Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There are too many unknown details to give advice. I just don't see an issue from the description.
1. It appears that the sanitary sewer lateral to the street is under the drive, with the municipal clean out access in the driveway. No big deal.
2. Without seeing the contour/slope of the lot, size of the lot, drainage provisions in the lot at the retaining wall area, it is impossible to know whether drainage is an issue. It could be a royal mess, and it could be no big deal at all.
All larger retaining walls will have PVC pipe running through them about every 10-20 ft. This prevents the wall from acting like a dam and holding back water.
These openings are not tied to a drainage system and you seldom see more than a little seepage through the holes. Without the holes, the water build up would cause the wall to move, crack and possibly fail.
The holes are a needed and normal feature in a larger retaining wall.
The sewer line should not be a problem for resale. Is it tied to the gutter drains on the street ?
I would need to see your survey to see if it restricts anything in your Backyard like adding a pool.
We are looking at a home in a golf course community where there are two items concerning us:
(1) There is a rectangular18x12" lid on the drive way saying Sewer Sanitary Drain. Is this a Sewer Easement? I read on Realtor.com that a Sewer Easement completely ruins the property value.
(2) There is a retaining wall in the backyard which has the golf course sitting up high about 4 feet.The retaining wall has three weep holes with white spouts sticking out. We are told that the backyard was graded to prevent water from pooling. Could this be a potential future problem?
Could any of the issues above affect resale?
This home is in Dallas, TX.
Thanks for your input!
I wonder who the idiot was on Realtor.com who spouted that inanity?
Although I did not mention a hill, I do know that water flows downhill, regardless of how high the hill.
I would not want water "weep holes" from a golf course that likely will be irrigated every day aimed right at my backyard (and foundation).
On a 4ft wall those weep holes are probably 2-3 ft below the soil surface. It would take a heck of a lot of water to penetrate 2 feet into the soil and get any kind of runoff.
"is a retaining wall in the backyard which has the golf course sitting up high about 4 feet."
4 Feet High in the backyard. Does that sound high? 4 ft. is not exactly a hill.??!
How far from the house is the wall?
Is there a drain below the wall to carry away any water that comes through?
Is the ground from the house to the wall sloped away from the house to keep water away from the foundation?
What is planted on the ground above the retaining wall?
Where is the nearest surface water, or drainage ditch above the retaining wall?
What is the slope of the ground above the retaining wall?
What is the slope of the ground below the retaining wall?
Where will water run to if it collects on that lower ground surface?
Is it well-drained soil above and below?
Does the retaining wall extend above the grade of the upper level, to catch surface runoff?
What would be your plans for the last 5-8 feet of lawn below the retaining wall?
How would your lifestyle be impacted if it did not drain as fast as the rest of the yard, maybe taking an extra day after a gully-washer rain?
Is there any hardscape on the yard below the retaining wall? If so, how will it effect runoff, and how will runoff affect it?
Are there buried utilities in the yard below the retaining wall? Or a maintenance easement for the area, or for the retaining wall?
Who is responsible for maintenance and repair of the retaining wall and drainage at the retaining wall?
Any decent agent could form a fairly reliable opinion on the advisability of proceeding with about a 5 minute walk through the back yard.
No one can see enough at this time, on the internet, to offer an opinion.
No one can see enough at this time, on the internet, to offer an opinion.
Of course that doesn't stop some of us!
Based on my personal experience only, with terraced backyards and retaining walls, I would not be interested. But the OP definitely should ask the excellent questions you posted and see if this particular lot would work for them.
1 ) The driveway drain. This sounds like a sewer drain clean-out, which is fine and customary. However, since we're here and you're there it's hard to know 100%.
.
What does the seller's disclosure say about this- can you simply check with the seller and see what they say this is and how often they have to clean it out.
If you can't get a straight answer, have a plumber come over and take a look at it and tell you what it is.
2) The white pipes coming out of the retaining wall. These are weep holes. When it rains water builds up behind the wall. There needs to be a way for the water pressure to be relieved so that it does not eventually crumble the wall. It's relieved by coming out the weep holes.
What does this mean for you- hard to say. It may mean you may see water coming out the pipes into your yard, leaving ponding water in your yard at the base of the wall. If it's correctly graded away, the water coming out of the weep holes should be carried away. If it's not correctly graded- ugh.
IMO and it's just my opinion, never a good idea to buy land that is below the grade of any adjacent land. YMMV. Now obviously, there are tons of properties that have hills behind them, hills along side of them or hills in front of them and they are graded well and there is no adverse impact on the house itself. I'm just one of those people who would never buy that type of property.
This is good advice. However, it is not a hill. Only 4 ft. high.
It is so hard finding a decent home in this Market.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
4 ft. is not exactly a hill.??!
This is good advice.
