Question
Hi, we're considering purchasing a foreclosed property in michigan. It is well/septic. The concern isn't necesarily that it's a well, but the fact it's on a slab. The contractor that was out there said that this area had a high water table, however we called the county and they said in general, the area does not have a high water table, the people who built the house were probably just looking for less of a cost. We dont really know the truth, and the county is going to try and dig up the well tables for the area so we can know for sure. I've never lived on a slab, and it makes me nervous because of plumbing issues, cold ground, installing real wood floors, etc......... People are wierd about basements in Michigan, and i've always had one. We do think that contractor was BS'ing us because on the side of the house, there's a mini house that has a basement with a sump pump. If there were issues with water tables, why would they put a mini basement and sump pump next to the house??? He made it sound like if that house had a basement, they'd constantly have to be dumping out water.. But the other little basement was as dry as a bone............ We've got a lot going on here and any bit of information would be great! Thanks!!!

Answer
Hello,

The water table fluctuates seasonally and can vary from site to site.  The county tables are very general and may not apply to your site specifically.    Since the structure next to the house is smaller,perhaps some groundwater coming in was acceptable and the occupant depended on the sump pump to remove it.   Contractors are often more familiar with local conditions than government officials or architectural and engineering personnel,so perhaps the contractor is telling the truth.

If you want to get a more accurate idea of the water table on this site,you could have a water table test bore done.  This service can be provided by a residential engineer.  These tests are good,but are not 100 percent accurate since water table levels depend on many factors that make completely accurate prediction impossible.   Water tables can also be influenced by the number of wells in the area.  Numerous wells can lower the water level.    Good luck.  Write back if you have further questions.

Mark  Harshman
http://www.mahdrafting.com
Email: [email protected]

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