with the most recent grading plan. It's a little less conventional but fits our desire for a south facing long side of the house as well as the current elevation of the site. The reason we were trying to avoid the beam is because our foundation guy told me that we can't have a beam sitting over the door for structural reasons. We are doing a pre-cast (Superior) wall for the foundation....See Moremold in basement new construction
Comments (7)Some amount of mold and mildew should be expected on lumber in a stick-built home which is exposed to the weather throughout the rough framing. Once the home is "dried in" it's a matter of getting the moisture content of the framing to a level that won't support mold/mildew growth. Some builders accelerate the drying process with industrial type dehumidifiers. A home should be sufficiently dry to preclude mold and mildew growth on the drywall. The HVAC system should be operational before installing interior trim, hardwood flooring and cabinetry. I would not expect to see mold/mildew on any of those. Basements are problematic. First, water is an ingredient in mortar and concrete which cure over time and release moisture. Second, basements tend not to call for air conditioning and thus get no dehumidification unless a dedicated dehumidifier is installed as Worthy noted above. The mold and mildew on what appears from your photos to be a cabinet interior would be a concern to me....See MoreK K
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