I used to work for a basement waterproofing and structural repair company, and one of the most common mistakes I saw on newer home constructions was the use of corrugated ABS pipe along the footer. It was almost always crushed and causing storm water backup into the home. It was also something that was almost always done by people building their own home or acting as the general contractor. The other less common mistake was compacting backfill with a piece of heavy equipment like a bulldozer or excavator by driving it along the wall right next to the house. I've seen that crush even PVC footer pipe, and also crack concrete block walls from the lateral pressure.

In 30 years of installing weeping tile and septic systems, I’ve never had the flexible pipe crush when it was installed in a sufficient bed of washed rock. That being said, I prefer the solid perorated pipe over the flex, and Infiltrator canisters over the pipe.

I have to say I enjoy watching these two take on the challenge of building their own home. I do get frustrated sometimes though due to the excessive worrying Jesse does with situations where he has met code and is exceeding it. Brother relax sometimes. As someone who has fabricated many of projects, I can tell you not everything goes as planned. Your just starting and so wrapped around the axle about some of your daily goals. End the end you spend all day talking to other builders and get a million different ideas. Decide what your plan is, and any road blocks that occur. Adapt. Don't ever worry about ranting!!!!! ALL OF US WHO BUILD THINGS DO IT!!!! Good luck. I know your home will be priceless, because you two built it! God bless!!👍🏻

As much as I hate seeing you guys run into issues that were unlikely to surface earlier in the process, it's a great to see the critical thinking and decision making on something so important. Keep it up and good-luck with the rest of your build!

I have left some mean comments on your videos in the past, but today I want to say thank you for being here to be my whipping post!

Remember! At the end it's your debt free house at first, seconds: the satisfaction with your's achievements and complacency, is greater than a by a contractor build house, where you have a specialist do a inspection, to takeaway the wrongdoing and mistakes of the contractor. Third your both are great builders.

It ll be fine. You ve done as good a job as 99% of contractors. Ignore the armchair critics in the comments. It's hard doing anything the first time, but you are doing it; more than than the vast majority of people.

Jesse Please before you pour the walls get someone that pours ICF forms give you a good mix design for the concrete. Also get them to be there to oversee the pouring and vibrating. Also bring them out at least 2 days before the pour to check things over. Even if you have to pay them it is good insurance. You don't need anymore mistakes.

Hey guys, you are doing a great job!!! Love you channel and wish the best for all you are creating. I use a particular process for this situation. The ICF is not the issue and as for the membrane, you have done the best that you can do based on what you had. Your real concern should be (diversion)... With the high grade behind the house and the massive slope, you will have a plethora of run-off encroaching on your house. Here is what I would do and have done many times on similar builds. 1) use solid perf pipe alongside of footing on the outside with an external exit point, encapsulate with filter fabric, gravel and clean backfill. 2) Install a sum pump pit in one of the internal corners and again install a inner perf pipe alongside of footings on all 4 sides sloping from both sides to pit, encapsulate with filter fabric and crushed stone. This will eliminate all water that will breach the footings and want to rise to exit on finished flooring. (and my feeling is it will if you don’t do this inner system) It will be your best line of defense. 3) Now for the kicker, and MOST important you will and should have already graded the slope a min of 8' from foundation, not the footing dig but for finished grade and slope away form house. Keeping the water from pounding the foundation, this will be the best thing you can do. Please keep in mind that the membrane, despite all your effort will have breaches over time if not sooner. DIVERSION is most important and having the piping system that I lined out will increase your odds immensely for a dry, safe environment. If you would like to chat, feel free! The best of luck guys! Russell-

This should never leak, it is the same type of product used on roofs called ice and water shield. Doing a good job.

After 4 years of architectural studies I can suggest to just live the membrane with overlaps only. You can't even estimate how many houses/buildings made with this practice. Originally the layers should be sealed together, but (not by laziness) the backfill will just give enough pressure on the layers if you have enough length on overlap. As an addition it is recommended however to do a fold on the ends and perhaps the sealing, but not crucial. Most of the leaking will occur over ground level, that's where you'll have to pay a lot more attention. Love your channels guys, you are my modern freedom fighters. Keep up the good work, and show the world (and me :) ) that it is still possible to build a home without any debt.

