[nnn78]

HI,
We got a brand new constrcution townhome .The day we moved in we found mold in the finished basement .Then after ripping the bseaborad we found water leakage in the wall ,floor joint on one side of the wall.The builder is working on fixing this.I lost my sleep over this.This is my whole life savings... How should I deal with this?The builder is assuring that he can fix this .Can this be fixed or is this a Constrcution defect?
I am first timehome buyer?what should I do?
Thanks
Nnn

[Shih-tzumama]

My husband is a rough frame carpenter. He builds houses like yours. I would say that the builder is responsible for fixing it. They don't have a choice. Sounds like something they can probably fix. They have companies that fix these kind of problems all the time. I would let them do it and if they can't fix it then I would contact an attorney to see what your state laws are on the matter. But more than likely they can fix it.

[ballengerb1]

It is common for the joint between the concrete wall and floor to not be 100% water proof but curtain drains and a sump pump are the usual cure. Is there a sump pump and is the soil pitched away from the foundation prperly? Check also to insure gutters and down spouts terminate a safe distance from the home. The builder will usually do a pretty good fix, ask for his warranty and guaranteee info in writing.

[BJKrukowski]

The builder should use some grout to seal the crack between the wall and floor. If you have not noticed any standing water plug in a dehumidifier that will take care of new mold. No don't loose any sleep a moldy basement can cause helth problem but small amounts are very common in the N.E.

Sump pumps are for large water infiltaration issues into your basement, necessary if the BSMT Finnish Floor is below the water table.

After a heavy rain do you see standing water in the BSMT?
This would be an issue to be more concerned with.

[ballengerb1]

Not sure what you meant when you said "Sump pumps are for large water infiltaration issues into your basement, necessary if the BSMT Finnish Floor is below the water table. " I live in Illinois and you can not build a basement below the water table. When there is rain the rain soaks down into the soil and will collect at the bottom of the foundation, the curtain drain catches this water and shots it to the sump. This is not watrer table water, you'd have seepage 24/7/365.

[nnn78]

Hi,
I have a sump pump and the builder says the basement is waterproofed with a plastic sheathing.
There is no standing water in the basement .The joints are wet .The 2*4 woods are wet.But it didn't get to the carpet .Its a 7 row townhome.But could this problem be fixed
Thanks
NNN

[ballengerb1]

Your builder may have thought you were water proof, obviously he is wrong. If the studs are wet you will get mold and/or mildew. Hopefully the floor plate was pressure treated lumber. Yes it can be fixed but it may require sealing the floor/wall seam with a flexible sealant or even trenching the outside drain tiles which appear to not be functioning correctly. Foundation water should be completely collected by the curtain drain, it is not.

[hkstroud]

Builder screwed up somewhere. Exterior foundation drain, Bobs curtain drain, obviously is not functioning properly for some reason.

You say you have a sump pump, I wonder is somebody forgot to put drainage pipe around interior of walls. I wouldn't accept sealing joint as a cure, it will eventually fail. Very difficult to seal joints from the inside. Cure will probably be to cut out some of the basement floor and see if drainage pipe was put in going to sump.

Yes, it can be fixed but will builder be willing to do it and do it right.

[nnn78]

Hi,
The site supevisor says that there is a drain pipe.Is water not coming from the joints He says that there must be some pin hole gap between there.This happens when it rains.The builder is hiring some subcontractors to fix this.Is this a humongous problem.
How to check that the drain pipe is working?
Where should the drain pipe be present?
How should I make sure that this is done right ?
Thanks
/NNN

[ballengerb1]

The drain pipe is not visible once a house is complete. The only spot to get a peek is on the wall of the sump pump pit. There should be a 4" pipe entering the pit on a side wall. Even if the curtain drain is present it is clearly not working. Pin hole or not the curtain should get all of the seepage. It is hard for the average homeowner to tell if the job is being done right, you already got one that wasn't. The only way to tell for sure is to allow the contractor to do what he knows and see if it fixes the problem. To cover yourself you might start following up all discussions with a written document that you each have a copy.

[nnn78]

I see pipe inside the sump pump.There is also water collected in sump pump
Is drain tile common for the townhomes in my row... Or is it just specific to my home.. I am in a interior unit... I thought it would be common for all the homes in my row...

[ballengerb1]

Usually a townhouse will have its own dedicated sump pump.

[nnn78]

Builder says that the pressure treated wood is releasing moisture and its not dried up completely .He brought few fans to dry up the wood and he said he would do the hose test
To test if water comes again.Two contractors came in and they are saying that the lumber is emitting the water and moisture and during construction time it would have absorbed water.The wood is releasing the water now?Does it seem logical.I can feel the water in my hand at the joints .

[ballengerb1]

They are totallly making this up. Pressure treated lumber is soaked to saturation and the chemical will slowing dry but is never so wet that it leaks or seeps water, and it isn't water that would come out either. You are getting smoke blown in your ear by some folks who think they can fool you. The sdeam between your floor and the poured wall is leaking ground water from heavy rains. The curtain tiles are not deep enough or are not properly pitched toward the sump pump. The correction is expensive and destructive to either the outside perimeter of the poured wall or to your basement floor. They are hoping you will get frustrated, I guess, and that you will go away. DON'T !

[nnn78]

He wants to dry up the wood and do a hose test .
If its not the lumber which would release water ,Will the hose test be enough to show the water leakage... how should we prove them that its not the lumber.Should I hire a inspector to prove them wrong?

[ballengerb1]

After seeing his last story he told you I'd tell them you are asking the health inspector and building inspector to look into your situation. They can not sell a house or townhouse, new, that has mold in it. This place should not have passed the final building inspection.

[nnn78]

I am not clear .Could the drain tile have failed in my home alone,or even the other townhomes as well.My neighnpurs didn't have this issue .when we went for presettlement we didn't find the mold,a week later when we moved we found the mold in the base board of the basement ,there were mold coming up on the baseboard and it was about a inch from the base.There are 60 town homes in my community and it looks this has just happened in my townhome.Lets take if I have a hevay rain shower and if the joints are not leaking Should I be convinced.Or is it like it might happen some time and not other time... He said that he would not put back the dry wall back until we are 100% sure .He is pretty sure that its not foundation crack .So if that's not the case he said we will check the drain tile next .

[hkstroud]

I'm with Bob. What you are being told is total B.S. A hose test will tell you nothing. You get more water in a 10 minute shower than you can get from a hose all day long. The "contractors" are probably just someone who works for the builder and will tell you what ever the builder says to tell you. The only pressure treated wood would be the one piece on the floor. Somebody screwed up, probably forgot to put the footer drain in. Tell them to get their machine and start digging. Make them water proof the outside wall again just for good measure.

Probably time to start making calls to local building authorities, builder is probably still under bond. Get your complaint in so building authorties won't release bond until you are satisfied. If you can tie up releasing his bond the builder will fix it.

[nnn78]

OK,
I wll ask the builder to check the drain tile and test to see if it works.IF he is just going to do a hose test .I will inform the authorities.I donno whom to contact for what ?
Let me do my R & D.This is mylife time savings and I don't have any contacts to dscuss this.. Thanks for all your input I will keep you posted,Just tell me this if its going to rain heavily ,and if there is no water in the joints ,can we be sure that there is no water leak or,Should I insist to check the drain pipe.
NNN

[ballengerb1]

Reread post #16. Call the heath inspector and the building inspector.