moist yard and drainage concerns

[frankbarba]

I am in the agonizing procedure of getting my house sold. It is 3.5yrs old. Everytime it rains, a 3ft area of yard just off the sidewalk, in the easement, becomes super saturated with water, and the water drains down the sidewalk. the area always stays moist and squishy. I have had two master plumbers tell me i have no leak, and it is an issue of the grade of land, and terrain. My buyer wants me to install a french drain to alleviate the problem, and this is unaccetable due to cost. he wants the builder to come out, and the city, and dig up the yard to find the problem. I still have warranty on my home, but am unsure whether it covers this. I am at a loss here. I need some help.

[John Aldrich1Participant]

sadscott, the first thing that must be determined is, whose responsibility it is to fix the problem. Is it the builder who provides the warranty? Is it the city responsibility because the wet spot is on the easement, or is it your responsibility? Certainly, any informed buyer is not going to purchase a pig in a poke, and with the real estate disclosure laws currently in force, all potential buyers must be informed of the problem.

Once responsibility is determined, the problem must be defined. Then the correct solution can be determined.

John Aldrich (Septic Tank Yank)
Septic System Consultant
Timnath, Colorado

[nicktheplumberParticipant]

If you have had two master plumbers testify that the problem is landscape drainage/grading, I would be inclined to believe them. It sounds as if you have a landscape drainage problem and not a “plumbing” problem.

I’d bet that you could fix the problem by regrading and/or installing a perimeter (e.g. French) drainage system. Expensive…yes. So, if you have a builder’s warrantee, you could ask the builder to correct the problem. In any case, the problem will have to be fixed.

NtP

[Author]

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