The backing up of the machine sounds nice when fast forwarded compared to the regular playback speed. So much open land, living in a major city you can only dream of this. The ffwd sound was pleasant on the ears and overall video was nice....cherrs
Who DOESN'T like to sit under the trees & drink beer? Absolutely bingeing on @GateCityFoundationDrainage vids - thank you for sharing #FatDad #Canberra #Australia 🦘🇦🇺🦘
maybe it's time for a V shape bucket for the mini digger? Andrew Camarata built one on his channel a few weeks ago, maybe a good sample video? . thanks for the video again
Like most all others, Shawn, I really enjoy your content. Again, a whiteboard diagram of the large yard would be so helpful to envision what the overall project entails. Do you ever install "rain gardens"? At the end of the swale scoop out a basin maybe three or four feet deep and perhaps 20 feet across. The water would drain into the basin. Plant "wet feet" plants in the basin. They will thrive.
@@GCFD Becoming more common where I live. A nice way of retaining water on your own property rather than just dumping it on a neighbor's. Maybe in the planning phase you might suggest rain garden to a customer, and work with a landscaper on appropriate, water-loving plants. I can send a photo of one if you like.
I watch Letsdig18, he's east of Raleigh NC. and now I found you in the Triad. You got a new sub. Just some advice have your website redone it could look way better than it does now.
At a certain point, if you are buying property in No Carolina, it's insane if you do not check how the property handles runoff/drainage. You're moving hundreds of yards of topsoil to fix this.
It's hard to do that. You would have to look at the house in the spring or fall. Even that isn't guaranteed to expose drainage issues. This past winter was exceptionally wet, and this spring hasn't been too bad. It's a crapshoot what the weather will be like. I am in Elizabeth City, NC. The whole region is swamp land. The county's drainage system is good for about 4-5" of rain, more than that and the ditches fill and you get flooding in the low areas. If it rains less than that, the low areas don't fill up and you wouldn't know you have an issue.
@@benjaminreinhardt259 Fair enough. You aren't gonna see accumulated water when it hasn't been raining. Nevertheless, you can look for telltale signs; exposed tree roots; washout debris packed against the backside of a neighboring fence; stains or rot on fenceposts; gulleys, nice green grass on high spots and burned grass in low spots. You're just trying to avoid or at least know about a river suddenly appearing on your prop.
Things happen like this when you put your house too low especially in a flood plain. The first problem occurred years ago when the house was built and not surprised this area is flooding. Certainly, a tough job getting the water out of there before it flows towards the patio and house that is a foot or more too low to start with.
Just a thought... You could add a contact card graphic or a prerecorded closing statement to the end of your videos letting people know how to get ahold of you if they are in your area..... That way the videos won’t seem like they cut off abruptly.. Something like “If you need abc work done and are in the xyz area, give Gate City a call or email us at ...”
Not at all... if it’s a voiceover just use a graphic... like the sticker you put on the trailer, as a static image.. and prerecord a closing clip. Easy to attach to the end of all future videos.
its a shame everyone doesnt use swales and dams to capture water on their land which will soak in over the years and eventually create new springs at the bottom of the land if its a big hill, and of course lower topsoil erosion. swales planted with nitrogen fixing crops/trees and fruit or nut trees provide so much food for plants/animals, soil fertility and capture of water to eventually replenish aquifers. the places where this regenerative agriculture is most obvious is in desert regions where places that have swales are a lush oasis compared to the baron rock/sand properties around that capture no water.
I see standing water all the time on a bit of a slope. So "cutting a swale" doesn't mean the water will flow. I talked to a homeowner today with very flat land and I told him I wouldn't cut a swale because it wouldn't work. That he would still have standing water. The FD provides a low point for the water to drain to and then the pipe carries it away.
Shawn- great vid. Have you considered fertilizing that and seeding with a nurse crop and grass seed ? The soil seems highly influenced by water to erosion. Consecutive short term rains a gully could form- right?
Yes! You have to have a nice continuous down slope to make sure the water doesn't hold and pool up. It's impossible to get it perfect, so you get it close and then let it wear in and tweak if needed.
Holding back the water rarely works, This is because you're working against gravity instead of working with gravity with a swale. You always want to control the water by providing a path of least resistance for the water. Trying to control water by blocking it rarely works as a pinhole will destroy your attempt. Great comment!
Make the properties causing the runoff to own it, build a 4 foot burm across the rear property line, turn the water stream across your property into a mini lake on theirs. Then they'll find a way to prevent the excess water on their property without your involvement.
Where I am, it is illegal to change water flow to the detriment of adjacent properties. I’d imagine if one owner and the neighbor worked together in it that could work, but I wouldn’t imagine anywhere that would allow you to simply block the existing water flow from following its natural course.
I feel sorry for the owner . Even from the video I can see the area is lower than than the horizon . Yet at some stage (of date of beginning ) it was built too low . Can you tell me is there even council codes that rule on this ? . I know they do here . Even newer homes have to be 1m higher than road than older 100 + homes around here
man you have quickly become one of my top 3 youtubers. Keep up the awesome content Shawn!
