All Forum Posts by: Misael Herrera Granados

I would also add for the benefit of other readers that a sump pump doesn't solve the drainage issue. You want to remove the ability for water to seep in under the foundation. The sump pump is an expensive bandaid. Others in this thread have commented about focusing on gutters, proper downspouts, and building up dirt around your foundation.

@Misael Herrera Granados Don't sell it. Find out where the water is comming from, 9 out of 10 times it is unmanaged surface water. 

Check your gutters during heavy rain, they might be overflowing because they are full of leaves, clogged or otherwise damaged. Next check your downspouts. Stick a gardenhose in the extension and see where the water goes. Obviously you want it to not pool at the spot or even flow towards the house, you want to see a clear movement away from the house. Best practice is to connect all your downspouts to burried 4" PVC pipes and run them to a low spot in the front or back yard.

You can DIY this 

   We have finished basements in most of our properties, but they are also from the 1960s and have sump pumps, however we still get a damp spot once in a while and therefor use commercial carpt tile with an open back (not a rubber back) so the water can evaporate from the concrete. It is rated for indoor/outdoor use and designed to get wet. Obviosuly there is no pad underneeth, NEVER put carpet PAD in a basement!! It will hold water and never dry out.

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Misael Herrera Granados

Installing a sump pump may or may not work as typically under a slab you have stone and drainage pipe going to the sump pump around the basement perimeter

Make sure this works

Also it should not be $10k to install btw. That seems excessive.

I think you're right that a simple sump pit shouldn't cost anywhere near $10k, but that could be more in-line if they are doing a perimeter drain system cutting the slab all around the perimeter of the basement to bring water to a sump pit. 

I bought several houses with finished basements. All the ones with drywall/carpet got ripped out and left unfinished - it is just a disaster waiting to happen. The only finished basement I left alone was done with solid wood plank walls and vinyl floors. 

My leases state that "the lease does not guarantee dry basement". Take it or leave it. So far, no one has backed out of signing a lease because of it... And if there is water intrusion, I just point to the lease they signed, and advise them to go to their renter's insurance for anything they stored that got damaged by water. You don't have renter's insurance? That's on you, not me - my property insurance does not cover tenants' belongings.

Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

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Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Misael Herrera Granados

Is the water coming up through the floor or is it through the walls?

First you need to understand and analyze the situation. It’s rare for a home to not have a sump pump and then need one

Typically perimeter foundation drainage and grading (sloping towards house not away) are biggest issues with foundation leaks

Start with that and then determine cost.

Thank you for your reply!

 It is coming in through the cracks in the floor. The house is over 100 years old, and it has a stone foundation which is why it has no sump pump. However, over the 15 moths I've had the house, I have not had this much water seep into the basement before. I had a foundation repair company look at this and they recommended a sump pump. 

Nothing wrong with the house! A 100 year old house with a stone foundation was not meant to have a finished basement. So, the issue isn't the foundation, its whoever decided to finish the basement.

In addition, water coming up through the floor is normal unfortunately. A floor slab is poured after the foundation walls and there is often a seam at the perimeter at least plus concrete is porous so water will work its way through.

A sump pump and/or perimeter drain system sounds like it makes sense.

I don't know why you would think this is a reason to sell a house like this. This is a normal thing not even a "problem". The problem is that someone finished the basement when they should not have or at least should have taken some preparation steps and then finished it with the idea in mind that moisture could be an issue. Obviously, they did not since they used carpet.

 I appreciate and love that you point this out as not being a problem! Gives me hope that other investors are able to deal with this somehow. So do you think I should just keep the property, add the sump pump, and routinely waterproof the walls every few years? And if that's what I do, would I then un-finish the basement so that tenants are not trying to make it a living spot?

Its hard for me to give specific advice, but this would not be a reason for me to give up on a property at all. This is something I would expect in an older home like this.

There is a WIDE range of levels where you can finish a basement to. I would look back at home to how someone 75 years ago would have addressed the basement if they wanted to make more use out of it. Old timers had a lot of common sense:

They might parge and paint the walls and paint the floors. So, you have a semi-finished look without having any surface that is easily damaged by some water. Adding a sump pump or perimeter drainage to keep out standing water would also make sense.

