Custom homes discussions and local services.
Discussion options
Where should temporary roof runoff go while the foundation is open?
Before permanent grading and downspouts are connected, what’s a sensible way to keep roof runoff from collecting beside open foundation work? I’m curious how builders choose a temporary route that won’t send water back toward the excavation or wash out exposed soil.
Can temporary grading or pumping create problems if the discharge ends up somewhere unsuitable? What signs of water near an excavation should prompt a call to the builder or a drainage professional rather than just another temporary adjustment?
Join the conversation
Share your experience or ask a follow-up question.
1 reply
For temporary pumping, the outlet needs to work beyond the edge of the excavation: water that clears the foundation but runs onto a neighbor’s lot, toward another structure, or across loose soil can create a different problem. Where would that water naturally flow from the proposed discharge point, and could that route erode soil or collect somewhere it shouldn’t?