Reynolds Contracting specializes in general contracting services in the Central Virginia area for residential and small commercial properties. Our services include drainage solutions with earthwork and excavation, including pipe work, waterproofing, and erosion control. Since 2011, Reynolds Contracting has helped solve countless problems due to poor water management under the leadership of David Reynolds and his decades of earthwork experience. On this featured project, we improved drainage around a Charlottesville home.
The homeowner contacted us because the house had a lot of moisture collecting on the foundation wall. The roof and gutters were both dumping water directly beside the foundation. Because of the way the roof was configured, there was a valley in the roof in a corner. A gutter also had been improperly installed years ago. These two factors had negatively contributed to the water collection at the foundation. We were glad they called! Time after time we have seen property damage like foundation cracking and settlement due to water that could have easily been prevented. To avoid costly damage in the future, we proposed new foundation drainage and waterproofing along the right side of the house.
First, we began excavating a trench on that side of the house down to the footer and along the slope in the yard away from the house. We installed a drain blanket with plastic along the footer and waterproofed the wall. We also installed drainage aggregate to help water flow beneath the surface. For roof runoff that wasn’t being caught by the gutter, we installed new downspout drainpipes and a catch basin aligned directly with the impact spot from the roof runoff.
Next, we backfilled the remaining trench with soil from on-site, spreading dirt in even lifts and compacting each layer with a trench tamper. Finally, we finished up the project with grading the side yard to a smooth swale to divert water from the slope to the backyard. We seeded and strawed any disturbed areas and cleaned up the site. All of these measures combined will greatly improve water drainage and avoid erosion on this side of the house.
We often recommend proper water management like this to extend the life of your property, particularly to preserve and protect your home’s foundation. Our crews would be happy to help improve water flow around your home with drainage solutions with earthwork and excavation. Give us a call at 434-293-6724 for an estimate in the Central Virginia area!
