My house is a two story Arts and Crafts 90 + years old (that might be part of the problem!). The basement is almost a walk out. It faces South, and there are 4 steps up to the back driveway. It is mostly protected by the 2nd story roof overhang – mostly. The steps are cement, so obviously someone has done some work at some point. However, the “landing” is brick and it is crumbling badly. It clearly needs to be replaced.
And here is the rub, the landing area has no drain. If I use cement to create a landing, I am afraid that I will be encouraging water to come in the basement. I am thinking I have two options:
Option 1, replace the crumbling brick with new brick. This is the easiest repair, but it won’t look quite as finished as I would like. I could use cement bricks to forestall the next round of crumbling, but it doesn’t really address the lack of any kind of drain, it just means the water continues to flow into the ground around the bricks. On the other hand, that’s likely what was happening for 90 + years and the foundation hasn’t cracked or settled yet.
Option 2, pull the bricks, dig a hole (angled away form the house) as deep as I can go (maybe 3′ to 4′) and then fill the bottom with stones and plunk a piece of PVC down. Pour a new landing around the PVC. Cut the pipe and place a drain cover over it (not sure what that would look like or where I would get one, but don’t think that would be too tough). My concern is am I channeling too much water into a spot that will be under the existing stairs. Should I dig the whole deeper?
Moving is not an option since my wife really loves the old house and I’d really like to stay on her good side.
Thoughts??
Replies
I like the sound of your second option better, tear up whats there get it excavated ad some pvc piping in there so that you leave an avenue for water to exit away from the stairs totally(make a trenchand berry the pipe if you have to that leads to grade away from the stairs, preferably down hill some where) and talk with a masonary supplie yard and see what they recommend for a drain that will sit flush with the top of your new floor .... no matter what it may be made of.
Two thoughts on the drain. One, buy a shower floor drain. It's made to fit pvc pipe, and has a removeable screen thingie. HD and Lowes have several models available, for 2, 3 and 4" pipe. Two, go visit a pool supply store. They have a variety of drains that are designed to be cast into the concrete deck around pools. Not sure if they will have a round one, but they will have several linear types that could look good in your landing.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt