My neighbor's backyard studio flooded last month - check your drainage now

I was down in my workshop last Tuesday and heard water running, turns out my neighbor's DIY studio 2 doors down got 3 inches of water inside after that heavy rain. He had built it on a flat slab without any slope and the run-off from his roof just pooled right against the back wall. Cost him $1,200 to replace the MDF shelving and two cheap amps he stored on the floor. Has anyone else dealt with water intrusion from a poorly planned slab?

2 comments

2 Comments

skylershah24d ago

Can you explain why the slab didn't have any slope? Most contractors I've talked to always put a slight pitch away from the house or studio to push water out. I built a small shed last summer and even with a 1% slope it kept everything bone dry through some pretty heavy storms. Sounds like he skipped the ground prep and just poured right on top of dirt without thinking about where the water would go.

grant.kevin24d ago

I mean, "skipped the ground prep and just poured right on top of dirt" - that's a strong take. I get what you're saying about slope, but sometimes people make it sound like every flat slab is a disaster waiting to happen. Plenty of slabs do fine without a pitch if the ground drains well and there's no runoff pooling up. Not every pour needs to be some engineered drainage masterpiece, man. Plus, interior slabs in sheds or studios don't always need that slope if you're not dealing with standing water.