How To Install A Sump Pump Pit 

Great video..No Nonsense. Nobody talking just to hear themselves talk..No showing your cat or dog or kids. Thanks

In the future you should avoid backfilling with clay around drain lines your basin, and directly under concrete. This can cause heaving and dislodge or crush the system. It's recommended to have gravel come in direct contact with the system even on a solid pipe.

Shannon , I use a respirator when I pour concrete out of the bag . After watching you pour it out into the bucket , I’m glad I do

I watched many videos and got motivated. I rented the jackhammer and broke the floor. There are so many stones under the concrete floor. Concrete breaking was tough and took me about 8 hours to break. I would break one foot concentrate clean it out then take a 15min break, then do another foot and clean it out then take a break for 15 mins. Then took some longer breaks. My back is hurting like crazy and now I have to dig deep enough to bury the perforated pipe with the stuffed sock on it and there are so many stones... it's so frustrating. I still haven't made a 3 feet hole for the pit. I'll do that tomorrow. This is a very very heavy duty work. I have no idea how I'm gonna remove the pile of concrete and soil from my basement on my own. Only do this if you have got two or three people who can do the heavy duty lifting. It kicked my ass for sure. Never again! Lol

I bought a house 6 yrs ago that has a sump pump under the crawl space, first time i had problems which wasnt very long after i bought it, had to put in a new pump last owner had installed a lowes cheap one and also the pit was a 5 gal bucket,,according to local plumbing stores in al that is all you need B>S> but i replaced with a zoeller pump that had a float switch that the plumber said would last me forever,,B>S> switch burnt out right after the 3 yr warranty so i rigged it up to stay on all the time and installed with a float switch which worked great but took forever in a 5 gal bucket,but it bought me some time till i bought a little bit bigger zoeller pump of amazon with no switch built into it,then i went under and removed the old crap and cut the sides of the bucket and removed it and then i had bought me a plastic 50 gal drum and had cut the top and bottom out of it around 25 inches high and then started digging around the pit hole which was fairly easy and then installed the drum into the hole after getting the right depth and then mixed me up some cement in a bucket and dumped it into the center of the barrel till it was around 2 inches thick and then added some bricks around the bottom to provide a rest area for the sump pump to stand on, and then let it dry for a day, then installed my pump with the float valve and also an extra wire on it that i fed up thur the floor behind my refrigerator so that when the sump pump kicks on so does the little light to ensure myself that everything was working,i later on installed a small radio that i turn on and off to alert that the pump is working as well,,,Has been working well for the last 3-4 yrs now just wondering if or when i should replace the pump they say these zoeller pumps last 10-20 yrs but the ones with the electric switches are their weak point so i eliminated that part

I think it is worth the added expense/aggravation to remove all excavated material and back fill with a clear angular stone. Ideally a 1/4-1/2 inch type. It tamps easier and allows water flow and helps to lock in the crock. Perhaps drilling a few holes in the crock would also aid in easing hydrostatic pressure under the slab. Not a fun job, but also bettter to do it during the dry season as well. I don't envy you.

I have to say after watching several of your videos , your a jack of all trades and not afraid to get your hands dirty. I also like how you provide commentary, as you work . plus thank you for not having any horrible music playing in the background :)

im not a mason nor a carpenter, but i enjoyed your video, i can tell you are a professional and pay attention to detail, something many of our youth are lacking unless they have a true journeyman to teach them. thanks for sharing your knowledge

All the concrete should be mixed in one batch also you should use a bonding agent to paint on the old work. I did my own sewage ejection Tank and pit, it had been set on clay Someone let the pump fall into the pit causing a crack the pump picked up stone and burnt up. The original plumber did the job wrong and it did not last but a few years. My sewage line is about 4' off the floor the only way to pump water out of the basement is via a sewage pump i also have a bathroom but no working fixtures. A kitchen sink used to drain into it I change how it was plumbed. Never had a problem with it in 23 years. The sewage pump is 10ish years old it only removes water the hvac system makes from the ac. Had a hired a plumber it would have cost me about 5 to 10k Only cost me less then 300 to diy it. Thats pit pump and supply's. And i used pea gravel around and under the pit.