It is so easy for someone that makes a living off of foundations and home building to point out lack of knowledge, But cutos for these folks to show the real problems when you are learning as you go.

Jesse, I feel your pain. In my house (6 yrs old), there was a corrugated drain pipe. It quickly filled with mud and it was crushed. My pipe was inside and yes, under the concrete basement floor. I removed the concrete floor and that pipe. I installed a rigid white perforated schedule 30 pipe (with a 1/4 inch pitch per foot). I didn't put a sock on it and I have no regrets. In addition, I BEG you to strategically place "PVC Tees" at the corners and in long pipe runs. This leaves you inspection ports and a place to insert a hose to flush out the pipe. By the looks of your ground, you will have to periodically inspect and flush out the pipe. Best of luck to you and your wife. Dave, Buffalo, NY.

Our last home was on a hillside never had any water troubles except when rain gutter spout broke off. The home was built in the 70's. Thumbs up good luck on weather!

Jesse When we install membrane on pit walls. We also use cardboard sheets to cover the membrane and protect from rocks. Use good drain tile and you guys will be ok. But I've installed several miles of corragated drain pipe and never had it collapse we use it in all of our fields to drain the field. But they do make a PVC that is made for around homes.

I just want to say that I love how you both are working so hard to make your dream a reality. You both aren't afraid to make mistakes to achieve your dreams. If more people in this country chased their dreams and worked as hard as you to do to make them happen, this country would be a better place. You can't be afraid to make mistakes and you can't be afraid to follow your dreams. I truly enjoy watching you two work and learn and make your dream happen. Very inspirational.

With regards to the potential damage to the membrane during the back fill. Do the same thing you do with tar paper. Use a sheet of plywood where you are dumping to protect the wall as you dump.

Cutting sheet material with a box cutter blade can be tough, try using a carpet layers curved blade, makes life easier.

In some places/areas concrete basement walls are sprayed with a sealant/tar.. up to the "Grade Level" .. And it doesn't guarantee that the basement will not leak..

My house is 8 years old, we used a dimpled membrane from a company called superseal, no leaks. the membrane you are using seems to be a superior product. If you really wanted to protect it you could use the plastic dimple membrane over it. On the drainage tile you want to use the corrugated-perforated 4inch big-o pipe that has a sock over it and back fill over it with stone. Biggest problem I have seen is if you don't back-fill with enough stone and don't have the sock the pipe becomes clogged with dirt and is then useless. Farmers tile their fields with that big-o pipe, it is tough and has proven itself over time.

I want to say that I admire you two for your team work and working through difficult situations. After reading some of the negative comments, I want to remind you of one thing. Keep the noise in perspective. Focus on the positive and keep the naysayers at bay. People like to gravitate toward negativity, hence all of the reality shows. Again, you two are awesome. I have 5 acres in Colorado where my wife and I want to build a log home.

I can see wanting your house to be perfect, but like so many have already stated, you have already gone above and beyond what most builders for the last hundred years have done. And the best advice my late father gave me is don't let getting t right get in the way of getting it done. You guys rock.

I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THESE VIDEOS. WAY TOO SHORT. LOL! YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. I BET YOUR FAMILIES ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU BOTH. I KNOW I AM!

Building our home with ICF basement blocks. The contractor is using dimple board and does not require sealing between sheets, just overlapping of the sheets.

Always remember the building code is the minimum / base that needs to be done , building code is simply a starting point, good builders will go above the code provided the owners want to take it to the next level...

Sorry about this problem. As a couple you two are AWSOME!!!!

I bet the majority of negative comments come from people who have never made anything more complicated than a cup of tea. Jesse and Alyssa we are with you all the way.

Membrane and a drain...? Belt and suspenders. You guys are fine. Completely impressed by the quality of your work. A+

Always amazes me that even after a hard days work, Alyssa always manages to still look good 😊

I'm truly enjoying your adventure, its the journey not the destination chin up folks

Your so lucky this is in the USA in the U.K. You would be starting all over again, that said your better than I would be!

