Exterior French Drain

[Macrolide]

I’m in the planning stages for my next project where I’ll be installing an exterior french drain. Looking for some insight from anyone who’s done one before.  It’s been a wet winter, even by Willamette Valley standards and my sump pump can’t keep up. It’s my first winter in this house. I’ve done some observing and think I've figured out the contributing factors to the wet basement.

Should I rent a trencher or use beer gut-powered hand tools. This one will be about 75 ft long, running along the back of the house (where the yard slopes towards the foundation), along the side of the house, and empty to the street.

Is it ok to discharge to the street, or does it have to terminate on the property somewhere? (This may vary by jurisdiction).

How wide did you make the trench?

I’ve read that the black flexible corrugated pipe is garbage and difficult to snake. I want this sucker to last. How about the 4”x10’ Triple-wall drain pipe – any good?
 
I've never dealt with the permit process before, but will need to this time. I've already done the 811 thing and got all the utility companies coming out to mark their underground stuff. I've figured out I need a plumbing permit from my city. The form doesn’t ask for any drawings so I guess I just pay the fee then get it inspected. At what points do I need an inspection?

[Uturn]

Trencher or shovel = depends on how much time you have and how much exercise you want.  I've used an axe instead of chain saw many times just for the exercise. 

Discharge depends on city code.  Permit folks might help.

Inspection is after all work is complete, but right before you fill in the trench. 

[Fishindude]

So you are wanting to put a perforated tile alongside your foundation wall to catch surface water and divert it, hopefully preventing it from entering your foundation  or basement walls. 

Before installing a below grade tile, the first thing I would do is make sure I have positive slope / drainage away from the house, plus a shallow surface swale or ditch to take this water away rather than it puddling around the house.  This may cure the problem without need for any below grade pipe.   

[lthenderson]

Should I rent a trencher or use beer gut-powered hand tools. This one will be about 75 ft long, running along the back of the house (where the yard slopes towards the foundation), along the side of the house, and empty to the street.

Is it ok to discharge to the street, or does it have to terminate on the property somewhere? (This may vary by jurisdiction).

How wide did you make the trench?

I’ve read that the black flexible corrugated pipe is garbage and difficult to snake. I want this sucker to last. How about the 4”x10’ Triple-wall drain pipe – any good?
 
I've never dealt with the permit process before, but will need to this time. I've already done the 811 thing and got all the utility companies coming out to mark their underground stuff. I've figured out I need a plumbing permit from my city. The form doesn’t ask for any drawings so I guess I just pay the fee then get it inspected. At what points do I need an inspection?

I've done it both ways. Renting, hauling, fueling and running a trencher can be a hassle so I generally go by hand if I have the time.

In my town it is illegal to discharge into the streets anymore. If it is like that back when it was changed you are grandfathered in.

I try to make the trench wide enough that you can get the pipe in there easily and fiddle with gluing couplings and such without knocking dirt in your way. I also like to shovel dirt back in as needed so that the pipe sits flat on tamped ground before I backfill to prevent settling and dips in the pipe later on.

I use the black corregated pipe with holes for the drain part and solid pvc pipe to drain it away to daylight. If you properly use landscape fabric and rock around the pipe, there should never be a need to clean it out. The rock and fabric filter debris.

Usually the permits state the times when things need to be inspected. If not, ask the person you get the permit from. I would guess your inspection would be after the pipe is all in the ground and before you backfill it.