I like to watch your videos. Your calm and low-toneed voice make me comfortable and preety detailed step-by-step explanation gives me a lot of information. Thank you. I appreciate them.

Put the buckets on a dolly strap it up and carry them out easier. Helps save some energy.. thanks for the video

Hey shannon on our sump we make sure to have holes all around the bottom 3-4 inches above the bottom and use 20-30mm rock with no sand to allow groundwater and lower water to go into the sump as the sump hole for tile is much too high to allow water to go in.

I have ridiculously small sump pit in my house and i knew I had a project like this coming. Thankyou for demonstrating

I'm SO sad you did not publish videos like this ~7 years ago. Great job, very educational. Thanks a lot!

Thanks Shannon, you are truly a great teacher - thanks for being so generous with spending your time to help all of us :)

Nice job. Well explained and executed. One thing you should have done is wetting the edge of the slab before pouring the concrete. It would help the old and new concrete adhere.

I want to thank you for your videos! It is still relevant and helpful and will be for many years to come! God bless!

This is a great video. I like how you explain things and show techniques. Displaying your work in progress is also nice.

Thanks. It helped me understand a lot about what at pain it is to add a shower to an already finished 1/2 bath in the basement. A lot of stuff that could go wrong doing this on a house that was built in 1979. Its epoxied all over the top and also sealed with silicone.

Excellent Video! Definitely one of the best! As you are very skilled, you made this process very doable for even those who couldn't imagine where or how to start.

The video shows and speaks for itself. No need for so much description. Thanks.

I used to work for a basement waterproofing company in Ontario and now I'm a 4th year apprentice plumber...I've put in my fair share of these things lol.

Good video. The sound quality is good because you have a lapel mic attached to your shirt and the audio is very clear. Good job.

First time I've seen a tutorial that didn't use a jackhammer for the entire demo. I like your method of maintaining the clean edges by precutting with the circular saw. Seems like the jackhammer made more dust than the saw.

Lol. I did waterproofing for 30 years it was fun watching you doing the work

Shannon, thanks for your great videos. You've helped me out a lot over the years as a homeowner.

What are we gonna do watch you travel all day?

You are killing me mixing up in a bucket- mortar pan/ trough

I just wanted to tell you I liked your video. Very informative the way walked through each step. I can show homeowners this so they can see how much work it is. Thanks

This guy takes pride in his work!

Excellent video! You a very good job explaining each and every step and that is very helpful. Probably a good idea to suggest that your viewers wear a mask with all that concrete dust and particulate matter in the air - not so good for the lungs.

Great, I really like it the way you explain it's very clear big help for my next project on my daughter's house

Your videos have been a huge help to me in getting into the hardware/construction industries. Thanks for all your work

I can only tell you this about these pumps. It is absolutely no fun when the pump dies, the tank is overfull and you have to change it out. Bailing buckets of sewage, smelling that stink makes me very sympathetic for sewer workers. I think I will put a sticker on the wall next to it to remind me to change it in 8 years before it dies again. I also recommend placing a check valve near the tank and another one about 6 feet up. Pumping the sewage up 9 feet then having it fall 6 feet makes for a very large banging noise. Putting the second check valve further up keeps it much quieter.

Excellent Vid.Someone that knows what their doing!!

You seem like you would be a good boss to work for. The company Im with has us banging out one of these a day with a backwater valve as well and Im working like a beast to dig it all up and mix up the cement, carry it all out in over filled buckets that are back breakingly heavy etc all in about 8 hours. It sucks to be honest. It would be nice to find a boss like yourself who might be slightly more relaxed about it. I think this job could easily be spread over two days with 2 or 3 guys, as opposed to one hectic day. But then again, time is money and my boss wants to get as much as he can I suppose. Lol Good videos though. You always take the time to explain things. You are right up there with the best.