Keep up the good work. Don't forget to add a sump pump pit to your basement floor for run off inside because where it snows in the winter the water creeps up during the spring into your home and floods the foundation. Seen this first hand in a home built in 1930's out in Minnesota it was a mess they didn't have a sump pit in there basement to carry away the water.

One of the biggest elements to 'Genius' is 'Patience'! You are SENSATIONAL! I admire your diligence! The Finnish have a word for this persistent diligence of yours, 'Sisu' (pronounced; see-soo). Great job!

Thought about you guys this weekend! I had to build a second fence around my garden to keep a mystery critter out. As small as that is, it's a project that tested my patience and skills. They way you guys demonstrate keeping your cool and thinking things through kept me calm enough to finish my own project. (and so far no more fence break-ins!) Keep doing your thing! You're making so much progress!! Even if it doesn't feel like that all of the time.

Think of how many houses don't have anywhere near the protection that you're putting on your foundation and yet they don't leak. I think you guys are doing a great job and there are a million different opinions out there. It seems that no one knows the exact way to make sure that you're going to have the perfectly sealed Foundation, and you have already received 20 or 30 different opinions from which you can base a conclusion that a lot of other people would never have gone out to find. Bravo to the two of you.

You guys are doing great. It's really entertaining to watch you. If I where closer to you I would definitely come and help you. To bad it's kind of a long drive from Sweden. That house is going to be awesome!

I think you are doing a good job. Personally I think that the membrane itself is such a huge improvement over hot or cold tar that if you cover all the exposed concrete, your basement or 1st floor will leak in 10,000 years

Jesse your project engineering is exquisite... good job

Only pipe I ever use when I waterproof a basement is sdr-35. Perforated of course. Put the holes down. And somewhere out a T in the line and run it up to grade so you can clean out the lines of you ever need to. It's one of those pay a little more now so you don't pay a lot more later. Great channel!

When you install the perforated pvc pipe, use the white and place a garden sock over the holes, keep roots, sediment and pieces of smaller aggregate from dropping into the pipe. Add access points above surface. I was going to suggest affixing a dimpled surface (DMX) around the foundation but I'm not sure it would be adequate given the type of terrain. Could use corrugated metal but that would be expensive. I do have a thought though as it has been used as a liner for horse, cattle stalls and in swimming pools adhered directly to surface of concrete; drape a bitumi product call APP. It's very difficult to perforate the material, you would only need to thermal seal the overlaps, but once installed, nothing is getting through. A roll covers 32 sq feet.

It was better than a rant. It was an exquisite rant. The extra effort will save you worry time.

I'm glad your using that membrane in the summer instead of needing a heat gun in winter to get it to stick...

I've used that corrugated drain pipe quiet a bit. You have to put drain rock around it. Two reasons 1 if you fill with dirt around it the dirt will fill the line, 2 the rock will not put as much wait on the pipe and make a protective foundation around the pipe. obviously can't compact until you get a few feet away otherwise you will crush it as well. Works good though. It's used all over the place here in Portland, OR. I've never seen any one put a protective liner on the foundations around here. The clay seals them up. Have seen Water back feed from the pipes laid in the road bed. But they just fill the inside of the foundation with cement if that happens.

We have both materials for drainage. All I can say is lots of rock around corrugated. We used 4" pvc under patio. I like your solution.

Sounds to me that you took the best route with the membrane anyway. Moving forward in a positive way ! Keep up the great work ! Next year you guys can camp.

Do what you think works best. It's your home. And you are doing an awful lot for a relatively dry area. Keep up the good work.

With 106,000 views in one day, I must say that you have dedicated viewers. This week you should hit 200K subscribers. Congratulations.

... and I like very much seeing you truly working together

See kids that's why our parents gave us Lincoln Logs when we were little you guys are great

I love your honesty and help and the way you show us how things can be done. Plus your cat is gorgeous!

