Flooding in my yard

[ahughes2]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
My neighbors who are slightly uphill from my house regrading their yard while installing an inground pool making their yard higher than mine. While re-doing their yard they also filled in a natural drainage ditch that was located at the back of their property on a utility company easement so they could extend the usable area of property. Since doing so, the water that formerly ran into the drainage ditch and their yard is flooding my yard causing a river to run through it during moderate rain. The "river" is eroding the dirt around the foundation of my house to the point you can see the bottom of the concrete slab and the wood below that. The water then runs down my driveway and along my sidewalk where it freezes creating a liability situation should anyone fall on my property. What recourse do I have? I have contacted the local dept of licenses and inspections but they are reluctant to get involved. Int he meantime, my house is washing away! HELP!

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
My neighbors who are slightly uphill from my house regrading their yard while installing an inground pool making their yard higher than mine. While re-doing their yard they also filled in a natural drainage ditch that was located at the back of their property on a utility company easement so they could extend the usable area of property. Since doing so, the water that formerly ran into the drainage ditch and their yard is flooding my yard causing a river to run through it during moderate rain. The "river" is eroding the dirt around the foundation of my house to the point you can see the bottom of the concrete slab and the wood below that. The water then runs down my driveway and along my sidewalk where it freezes creating a liability situation should anyone fall on my property. What recourse do I have? I have contacted the local dept of licenses and inspections but they are reluctant to get involved. Int he meantime, my house is washing away! HELP!

**A: what did your neighbors tell you when you told them what happened and asked them to resolve the problems?

 

[ahughes2]

they said that they are not responsible because the water comes downhill from the property behind theirs (my house is situated at the bottom of the hill) the water merely 'crosses over' the back of their property (b/c of how they've re-graded it) and that it's not their fault it ends up in my yard. they said their yard floods too (refering to the back of their property where the water crosses through) They've been very bossy ever since we've met them telling us what plants to plant in our yard and when it's ok to have our outside lights on...not very good neighborly relations established and the communication is often one-sided. We've tried to be good neighbors but they are taking this as a personal attack on them. I understand they probably spent mucho dinero having their yard redone, but it appears its been at our expense.

 

[HomeGuru]

Ok, then hire a civil engineer and a real estate attorney and show them who's boss.

 

[ahughes2]

ROCK ON!
Now for a stupid question...what exactly does a civil engineer do and what's the best way to select one?

 

[HomeGuru]

You have 2 options; hire one on your own or hire the attorney first and he/she mayhave an expert engineer referral.
Do a search under civil engineer using any major search engine and inquire 'what is' and 'how to find'.
In your case, the right civil engineer would inspect for lot grades, drainage, erosion, foundation etc.

 

[ahughes2]

Thank you for your help.

 

[HomeGuru]

Please keep us posted.
I am curious on your foundation. If you have a slab on grade concrete foundation, when you experienced soil erosion and the foundation became exposed, why is there wood under the slab?
There should not be any wood in this area. What is this wood for, is it part of a form that was left after the slab pour and not removed?

 

[ahughes2]

We don't know why the wood is there either. The guy we bought the house from thought he was Bob Villa or something and we haven't figured out why he did half the stuff he did.....(like putting a ceiling fan all the way against one wall instead of in the center of the room??) I will keep you posted. Thanks again!

 

[HomeGuru]

Ask the engineer.

 

[ahughes2]

In a last ditch effort to avoid hiring a lawyer, I videotaped the water running into and through my yard and dropped it off at the Licenses and Inspections department of the township I live in. The next day I got a phone call saying "that's a lot of water - we'll be out tomorrow" and sure enough the next day the township engineer and the environmental inspector came knocking on my door. They said they have their work cut out for them and to give them some time to try to get cooperation from the neighbors next door and the commercial properties to the rear. They said they will figure out who is responsible for causing this problem to the best of their abilities and attempt to rectify the situation with them. Time will tell...I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for your help.

 

[HomeGuru]

Good going and thanks for keeping us posted.