Steve's Basement & Drain Tile

October 11,2016Dear [redacted],Enclosed is our accurate response to the complaint registered by Mr. [redacted] In Julyof this year, a estimate was given to Mrs. [redacted] for a drainage solution for a water leak onthe front wall. The original discharge line was not functioning so the...

[redacted]'s received aestimate for a new drain for the downspout outside the area of leakage. Along with a newsystem, which was installed with the correct pitch and glued seams, a French drain wasinstalled outside the wall and tied into the new 4" header. The work was completed tospecifications of the estiamte and was tested and worked flawlessly by Floyd T[redacted],Mike V[redacted] and Jason C[redacted]. I might add they had us do this additional workbecause we installed a larger system in the rear yard to drain pooling water by the playarea which Mrs. [redacted] stated worked perfectly. Floyd T[redacted], as stated in Mr. [redacted]'sletter, did install the new battery back up and it worked flawlessly. Mr. T[redacted] didNOT put the cover to the sump pump back on because of two reasons. One, it should bere-installed by the contractor that installed the radon system and two, he was rushed outbecause of a family photo Mrs. [redacted] said she had to be at. The installation was completeand the sump pump plugged in when Floyd T[redacted] left the property. Mrs. [redacted] hadcontacted me and I returned to the property because she stated that she again had wateron the same wall. I assume that the [redacted]s would check the pumps first and foremost. Shestated she had to dig a small trench to drain the water off from the downspout. Afterinspecting the area on the wall where she said she had the moisture, I had Mike V[redacted]return to again check the systems out on the outside only and the day he was there it wasraining and he noticed that water was pouring over the gutter, both at the downspout andover the front porch. In the rain, he cleaned out five hanfuls of debris near the opening tothe downspout at "NO CHARGE" because I wanted the newly installed system to dowhat it was meant to do. After a short time and another rainstorm, Mrs. [redacted] had calledme and stated again that she had water in the area in the basement and I returned back tothe property. We went down to the basement and the wall was dry but when I asked herwhere the water on the wall was coming from she showed me an area on the wall by thetop of the wall in proximity of the outside entry stoop. I inspected the area outside on thestoop and noticed a small crack and a slight inversion that would funnel water to the wall.I informed Ms. [redacted] about this and informed her we could not address the problembecause we do not do concrete stoops or deal with water coming though the bandboard.Moving forward 2.5 months Mr. [redacted] contacted me late on Saturday, October 1 andinformed me that the pumps had failed and the basement area received water. I told himthat myself and Mike V[redacted] would be there in the morning to figure out why it failed.When we got to the house and got to the area of the pumps, the radon top was fastenedback onto the crock and the electric lines to both the main pump and the battery back-uppump were not plugged in and the water was near the top of the crock and over theincoming perimeter sytem tiles. When I stated that the pumps were not plugged in Mr.[redacted] stated that nobody had been in the pump room for two and a half months since thework was completed and it was left just as we left it. This is not how we left it! Iinformed him that the electric outlet was not on a GFI outlet and that when Floyd leftafter installing the battery back up that he had the pump plugged back in because this isour standard operation to check the backflow to secondary battery back-up pump forleaks. This work was completed and when Mr. T[redacted] had to leave because o Mrs.[redacted]s photo shoot, he checked as standard procedure for water was being expelled to the curb outlet which it was and the job was installed to specifactions. I will not assume theresponsibility for the pump not being plugged in because it was evident somebody hadscrewed the radon lid back on and DID NOT PLUG THE SYSTEM BACK IN.Also,along with this statement is a copy of both our sprinkler form and sump pumpwarranties that were given to the [redacted]s before the work was agreed to. Also, let it benoted that the kids play room is down there and with kids, anything is possible. I wouldlike this matter to be put to rest and this complaint noted that SBD is not at fault and willnot assume the responsibility for the leekage in the basement. Sincerely,Steve C[redacted] SBD