I've purchased a house built in 1921. It has a full basement with 8' ceilings. I'm looking to convert it to a room, complete with carpeting or hardwood floors. Our town has an underground river very close to the surface and most homes have problems with flooding; up to 1 foot of water flooding. I want to work from the inside and dig a trench in the dirt floor itself directed to the sump pump. Could you please give me your opinion of my trenching? The house is really small so, we desperately need to be able to utilize the space.
Answer:
The trenching idea here is not going to give you much comfort during the freeze-thaw cycle of the year. In view of the water table you're dealing with, I would go the other way; raise the house to where you can still have a finished basement but the floor of it is higher than the flood level that chased your neighbours upstairs. Less than that will have your couch floating by as you go to check on the sump pumps that have not been able to deal with Mother Nature effectively.