Thank you!
Nothing better than waking up in the morning with a new gate city foundation drainage video. Keep em coming.
👍 Thank you! Another one is currently heading your way!
I think everybody appreciates you taking them back to your jobs and letting them see the full outcome
Nice. I love it when people show the after pics and videos to see the work in action.
That's my favorite part!
The backing up of the machine sounds nice when fast forwarded compared to the regular playback speed. So much open land, living in a major city you can only dream of this. The ffwd sound was pleasant on the ears and overall video was nice....cherrs
Thank you! I thought it sounded cool so I didn't replace it with music on this video.
Their needs to be a cutoff for those annoying beepers.....
Awesome, per usual
Thank you, Shawn
Thanks Xavier!
DIY video clip description of the year
👍
Nice job Shawn. That Harley rake Really works well for final grading. I think you should use more often. Thanks
I’d like to Jim for sure!
Who DOESN'T like to sit under the trees & drink beer? Absolutely bingeing on @GateCityFoundationDrainage vids - thank you for sharing
#FatDad #Canberra #Australia 🦘🇦🇺🦘
Haha! Thanks for watching!
"Customer needs a flat area to drink beer". That's my kind of customer.
maybe it's time for a V shape bucket for the mini digger?
Andrew Camarata built one on his channel a few weeks ago, maybe a good sample video? .
thanks for the video again
I saw his video but I'm not convinced I would use it. It's too shallow where most of my swales are more gentle.
@@GCFD 👍
you can adjust the sizes and degrees of the walls to your needs.
that is the advantage if you make it yourself
Like most all others, Shawn, I really enjoy your content. Again, a whiteboard diagram of the large yard would be so helpful to envision what the overall project entails.
Do you ever install "rain gardens"? At the end of the swale scoop out a basin maybe three or four feet deep and perhaps 20 feet across. The water would drain into the basin. Plant "wet feet" plants in the basin. They will thrive.
We haven't had any requests for a rain garden. Cool idea though!
@@GCFD Becoming more common where I live. A nice way of retaining water on your own property rather than just dumping it on a neighbor's. Maybe in the planning phase you might suggest rain garden to a customer, and work with a landscaper on appropriate, water-loving plants. I can send a photo of one if you like.
Love your channel Shawn, i recommend you getting a tilt attach for your bucket it works great!!! Keep the videos coming!!!
I have thought about that! It would be handy and I need one for my excavator too!
Great video Shawn. Have a great day. .
👍
When you fast forwarded the skid steer was sending morse code. Im a little rusty but im pretty sure it was trying to say “lets drain it!”
Hahah yea I thought it sounded pretty funny so I left out the music on this one.
Love this erosion sort of stuff!
Great work on this Shawn!💪🏼💪
👍 Thank you!
I watch Letsdig18, he's east of Raleigh NC. and now I found you in the Triad. You got a new sub.
Just some advice have your website redone it could look way better than it does now.
Thanks for the advice! I just did a quick Wix website because I can't find anyone to help me with that!
At a certain point, if you are buying property in No Carolina, it's insane if you do not check how the property handles runoff/drainage. You're moving hundreds of yards of topsoil to fix this.
I’m in Transylvania county where we get 80+ inches per year!
It's hard to do that. You would have to look at the house in the spring or fall. Even that isn't guaranteed to expose drainage issues. This past winter was exceptionally wet, and this spring hasn't been too bad. It's a crapshoot what the weather will be like. I am in Elizabeth City, NC. The whole region is swamp land. The county's drainage system is good for about 4-5" of rain, more than that and the ditches fill and you get flooding in the low areas. If it rains less than that, the low areas don't fill up and you wouldn't know you have an issue.
@@benjaminreinhardt259 Fair enough. You aren't gonna see accumulated water when it hasn't been raining. Nevertheless, you can look for telltale signs; exposed tree roots; washout debris packed against the backside of a neighboring fence; stains or rot on fenceposts; gulleys, nice green grass on high spots and burned grass in low spots. You're just trying to avoid or at least know about a river suddenly appearing on your prop.
I agree that it's hard to do. In july things can be dry as can be and the grass can grow like crazy, making issues.
Nice job.
👍
Great another good one to watch, keep it up guys
👍
Things happen like this when you put your house too low especially in a flood plain. The first problem occurred years ago when the house was built and not surprised this area is flooding. Certainly, a tough job getting the water out of there before it flows towards the patio and house that is a foot or more too low to start with.
👍 I know the homeowner has been very frustrated washing his land wash away.
You should look at a "Tilt Tach" attachment for your skid steer. Got one last year and love it... You can get a 3rd valve and run your harley rake too
I just looked it up and it looks like a very useful addition!
This channel is so awesome👍🏻
Thank you! I try to make it good for you, the viewers! - Shawn
Just a thought... You could add a contact card graphic or a prerecorded closing statement to the end of your videos letting people know how to get ahold of you if they are in your area..... That way the videos won’t seem like they cut off abruptly.. Something like “If you need abc work done and are in the xyz area, give Gate City a call or email us at ...”
