I HAVE A HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN SECTIONS. THE FIRST PART WAS MOVED TO THE LOT IN THE EARLY 40'S. IT HAS SOME TYPE OF A FOOTING AND BLOCK FOUNDATION. THE FIRST ADDITION HAS THE SAME FOUNDATION. I THINK IT MAY ONLY BE A FROST LINE TYPE OF FOOTING BECAUSE THERE IS WATER IN THE CRAWL SPACE MOST OF THE TIME. IT MAY DRY UP DURING DRY SPELLS IN THE SUMMER. THE SECOND ADDITION WAS DONE BY CODE IN 1996 AND THERE IS NO WATER OR MOULD. I ACTUALLY HAD BLACK MOULD ON THE BASE OF THE WALL IN LAST ROOM OVER THE FIRST ADDITION ABOVE WHERE THE WATER LIES MOST OF THE TIME. WHO WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED? I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING IN A BASEMENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE AVERAGE COST WOULD BE?
Answer:
I don't deal with costs but the basement idea seems to be the best way to go. Rather than excavating and deepening what you have though, I'd rather you jacked the whole house and added to the top of the foundation wall. You can raise it enough to accommodate a properly drained, poured concrete pad and the sump hole may need bits of alteration. It is less trouble and expense to go up than it is to go down; take my word on this one.
