flooded crawl space


  #1  
Old 10-27-16, 01:44 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: canada
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
flooded crawl space

Was looking at purchasing a cabin lake side but during last major storm the lake rose and flooded the crawl space. What should I expect the owner to do prior to my purchase? There is nothing in the crawl space, no vapor barrier only dirt floor. Just looking for some thoughts on what I should request from the owner prior to purchase. I realize don't purchase maybe be the smartest move but a really nice spot and not prone to flooding but major storms do present a problem.

Also is there anyway of waterproofing the crawl space to prevent this type of flooding?
 
  #2  
Old 10-27-16, 01:58 AM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
Welcome to the forums! There's not much you can do, preemptively, to stop such flooding. The water will rise, no matter what. In addition most insurance policies do not cover rising water, without a flood rider.
 
  #3  
Old 10-27-16, 04:24 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Not sure you could get the seller to do more than pump out the crawlspace.

I assume the water came from the lake rising ? Did the water enter thru the crawlspace access door?
Other than erecting some type of barrier there isn't a lot you can do to prevent re occurrence. Obviously any voids in the foundation would be patched/sealed.
 
  #4  
Old 10-27-16, 05:36 AM
B
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 9,460
Received 47 Upvotes on 43 Posts
A concrete floor makes for easier clean up, but doubt you will get the current owner to go for that. If you have electricity you could install a couple sump pits to maybe hold off some floods.

Are you talking 1 inch or one foot of water?

Bud
 
  #5  
Old 10-27-16, 06:11 AM
J
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 4,463
Received 128 Upvotes on 113 Posts
If it was me I would pass on buying it.
Wet basements cause all kinds of issues.
What goods it going to do to add pumps to get the water out if the whole area is already flooded during a wet event?
Willing to spend many thousands of dollars, the house could be raised, under the house backfilled to get it above the flood zone, opening for crawl space raised, outside of foundation sealed, top of foundation added onto, flood door added to crawlspace access.
 
  #6  
Old 10-28-16, 05:03 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: canada
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Re: flooded crawl space

Thanks for the info, the crawl space was fully flooded (3 feet), so I was wondering how it would need to be dried out, what to look for in terms of previous flooding (owner says it was first time) with respect to wood foundation being water logged etc. Just need a drying out period? Maybe something I should just walk away from.
 
  #7  
Old 10-28-16, 05:42 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
3' is a lot of water! I'd keep looking.
When the wood gets wet like that unless it's dried promptly there is a good chance of mold growing
 
  #8  
Old 10-28-16, 06:31 AM
B
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 9,460
Received 47 Upvotes on 43 Posts
The time frame to dry it out is not weeks, but one or two days.
I don't go for the "first time it ever happened explanation". It happened and the current owner is the one who should take the hit on value.

I like Joe's suggestion of raising the house several feet and filling the crawlspace. But at 3' the house would have to be raised 6', plus surrounding landscaping, to be confident the problem is solved. Looks like you should pass unless the current owner will make that kind of adjustment. Not even sure the landscaping can handle that. Maybe stilts.

Bud
 
  #9  
Old 10-28-16, 07:54 AM
S
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: WI/MN
Posts: 19,125
Received 1,263 Upvotes on 1,204 Posts
Walk away? I'd run away from this.
 
  #10  
Old 10-28-16, 11:19 AM
G
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MI
Posts: 2,364
Upvotes: 0
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
Walk away? I'd run away from this.
I'm in agreement--but then it's easy for us sitting in our dry mildew-free homes and point to people who live in coastal areas and places like New Orleans and say they're crazy and should move. Something about where we desire to live defies logic.
 
  #11  
Old 10-28-16, 12:36 PM
S
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: WI/MN
Posts: 19,125
Received 1,263 Upvotes on 1,204 Posts
My in-laws used to have a townhome in a marina on a river nearby. Every spring they would flood. The bottom level was the garage so no living space was affected but the amount of mold that appeared in the few years they lived there was unbelievable. That may have affected my judgment regarding flooded dwellings.
 
  #12  
Old 10-28-16, 03:40 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Across town from where I grew up was a nice riverfront community - but it flooded more springs than not. Those houses were always for sale. People would buy thinking the flooding is worth it to be along the river .... until it happened. I found it amusing that there were no shortage of folks willing to buy, knowing the flood risk was high.
 
  #13  
Old 10-29-16, 03:18 AM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: canada
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
re:flooded crawl space

Thanks again guys, I have decided to walk away and continue to look for a cabin in a flood free zone. Asked the owner for one final look at the crawl space after it was drained and there were red flags so rather than risk having to sink big dollars after purchase told the owner I had to end the sale negotiation.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: