Took 6 weeks to get the foundation drains right on my last build

Honestly, I thought a French drain around the footer would be a one day job, but the soil here in Portland is pure clay and we hit a spring two feet down. Ended up having to dig wider, add a sump pit, and redo the gravel layer three times before the percolation test passed. Anybody else deal with a hidden water issue that doubled your timeline?

2 comments

2 Comments

william_taylor26d ago

Check the county soil survey maps before you break ground, they show hidden springs pretty often.

hannaht2926d ago

But aren't those maps sometimes decades old and the water table might have shifted since then, especially with all the new construction and drainage changes? Seems like relying on old data could give false confidence.