hello friends , I have a 2ft w x 2ft w x 8 in deep square hole in my basement floor which was left from the home construction so a Standup shower stall could be added later. It was originally open to the dirt under the slab. It has a 1-1/2 drain pipe coming in from the side. I poured some sacrete into this hole and painted it with Damdite sealer. After heavy rains this well fills with water and floods my basement. What is the correct way to seal this well and still later on add the shower stall above. Your professional help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Jerry:confused:

Some of this does not quite make sense. What did the hole do before you filled it up? How old is the hole/house?

Get back and maybe we can figure this out. But I need some more info please


Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

the house was built in 1993 , when the idiot poured the slab for the basement , he left a 2x2 hole in the slab for the shower stall to cover, now looking straight down on the slab you could see the dirt below. To the left was a 1-1/2 pvc drain coming in . I just poured a bag of sackcrete in this hole and finished with a trile, then it painted Damntite sealer. After every hard rain when the water goes under the slab it rises up in this well and floods my basement. I am sure that I will have to chip this out and put gravel in and a different kind of mix in the hole. Plus for the new mix , I think I will have to use some kind of bonding liquid to treat the sides of the slab sidewalls inside the well. What is recommended to fix this problem . And thank you for your Reply

I think that "idiot" actually left you an oversized tub dap out so you could set atub trap. A shower drain would be 2", tubs are 1 1/2". Do you neeed/want to install a tub or do you just want to fill the hole and stop the flooding?

Since you have a 1 1/2 tub drain and not a shower drain and apparently you don't want neither. I would try and find where the 1 1/2 drain goes to. The reason is if you could separate that 1 1/2 line from the main sewer line use the 1 1/2 line to drain the water under the slab in the spot.

I know this suggestion is a way out there of the outside chance that you can isolate that line run. You don't want to send the basement flood water to the drain field or public sewer. Pretty much a code No

Just trying to take advantage of the drain line there and use it before close up

I know it would be real tempting just to use it and let it hooked up to sewer line. But if that sewer line every backed up there would be raw sewage under the slab and Pooh. Not good.

On a side note. This ( am sure that i will have to chip this out and put gravel in and a different kind of mix in the hole. plus for the new mix , i think i will have to use some kind of bonding liquid to treat the sides of the slab sidewalls inside the well. What is recommended to fix this problem . )

This is not going to stop that much water under rise. You really never stop water like that you re direct it. This isn't a moisture problem it's a pool water problem. If you do stop it there it will show up somewhere else in the slab/block wall meets. There is where I would attack the situation drain underneath the whole slab the slap and sump out. Can walk you through that if that's your total sistuatiin or most likely later

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

I would like to install a shower if I can stop the water from coming :confused:up into my basement floor.

Im sure this 1-1/2 drain line runs into my sewer line. I have a sink drain close by and a toilet also. This room is studed for a bathroom. I just need to completely get the water out of the basement , even if it means no shower above the hole. I figure the 1-1/2 in line is about 2-1/2 ft length under the slab into the main sewer line, how can I redirect without busting up a lot of concrete? Maybe the only solution is a sump pump.

IF you don't have a way to gravity drain the hole and loading up the sewer is usually a No no. Then at this point I only see a sump pump unless someone here has a different Idea.

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

There should be a continuous moisture barrier layer bellow the concrete with 2" of washed sand on top of it. However, no moisture barrier will keep as much water as you are describing in your post from entering your basement.

You should be looking different direction, like nstalling French Drains laid in bed of gravel around the perimeter of your house. This will prevent water from entering under slab area and your basement

I have a french drain around the basement walls before it was backfilled, but when the dummies backfilled they completley covered the ends of the actual drain lines that run down outside the sides of the basement walls , I did uncover one side and it drains, but I need to uncover and unstop the other side.