High Water Table

[cdd1]

Anyone out there live on a lot with a high water table?

I am considering a new build. A house is going up next door, and the homeowner (we've become acquaintances) mentioned that they were not able to pour the basement slab (they've done the footings and basement walls--and are now almost totally done with the house framing) because of the high water table.

I have looked for some documentation around the cons of buying a lot with a high water table, but haven't been able to find anything that seems authoritative.

Does anyone have experience with this or a link to articles about what to look out for?

Thanks.

 

[toplessHO]

state and FEMA has flood zone maps

find out what your elevation is and ask a local surveyor what the 100 yr flood elevation is.

 

[yeldogt]

We have had an enourmous about of rain the past 10 years in the Philadelphia area -- depending on the location and soil types water has become an issue.

Is it standing water? I had this one where the amount of rain made the soil too wet to properly prepare for the slab.

I would check -- if it really is a high water table -- you would have to be very careful about construction and draining.

 

[Nowater]

I used to live in Philadelphia, but no more.

Here in Florida, I dug a post hole in my backyard. Went to lunch. When I came back the hole was almost filled with water. That is a high water table.

 

[southalabama]

I'm with nowater. Dug a hole. Went to lunch. Came back and dropped the post in the hole and got splattered with water.

I've got about a two foot depth to hit the water table on parts of the land. Fortunately we don't have the freeze issues.

Perhaps someone else can help. Perhaps french drains and build on a bed of rocks. That's the way we do it here. But then again it seldom freezes.

 

[Milton Shaw]

I know its depends on how much rain you have and so it varies and may show dry sometimes and wet another. My wife's uncle in Ohio could not be buried because the grave was half full of water after being pumped for 24 hours straight. Concrete vault for ballast to keep the casket in the ground when it quit raining there. Cremation would have been easier. Like others said I would be concerned about footings and freeze damage from water under construction areas.

 

[PT Doc]

so did the neighbor ever pour the basement or does he have a swimming pool there?

 

[Iroc-Z]

Honestly I would avoid a lot in an area of high water table. My lot has a high water table and causes basement flooding on a regular basis. I am going to be tearing up the floor and installing more drain tile in the basement floor this summer. When building my shop I had to bring in many many truck loads of dirt to raise up the shop ground level 3 feet to make the footings work.

 

[Red89gt]

Moved into my girlfriends house just before we got married. Sump pump runs year round. Burn a Zohler pump out about every 1-2 years. Keep a spare and replacement parts on shelf. I hate it. Next house will be above neighbors as well.

 

[yeldogt]

We build basements in Philadelphia -- this is not a slab on grade.

 

[cdd1]

Thanks for your replies. Let me clarify a few things. Yes, new home will have full basement (9 foot ceiling in basement)

I actually currently live across the street (maybe 50 yards as the crow flies) from the new build. The new homesite in question is not in a flood plain. I know this because my current home's front yard is in a flood plain, and this homesite is slightly higher than my current house and farther away from the stream which is the epicenter for any flooding issues.

In my current house (1940 home with a stone foundation with full basement), we have a sump pump and a dehumidifier. The sump pump runs on occasion, but we don't have any issues with it. The dehumidifier runs pretty constantly in the spring/summer and just dumps the atmospheric humidity into the sump pump well. I would say that we don't have many issues with water intrusion.

Is it possible the water table is higher across the street? I don't know. So if the water table won't typically change (or won't get 'worse' the further away from the low point you are) then I would think we'd be fine.

But before I sign, I wanted to check here.

 

[cdd1]

We have had an enourmous about of rain the past 10 years in the Philadelphia area -- depending on the location and soil types water has become an issue.

Is it standing water? I had this one where the amount of rain made the soil too wet to properly prepare for the slab.

I would check -- if it really is a high water table -- you would have to be very careful about construction and draining.

Yes, the builder is draining the basement area water into a separate holding pool. They said that they need to wait until the area dries before they can pour the slab.

From what I've been able to tell, pouring a slab is not generally a problem--you just need to wait until the site is a little less waterlogged.

My question (sorry if I'm stating the obvious) is whether or not there are any long term issues with owning a home on a plot that has a high water table. The builder seems to suggest that it's not, but I'd like to trust but verify.

 

[galute]

Our house is on a lot with a high water table. There is an old capped off well out by the fence. I can take the cap off and water will be right to the top most of the time. The only issue we have with it is algae grows on everything. The bricks on the house, the exterior shop walls,the garage doors, anything that don't move will turn green. Just have to pressure wash everything occasionally. Not a real problem, more of a pain in the ***.

 

[Bondo]

Yes, the builder is draining the basement area water into a separate holding pool. They said that they need to wait until the area dries before they can pour the slab.

From what I've been able to tell, pouring a slab is not generally a problem--you just need to wait until the site is a little less waterlogged.

My question (sorry if I'm stating the obvious) is whether or not there are any long term issues with owning a home on a plot that has a high water table. The builder seems to suggest that it's not, but I'd like to trust but verify.

Ayuh,.... That depends,....
If ya build yer cellar, 'n do all the right things,.... sealin' it up real good, 'n havin' the entire hole dug, Self drainin' to a lower point on the property,...
Nope, no real problem at all,...
So long as the ground water can drain through whatever drainage tile system ya use, Works,....

Is there a point on yer property that the drainage tile can daylight at, that's Lower than the sub-grade elevation of yer proposed cellar,..??

If there is no such point on the property to drain too,...
Yer gonna have to Pump all that ground water,....

 

[jjkrjh]

Be aware of any underground utilities. Our house is built in an area that has underground springs. When the house was built it had a septic system. Sewers came thru and we were forced to connect. The sewers pipe is laid in a gravel bed. Three houses up had a small spring in their front yard. When we went to connect at the tap the hole kept filling up with water to the top. It took two 2 1/2" trash pumps running to keep the hole dry.

The water level when it was at the top of the hole is a foot and a half above the basement floor level. By code the pipe has to be in a gravel bed. We eventually had to fill the whole run with blue clay to stop the water from getting to the house. 3 years later our footer drain has a lot more water running out than it had before. It would appear that the spring water has found it's way to the house.

Just something to think about, even though your building in a dry area.They might bring the water to you.