Flooding basement - what do you know about French Drains?

[Mindy Jensen]

My neighbor's basement is flooding after some pretty heavy rain over the past week. They have called a basement guy out, who would solve the problem by jackhammering up the cement floor in the basement, digging a trench and installing a French Drain that goes into a sump. Has anyone done this before? Did you have success? Do you know the benefits of interior vs. exterior french drains?

Thanks so much.

[Marcia Maynard]

We use french drains on the exterior at ground level and we tie our gutter downspouts into them. We grade our property away from the foundation as well. We have a dry basement. We did not need to dig up cement, put a french drain in at basement level, or require a sump pump. Is this the first time she's seen water in her basement? I would start by finding out the source of the water and it's point of entry. I would get more than one professional opinion and then compare all remedy options before doing as this basement contractor suggested. We live in the Pacific "NorthWet" and get lots of rain!