Please place the 4" rigid perforated drain pipe beside the footing, not on top of the footing. Once past the footing switch to solid wall pipe with a slight slope to drain water away from the footing. Be sure to run both ends to daylight and check each pipe a few times a year to verify that the ends remain open, not clogged by silt, crushed by the backhoe or covered by landscaping. I've had homeowners complain that there was a leak in the basement only to find that they covered up the ends of the footing drain pipe with landscaping. Once cleared hundreds of gallons of water poured out and the basement leak ceased. The membrane and channeled protective covering is a good idea. Rain water or snow melt flowing down the hill will find its way to the lowest point of excavation and then start to fill up the loose backfill around the foundation footings. If it has no place to escape it will continue to fill until it tops the footing. Once that happens it will find a way to penetrate the cold joint between the top of the footing and the bottom of the concrete wall. If your drainage system never allows water to rise above the top of the footing the basement floor will stay dry. Having built over 200 homes I always backfilled the first three feet above the footing drain with 1 1/2" minus clean gravel. This will prolong the effective life of the filter fabric and drain pipe. Place the perforated pipe with the holes down. Another very important water control item you must do because of your site is to cut a drainage swale on the uphill side of the foundation to divert the water coming down the hill away from the foundation. Why two feet deep? Because it will silt up quickly in your sandy soil. Slope the swale so it drains out of both ends. I enjoy watching your video series but it is painful to see you making mistakes and doing some things the hard way. I congratulate you both for your hard work and willingness to learn. Someone mentioned hiring a project manager. Check around, maybe you could find a retired contractor in the area to stop by once a week, review your progress and line out the work and materials needed for the next week. He may still have connections with the suncontractors he used and be able to help out with some hired labor if that becomes necessary. I'm an ICF and timber frame fan also. We disassembled a 48x60 two and a half story barn built on our family farm in 1879. We repurposed the timbers, hay loft flooring and siding into three other projects. Wishing you the Best of luck with your new home.

Hey Guys please make sure you add a clean out to your drainage system so when blockages they can be removed easily. Blessings!!! Keep up the great work!!!

Jesse, make sure to use 4 inch perforated PVC pipe for your tiling. And if you want to install a fillet (also called canting) you can make it yourself out of PVC moulding from Home depot. Just rip a square piece longways at a 45 degree angle and stick it along that corner transition. You probably wont need to adhere it to either the cement footing or ICF, the membrane will hold it in place.

Don't listen to the naysayers! You two are doing fine work! You know, if your marriage survives this build? You may just be stuck with each other for the rest of your lives! You make a great team, and work very well together! I know, you probably edit out the rough spots! ;)

You two are doing a wonderful thing. Keep going and continue to learn. Many of us are right there learning along with you. At the end you will have something that you have built together and that's more than most will ever do.

Learning is always an experience. Boils down to thinking things through and doing your research properly beforehand.

If you are concerned about the water seeping through the ICF, have your concrete company add in a waterproofing agent to the mix which will obviously give you more protection.

I am sorry people have grown so rude! You are doing great for the experience you have. The second one is always easier! No one could work harder or try more than you guys

I cant believe they haven't thought to invest in a portable light tower, sometimes you can pick them up cheap at surplus auctions. Would allow for continued working into the cooler night vs through the hot days.

Despite the naysayers in you comment feed, I think you guys are doing a great job and are brave to share your mistakes along with your successes. I think you'll be very proud of yourselves once it is completed. Sure, there could be some mistakes but I don't see any catastrophes on the horizon. If it turns out to be a total bust, you can just build another one! You'll be an expert after this house building experiment!

I have been watching your channel for some time now before you started your water main. I do not understand why I am drawn to your videos but I am. I enjoy watching the progress you make and I hope one day you reach your goals. Enjoy the day enjoy time together I wish you the best and all the luck you can afford.

The more I watch Alyssa work ....the more I like this girl . Never really complains about the work that has to be done and does it well. Her hubby is a lucky guy . This being said.....bravo to you guys and I hope there won't be too many more glitches . Hats off to you !!

Your fine. It looks great. Everyone has an opinion. Many dont even put the membrane on their home. You will be so excited when you are hammering your 1st nail or doll into wood.

I wish there was a "we are done" video, so I could fast forward and see how it turns out! Happy to follow you guys!!