It's on my list of improvements for the channel. I think I need to hire a graphic designer for that?
Not at all... if it’s a voiceover just use a graphic... like the sticker you put on the trailer, as a static image.. and prerecord a closing clip. Easy to attach to the end of all future videos.
10k baby!
There you are Alex! You called it first!
I hope he knows by now but this is a drainage ditch, not a swell. Swells are specifically built on contour to retain the water
its a shame everyone doesnt use swales and dams to capture water on their land which will soak in over the years and eventually create new springs at the bottom of the land if its a big hill, and of course lower topsoil erosion. swales planted with nitrogen fixing crops/trees and fruit or nut trees provide so much food for plants/animals, soil fertility and capture of water to eventually replenish aquifers. the places where this regenerative agriculture is most obvious is in desert regions where places that have swales are a lush oasis compared to the baron rock/sand properties around that capture no water.
Yup I liked it
Thank you John! As always
Those houses really should have been built on a raised grade.
I’ve been wondering how you decide when to grade and when to use French drains and catch basins
If you have the room and fall a swale can work very well and is a lot cheaper. If you don't have as much room and/or no fall a FD.
I see standing water all the time on a bit of a slope. So "cutting a swale" doesn't mean the water will flow. I talked to a homeowner today with very flat land and I told him I wouldn't cut a swale because it wouldn't work. That he would still have standing water. The FD provides a low point for the water to drain to and then the pipe carries it away.
@@GCFD that makes perfect sense.
land like that you build a pond hen take the over flow out
👍
New sub, nice work and nice edit.
Thank you! 👍 I hope you enjoy the channel! - Shawn
Shawn- great vid. Have you considered fertilizing that and seeding with a nurse crop and grass seed ? The soil seems highly influenced by water to erosion. Consecutive short term rains a gully could form- right?
Yes for sure. The customer doesn't really care about the grass/dirt/weeds growing so he wasn't worried about it. 👍 Great comment!
A++ love it!
Thank you! 👍
forgive my ignorance, but do you worry about fall when designing a swale? Great content! I've learned so much about drainage by watching your channel!
Yes! You have to have a nice continuous down slope to make sure the water doesn't hold and pool up. It's impossible to get it perfect, so you get it close and then let it wear in and tweak if needed.
Could you have used clay mounds around the property line to hold back the water?
Holding back the water rarely works, This is because you're working against gravity instead of working with gravity with a swale. You always want to control the water by providing a path of least resistance for the water. Trying to control water by blocking it rarely works as a pinhole will destroy your attempt. Great comment!
Somebody is going to own it if this guy didnt.
👍
Make the properties causing the runoff to own it, build a 4 foot burm across the rear property line, turn the water stream across your property into a mini lake on theirs. Then they'll find a way to prevent the excess water on their property without your involvement.
Where I am, it is illegal to change water flow to the detriment of adjacent properties. I’d imagine if one owner and the neighbor worked together in it that could work, but I wouldn’t imagine anywhere that would allow you to simply block the existing water flow from following its natural course.
Does this work after grass grows back into the swale?
Yes it works well to direct the water
Shawn where do you get your 4” DWV pipe? My local plumbing supply is twice the price of Lowe’s. Only need 100 ft.
I get it from the plumbing supply here in town Cregger.
Forgive my ignorance, what is the purpose of the straw/hay?
It protects the bare soil and protects the seed.
Viewed, Liked, Subscribe, Shared!
He could make a pool down there
For sure!
Got to love/hate central NC clay its hard as a brick.
Haha yep!
no way to make a ditch/moat around the yard at the property line and direct the water away from there?
There wasn't any fall going back that far. Unfortunately...
Thanks for sharing Shawn, just wondering what brand of rubber track's you are using. Keep up the great work 👍
These are McLaren RUBBER OTTs that I got from Monster Tire.
@@GCFD thanks for the reply Shawn. Keep up the great content.
I feel sorry for the owner . Even from the video I can see the area is lower than than the horizon . Yet at some stage (of date of beginning ) it was built too low . Can you tell me is there even council codes that rule on this ? . I know they do here . Even newer homes have to be 1m higher than road than older 100 + homes around here
I have no idea on that. It seems they build whereever they can around here.
What camera are you using?
Garmin virb ultra 30
Dude we run the same skid what size tires are you running on that cat and did you have to space them out
I didn't have to space them out. They are the original size tires with the mclaren OTTs. It's a monster with the tracks on it.
Shawn “ The French Drain man” is trying to use your ideas , but a long way from it
No way, I thought he hated PVC and everything I do. Including showing the footage in the rain!
Hmmm... yellow CAT? isnt you own a white CAT?
The white one is a bobcat brand 👍
Looks like about a Stimmy worth of work.
👍 Hahah
I would love to get your opinion on a problem I have. Will pay for your time. How do I get in contact with you?
You can email me.
@@GCFD sent you a message on Facebook
Why dont you simply build a burm across the entire rear property thus keeping all tbe rainwater on the neighbors own property?
The rear was too high. We thought about that but would have missed a ton of water.