there are only stairs going down to the basement but that is no problem. I bench well over 300 so getting that saw up and down the stairs will be hard but with some help it is doable.
There is nothing in the way after that ..its all wide open.

I might be ahead to use the hand saw. The plumber makes of sense. I can rent one locally.

Every walk behind I've used weighed a ton. I wouldn't want to take it or down a set if stairs.

A hand held works well and the water will jeep the dust down and the blade life longer. I want to say a new blade is $300 (or that's what we paid). They'll mike the blade to see how much you've worn it down.

Do you have any kind of widows in the basement to help ventilate it out?

Ok so a hand saw it is !!
Yes there are 6 windows down there I can open for ventilation. I have been running sump pumps as needed to keep it under control. It's gotten worse every year so it has got to get fixed this winter. Spring rain will be bad if I don't.

hard to argue with experience..!!

i think it is almost legal to kidnap a certain plumber to put him to work..you have a black van and a large burlap sack? :)

good luck. i'm brave, but going underground freaks me out..i would farm out the entire deal. keep us posted!! pics too!

My theory is why overkill? you want a bit of control. The 40 lbs hammer is more then enough. Once you get a hole busted out, the rest will come out with that little chipping hammer in no time. the large hammer kicks your ass because you gotta to handle it. Hauling heavy stuff is a real b$%ch. You will do plenty of it with the concrete and soil. Then, haul all the wet concrete back back in to fill it. It might be smart to hire a truck and have it pump through the window. Worth the money IMHO. But then, I am a lazy bastard. I try and not put my men through it because I know they don't like it. BEtter work IMHO then mixing it by hand and carry in by buckets.

This is the one I own but older model. Not too heavy but it will do the trick.

35lb Breaker Hammer - JACK/ Model: 11335K

I will go with the smaller hammer and hand saw as well. That is why I am asking questions now !!
Thanks !!!

this size hammer would work just fine

I"M a little confused here. If the water is coming up thru the floor, won't cutting a long trench thru the floor let lots more water come up thru the trench?
The french drains I have seen at work help to drain away surface water.
Yours seems to be more a case of ground water rising up till the level is above that of your basement floor.

Lets play nice boys.

Cheers Richard

The idea is to get the water into the french drain below grade and have it flow to the exterior in it's own, or to collect it and pump it out.

Ah so the idea is to get the water moving in a new direction rather than coming up thru the floor. Will the trenches be capped with concrete after the drains are installed.

A 930 Rocket, thanks for the clarification.

Cheers Richard

yes the idea is to collect the water in the black flexible pipe we call drain tile which will terminate into to a sump pump pit and then thrown back outside

yes you will finish the job off by capping the trenches with concrete


Hey Redline11, forgot to mention that when most customers have a major problem with water (which seems like you do) it is normal practice for us to install two sump pump pits in opposite corners of the basement

This will reduce the stress of one sump pump doing all the work