I bet you guys will be glad when the basement is finished. Fingers crossed for the concrete pour.

yooo ... i cant wait to see this house 300+videos down the road when you're putting the last shingle on, and then working on the flower garden around the house.

How lucky you both are to have each other to rely on, good luck and keep on going. You will make it!

I think it would be a good idea to put a layer of pea gravel down before you lay your filter fabric, and of course a layer on that before the pipe, no ? yes ?

Here in Canada! The guy to ask is Mike Holmes! House builder extraordinaire !

smal rock medium rock pvc filter fabric smal rock and try to make second water slide in the top side too for big rain so you can make faster dryout

Thank you so much for taking the time effort and the money to put out your videos. Im not building a house but my mom is and if I have learned so much to help her out . THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Your rant is well said. All I can say is do your best. Trust me when I say there is no correct answer. Most people use corrugated drain pipe covered with a sock and gravel bed around it.

I think you guys are doing just fine, and are so great for being honest, legit people, who are sharing this all with the world. Keep it up! If the comments get you down, just take a look at your like bar!

Your situation is going from bad to worse. When I was researching ICF, I watching numerous KZfaq videos. I found them so helpful. I cannot understand why you are putting on the membrane now, as everything I watched and read, it goes on after the walls are poured and solid. Until then, realignment will be required when the walls are being poured. Considering the number of comments your are now receiving, because of your errors, you will probably not read this.

So I looked it up. Menards carries 6" x 10' bell ended perforated SDR drainage pipe at $17.79 each after a mail in rebate ($19,99 without it); the elbows will not be perforated and as I recall from the house I built in 1977, the fellow who was doing the backfill told me to use 6" because nothing will plug it up. My house was also built into the side of a hill so there were 13 steps from the driveway to the front door. Just never had a problem. We bought a house in 1990 and were flooded in 2003. I ended up putting in 1,400 feet of schedule 35 drainage pipe. Worked beautifully. Just remember to glue it so it doesn't migrate. As to my prior comment re back filling, USE PLYWOOD NOT OSB which is too rough. You want one side smooth so it reduced the possibility of a tear. On the end of the piece of plywood where you want to lift, attach a piece of 2x6 so you can safely attach chain and lift it with your excavator. Hope this helps.

Water seeks the path of least resistance so as long as you have a good drainage system you should be fine, you have done much more than we did when we had our home built 9 years ago and our basement is bone dry..... knock on wood! Lol. Keep up the great videos!

landscape fabric is what you need it is a fabric that allows water to drain through... lowes home depot i work for a place called contech engineering they sell stuff called tensar and other stuff.. also they sell metal culvert and plastic both you can by perforated...

All you can do is your best and thats what you guys are doing. Keep up the good work. I love your attitude.

I cant imagine the stress this causes you guys, thanks for sharing.

At some point after asking everyone what they thought about the waterproofing, I like how you quickly realized that your assessment was as good as anyone else! Bravo! The world is filled with stuff we are "supposed" to do, but many times that "stuff" just isn't necessary. Blessings continue to be with you guys and ignore the naysayers. :-)

Your probably beyond this at this point but the foam cove you described sounds exactly like the foam cove used inthe above ground pools where the pool meets the ground to smooth the transition of the liner from the side wall to the ground... great job... good work... thank Alisa (sorry if the spelling is wrong) for the wonderful videos... and God Bless

Make room for sump pump for added security. Run pipe under poured floor or out wall on downside.

quick note on the big box stores ..former home depot employee company policy is if we sell it and a competitor advertises a lower price ..meet and beat it by 10% hope the info helps

Don't waste all your hard work, protect the membrane. You guys are doing great!

You could use water base Formica Adhesive on the concrete, it would also be safe to use on the foam forms as it does not have harsh solvents.