I might also not have a finished basement at all and just install a sump pump. It depends on what a tenant in that market might expect.

Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Misael Herrera Granados

Is the water coming up through the floor or is it through the walls?

First you need to understand and analyze the situation. It’s rare for a home to not have a sump pump and then need one

Typically perimeter foundation drainage and grading (sloping towards house not away) are biggest issues with foundation leaks

Start with that and then determine cost.

Thank you for your reply!

 It is coming in through the cracks in the floor. The house is over 100 years old, and it has a stone foundation which is why it has no sump pump. However, over the 15 moths I've had the house, I have not had this much water seep into the basement before. I had a foundation repair company look at this and they recommended a sump pump. 

Nothing wrong with the house! A 100 year old house with a stone foundation was not meant to have a finished basement. So, the issue isn't the foundation, its whoever decided to finish the basement.

In addition, water coming up through the floor is normal unfortunately. A floor slab is poured after the foundation walls and there is often a seam at the perimeter at least plus concrete is porous so water will work its way through.

A sump pump and/or perimeter drain system sounds like it makes sense.

I don't know why you would think this is a reason to sell a house like this. This is a normal thing not even a "problem". The problem is that someone finished the basement when they should not have or at least should have taken some preparation steps and then finished it with the idea in mind that moisture could be an issue. Obviously, they did not since they used carpet.

Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

Quote from @Caleb Brown:

Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Misael Herrera Granados

Is the water coming up through the floor or is it through the walls?

First you need to understand and analyze the situation. It’s rare for a home to not have a sump pump and then need one

Typically perimeter foundation drainage and grading (sloping towards house not away) are biggest issues with foundation leaks

Start with that and then determine cost.

Thank you for your reply!

 It is coming in through the cracks in the floor. The house is over 100 years old, and it has a stone foundation which is why it has no sump pump. However, over the 15 moths I've had the house, I have not had this much water seep into the basement before. I had a foundation repair company look at this and they recommended a sump pump. 

 On those old homes I would never finish the basement because water is bound to get in. How much of the basement is finished?  Those stone foundations are solid but need sealed constantly. I would lean towards selling because there will be more repairs that pop up and you need to have the capital to fix issues that will come up.  Do you have any reserves left for this property? 

The basement is actually the only part of the house I haven't touched; it was already finished on the house when I purchased it. But then my question is, if every older house with a stone foundation will always have to be water seeping in, is just something that has to be constantly dealt with? How do other successful investors get away with renting older houses if this is always an issue? Sadly, I don't have any more reserves for this house, the cashflow was supposed to be how I would replenish that. 

 I rarely see stone foundation homes with finished basements. Most investors don't with water coming in. Stone foundation structurally are sound but not waterproof. Sump pump will help and every few years you reseal the walls. I'd probably sell with no reserves, to me it's not worth the stress or risk. Regroup and retry. Maybe wait till Spring time to see where the market is

Quote from @Misael Herrera Granados:

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Misael Herrera Granados

Is the water coming up through the floor or is it through the walls?

First you need to understand and analyze the situation. It’s rare for a home to not have a sump pump and then need one

Typically perimeter foundation drainage and grading (sloping towards house not away) are biggest issues with foundation leaks

Start with that and then determine cost.

Thank you for your reply!

 It is coming in through the cracks in the floor. The house is over 100 years old, and it has a stone foundation which is why it has no sump pump. However, over the 15 moths I've had the house, I have not had this much water seep into the basement before. I had a foundation repair company look at this and they recommended a sump pump. 

 On those old homes I would never finish the basement because water is bound to get in. How much of the basement is finished?  Those stone foundations are solid but need sealed constantly. I would lean towards selling because there will be more repairs that pop up and you need to have the capital to fix issues that will come up.  Do you have any reserves left for this property? 

@Misael Herrera Granados, I agree with @Chris Seveney.

This doesn't sound like a foundation issue. Foundations are not boats meant to be water tight. Most of the work to keep basements dry is done outside the foundation with drainage and grading.

If you have foundation cracks leaking water visibly that can be addressed with things like hydraulic cement, but concrete is porous and you still won't be keeping all water out.

I would look to address any issues I can outside with gutters, grading, drainage, etc and then inside with things like hydraulic cement, a sump pump, or perimeter basement drainage system.