Has rain runied my foundation prep?

[oldiemotors]

The foundation guys completed their prep work and we were waiting for concrete. Got over two inches of rain and now my beam troughs are collapsing. Is this a total loss or can this be salvaged? The troughs/beams are (were) 12" wide and 24" deep.

I live about 60 miles South of Houston and the ground is usually hard gumbo. Right now it is soft clay.

 

[wssix99]

This is standard operating conditions for any foundation. It's not a total loss - it just needs to be cleaned up. Your contractor should have pumps and experience doing this.

Up here, where we need to dig deep foundations, you can even take a canoe ride in the troughs after a good rain!

Ultimately, you loose more material from the sides of the trenches, which means that more concrete or more fill will be needed for the job. That will drive up cost, but hopefully that won't be your problem!

 

[8man]

They need to clean out the beams. When building homes in Houston, we had this happen and that is what we did.

 

[saceone]

step 1- relax
step 2- install pump, pump water
step 3- drink cold beer
step 4 - repeat step 3 as long as step 2 isn't completed
step 5- repeat step 3 one last time while inspecting the job

 

[oldiemotors]

Ok, folks...thanks for the replies. Jumping to step 3.

 

[ms fowler]

One more thing. If possible, keep people from walking on the wet footing sub soil. If it is wet, and you remove the water, most likely everything will be fine. However, if people track up the wet soil and muck it up, someone needs to remove the disturbed mud beofre placing concrete. You could place the concrete right through the water, IF the soil was not disturbed. Concrete loves water, and cures best when submerged.

 

[oldiemotors]

Thanks again. The crew is supposed to be back onsite tomorrow. I'll see what they plan to do and how they plan to do it.

 

[Richard Cranium]

oldiemotors, Welcome to our group, It would be nice if you was to start a thread about your build.

 

[oldiemotors]

oldiemotors, Welcome to our group, It would be nice if you was to start a thread about your build.

I'll do that, thanks.

Ok, Started it. Here is a link