The 3 most important things to consider in any construction is #1- drainage, #2 drainage, #3- drainage. Just remember, you're not building a submarine. Providing a path of least resistance for the water to flow through is the key. Perforated pipe on a bed of drain rock with the holes positioned at the bottom or "spring line" , covered with filter fabric, will allow the water to get out quickly. "Mirror drain" placed against the wall will provide a measure of protection for the membrane and also an easy path for the water to get to the drain pipe. Another important item is to install a run of solid drain pipe on top of the first that connects to down spouts from the roof gutters. These two pipes can then be connected once you're away from the building. And...... just in case..." clean outs" placed in strategic locations are cheap insurance. For what its worth.

I just thought of something. Those plastic stays that keep your foam ICS will also provide a channel for water to follow from one side of the wall to the other. Your waterproof solution is more important in your situation than any other concrete wall pour. Those plastic stays create channels in the concrete for water to travel! I guarantee it!

I commend the two of you for hanging in there . hopefully, things will get better !!!!!

Perf Big O is used on 90% of house builds up here when you lay it and put clear stone on it the backfill wont crush it. we also spray our foundations with a tar and install a plastic dimpled waterproof membrane as it allows air flow

There are all sorts of products to put on the outside of our ICF before back fill. They generally keep the back fill sharps from puncturing and tearing the membrane, some have plastic channels to let the water drain down to your foundation drain without causing hydrostatic pressure buildup. It all depends on they type of back fill. With sand, you most likely don't need anything, heavy rocks you need mechanical protection but not hydrostatic for clay you need hydrostatic protection. I would say your grizley soil is mostly finds which should drain well but you do have rocks. One low cost option I have seen done is to place a sheet of 1/2" drywall up against the membrane then back fill. The drywall will give you the mechanical protection and the back fill sandy finds the hydrostatic protection. The paper on the drywall to disappear quickly but the core will remain as a puncture protection cladding. I believe what you have is going to work just fine. I can see you guys are really learning a lot and gaining more confidence in your ability to problem solve. Remember there are a lot of ways to do this sort of stuff the "right way" is the way that works "for you". Craig

no nothing about the construction or building but the icf system is cool when everything comes together , look likes it will be strong when the concrete is finally added and it has hopefully kept in shape and square

you two are doing a great job, in the end it is yours with your labor and sweat. cant wait to see it done..

I only remember one builder trying to use those blocks below grade, and it was a disaster. All other homes have been built with concrete walls to above grade. Then they use the blocks. The concrete is waterproofed with the black material.

every house in the city i live in uses perforated weeping tile. it most definitely is designed for this application.

Dude, Dudette I think you guys are fine. You need to remember you are taking greater care with these product than the average construction grunts. Closed cell walls, high strength concrete and your membrane.......I think you'll be shocked how well these walls perform!!! Keep on, Keepin on.

The building insp. regs. are the minimum requirements! You can always improve on the reg.!You are on the right train of thought! It wont leak if you do the best and it does,there's nothing more you could do! And the guy is right, use the Ridgid pipe.

If you're anything like me - you'll sleep so much better every night after today knowing you put that extra effort in to make sure it's above and beyond... :-)

Nice job, but the drainage pipe ou have is a good one here in the Netherlands the dutch farmer used, and they cross with the machines over the land with no problem, so if you fill the pipe with gravel around it will stay there for more then 40 years. a layer of 30 cm( 1 feet) of gravel is enough

just make sure the drainage is good and the membrane wont matter, we have never used it here in Iceland and probably never will.

Spend your effort on the drainage. Use weedcontrol mat, fill an inch with gravel, put in 4" pvc with perfs to the bottom. Slope so it moves water, wrap the 4" with the weedcontrol, then bury it in that pea gravel. Use the Green heavy duty pipe. I then put the weedcontrol mat over that 3" of gravel, then put as much gravel over that. Any water will go down that gravel, be double protected from fines and the water will never stay much along your foundation. I did this along a septic field and it stops several acres of water hitting it. The rain gets to 6 inches an hour for 1/2 hour spurts and that 4" just dumps everything. On my retaining wall, I had 16 inches of pea gravel above that filter fabric (weed control). I used a half strip of duct tape every 18 inches to hold that filter fabric around the drain line. You are on high ground so you really don't have much of an issue if you put in that drainpipe low around the foundation. I was wondering about those materials I was seeing. Good luck. I am happy to see you guys taking the time to get it right.