New House, Finished Basement

[twz1037]

Need some advice, I've owned two homes each has had a finished basement with no water probelms. We would like a finished basment in the house we our building since it gives us much more space for the kids toys. Our house being built is framed, foundation was poured about 6 weeks ago and the house is about three months from being finished. The developer has told me he will do a finish basement for us but suggests we wait a year since there could be much moisture in the first year of the basement? I thought the comment was a little strange. Is this true? The developer is well known and has built over a 1000 homes in the area so I would think he is trying to be helpful with that comment. The last few weekends of visiting the site I've seen a little seepage in certain areas of the foundation 3 spots. Not standing water or puddle marks but damp areas, we have received much rain in the last few weeks. The house does not have it's gutters up or spouts. They just graded, rolled the land around it in the last two weeks with it slopping away from the foundation. In every house in the development he has put a sump pump well in. Looking down the hole this weekend it is dry and about 4 feet deep, There is no pump in the hole. The developer told me that the water table is way below the footings and will not be a issue. The basement has a walkout. Thanks for listening and look forward to the replys

[JacobPM]

Glad you posted.

The reason he said that was because in the first year the concrete is still "drying". In the process of drying the concrete heats internally and hardens. In this process the water is evaporated out from the concrete, sometimes causing pooling or damp spots, sometimes seen in the form of discoloration on the surface of the walls and floor.

The thing that concerns me the most is hearing the sump well is made so deep. 4 feet is way below the footing, and depending on how it's constructed can actually undermine the footing and the rest of the foundation by allowing soil and back fill into the sump well and out from under the foundation.

I would love to see pictures if you could post them :-)