Found Major Water Intrusion Issues, Please Help!

[Thomas O'Donnell]

Good morning everyone. I woke up this morning to very hard rain and the sound of heavy pouring. I went outside and discovered that the downspout from my top roof to my lower roof not only hangs too far over the gutter, but the gutter also is not draining right. This is leading to a bunch of water pouring straight down at the corner of the foundation. I have negative grading in general on the sides of the duplex (yes I know negative grading is bad for water) and when I went into the basement, I saw puddles being made from holes at the very bottom of the foundation wall. Water was coming in from a few spots and making puddles in the basement. First question, I know my gutters are kind of old and crappy, should I have them replaced or repaired? Second question, how do you fix negative grading on the sides of your house when both sides are concrete walkways that slope towards the house? Third question, how expensive would it be to fix all of these things? I was going to add videos but it is not allowing me to.

[Anthony Dooley]

Yes, fix the gutters and fill in any low areas around the building in order to keep water from standing and force it away from the building. That should work and isn't very expensive. A french drain may be needed, but do the other things first and see what happens.

[Thomas O'Donnell]

Quote from @Anthony Dooley:

Yes, fix the gutters and fill in any low areas around the building in order to keep water from standing and force it away from the building. That should work and isn't very expensive. A french drain may be needed, but do the other things first and see what happens.

 If I have cement on the sides of the building, what do you recommend putting there to fill in the negative grading and make it positive? 

[Anthony Dooley]

Quote from @Thomas O'Donnell:

Quote from @Anthony Dooley:

Yes, fix the gutters and fill in any low areas around the building in order to keep water from standing and force it away from the building. That should work and isn't very expensive. A french drain may be needed, but do the other things first and see what happens.

 If I have cement on the sides of the building, what do you recommend putting there to fill in the negative grading and make it positive? 

More cement. If it's ugly, consider putting raised beds along the building as a landscaping feature. You could use Dry Lock water sealant too, but you have to eliminate water from standing there first and foremost. 

[Chris Seveney]

@Thomas O'Donnell

I would take a multi step approach. First fix all the gutters and have them drain away from house, if you have to get extensions to have them run further away from house do so.

If that does not solve it you can add a French drain around the house (even on other side of sidewalk) which could include gravel and a drain which again brings water away from house.

Those would be the first two steps I would take.

Also is your basement finished ?

[Thomas O'Donnell]

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Thomas O'Donnell

I would take a multi step approach. First fix all the gutters and have them drain away from house, if you have to get extensions to have them run further away from house do so.

If that does not solve it you can add a French drain around the house (even on other side of sidewalk) which could include gravel and a drain which again brings water away from house.

Those would be the first two steps I would take.

Also is your basement finished ?

 So the neighbors house is right next to mine. Our walkways have like 2 inches of dirt between eachother. Also, this is an unfinished basement. 

[Brett G.]

@Thomas O'Donnell

Definitely fix the gutters and downspouts.

Mudjack the walkways to raise the side next to the house. Then seal all cracks in the sidewalk and along the house.