ᐅ Drainage Around the House – Yes or No? Your Opinions and Experiences.
Created on: 31 Mar 2022 10:42
I
iiiTobiHello everyone,
We are currently building a house, and soon the connection to the stormwater drainage system and the exterior landscaping will take place.
We are trying to determine whether we need a drainage system or if we can do without one. Is there a real risk in new construction if you skip drainage? Maybe you could share your perspectives.
Information:
- We want to pave level with the house. (No step at the front door and no step from the garage into the house.)
- The civil engineer advised against installing a drainage system because the groundwater level is very low and he sees no risk to the house.
- We do not have a basement.
- About half of the houses in the neighborhood have drainage systems.
- The house’s finished floor level is 45cm (18 inches) higher than the street. (Distance 7m (23 feet))
- For purely aesthetic reasons, we would prefer not to have a gravel strip.
- The cost for the drainage system including maintenance shafts is about 3,000 Euros.
- We are building in the suburban area around Hamburg.
Thank you!
We are currently building a house, and soon the connection to the stormwater drainage system and the exterior landscaping will take place.
We are trying to determine whether we need a drainage system or if we can do without one. Is there a real risk in new construction if you skip drainage? Maybe you could share your perspectives.
Information:
- We want to pave level with the house. (No step at the front door and no step from the garage into the house.)
- The civil engineer advised against installing a drainage system because the groundwater level is very low and he sees no risk to the house.
- We do not have a basement.
- About half of the houses in the neighborhood have drainage systems.
- The house’s finished floor level is 45cm (18 inches) higher than the street. (Distance 7m (23 feet))
- For purely aesthetic reasons, we would prefer not to have a gravel strip.
- The cost for the drainage system including maintenance shafts is about 3,000 Euros.
- We are building in the suburban area around Hamburg.
Thank you!
Well, whether you can really build without drainage depends not only on the groundwater level but especially on the infiltration capacity of the natural soil. This should be included in the geotechnical report, along with a recommendation regarding drainage.
With the heavy rainfalls in recent summers, water tends to accumulate at least a few centimeters in the lower areas of a plot, even with sandy soils.
And even if there is no drainage recommendation, with a truly level ground and paved surfaces, a heavy rainstorm like those in recent summers will cause water to pool inside the house. So, at least in front of the openings, I would definitely install a channel drain.
With the heavy rainfalls in recent summers, water tends to accumulate at least a few centimeters in the lower areas of a plot, even with sandy soils.
And even if there is no drainage recommendation, with a truly level ground and paved surfaces, a heavy rainstorm like those in recent summers will cause water to pool inside the house. So, at least in front of the openings, I would definitely install a channel drain.
KingJulien31 Mar 2022 11:10Tolentino schrieb:
During the heavy downpours in recent summers, water accumulates at least a few centimeters (inches) deep in the lower areas of a property, even with sandy soil. And that’s why it’s essential:
The ground should slope gently away from the house on all sides. The first one or two meters (yards) in front of doors can slope a bit more noticeably.
If the street is lower anyway, that makes it even easier.
W
WilderSueden31 Mar 2022 11:34How did you build the foundation? Only crushed stone or also coarse gravel? Where does the water go when it flows towards the house, could it accumulate under the building?
Similar topics