I enjoyed watching this video, Shannon, and it was especially informative because I installed a sump pump liner in my basement quite a few years ago, but did not finish it quite the way you did this one. I live in a flood plain where the water table is high, so when I started to dig a hole for the liner, the hole filled-up with water quite fast, so it made the installation a challenge. I would like to watch your accompanying video on how to install a new sump pump as well. Great video!

That was a very informative and thorough video. Thank you so much for taking the time and sharing. I have to do this job at my house on a new-build. After watching your video I don't need to check elsewhere. You've covered all of the important information. Thank you once again

Nice neat work. The father in law is doing one of these. I wish I lived a little closer, it would be an interesting project.

Good job. Make sure to keep the lid installed while pouring and troweling and drying. Ask me how I know. I should have had my sub redo the whole thing. It was embarrassing when the homeowner asked why no lid...

Thank. Nice job, great video. You might want to leave the lid on it while the concrete cures just in case it got slightly out of round.

Excellent video. Very informative, this an a few others helped me do this on my own. Truly everything I need to know about getting the basin in is in this video. I am holding off on the cement right now, as I think I will dig my basin a bit deeper.

Love your videos. You've helped both myself and some of my friends. I will always recommend your videos. Thank you for all the hard work making them!

Nice Video sir and a bit of ??Irish brogue?? Excellent video!!

Another great video. It's good when you crack the subtle jokes. It seems to relax the tone a little.

Man I wish I had the confidence to do this job myself. It seems so basic, but cutting my basement floor freaks me out lol.

I need to do this exact thing in my basement - move the pit about two feet. Nice video - thanks very much.

No sand ...just gravel filling ...water needs to draine through ....and in to the bucket with no issues ..... plus ...all you need is a 750w pump with 8 meters head distance....and all sorted 👍

Great video. A kind suggestion, to help increase time, an electric hand held mixer will save lots of time and energy. This is a fantastic video. thank you.

This video was awesome! I'm getting ready to put in a sewage pit in my basement and this video was a big help. Thanks for the great videos!

....That's the hard part....the hole...and you need the right tools to do it....

The best handyman ever bro!

Very helpful, thanks for posting this!

You did an awesome job. I learned so much from your video. Thank you for taking the time and sharing.

You make it look so easy

You’re hired!

Thank You for the awesome vid. I am going to be getting into the basement water proofing business and was worried about the overflow systems.

Thanks for the video! I want to put a sump drain in my garage so i can wash my car in the winter. Doesn't look to hard.

Thank you SO MUCH!!! Can't wait to use this education to finally drain Loch Basement.

Great video. This is a kind of job for which an N95 mask would be of proven usefulness. Who needs to get silicosis - a bad lung disease from breathing in cement dust?

Shannon, if you have time to answer this question, it'd be greatly appreciated. Other than being sure to avoid any pipes in the foundation, is there any specific reason to choose a sump pump hole spot or will any place get the job done, regardless of which part of the basement? Thank you Shannon.

My builder did all this installation before I bought...but I've had two pumps fail in 25 year, and when they did, the water in the sump basin seeped back through the hole where the corrugated tubing enters the basin. I have since tried to seal that hole from inside the basin. It isn't easy, but I think it's a good idea to be prepared for pump failure and keep the water from going back under the basement floor.

U r videos amazing I'm learning a lot off u r job keep on it

Thank you Shannon

Nice attention to detail, that concrete looked great afterwards. Helpful video, thank you for posting--subscribed!

So you don't wrap the pipe or the inlet trench to prevent fines from the soil from clogging the pipe over time?

Well done

Does the weeping tile outlet always need to be above the water line in the pit so that the pump comes on before the water rises enough and cover the weeper outlet ?

You using a bucket reminds me of the first small mixing pan I used to build a retaining wall around my yard. Way too small for the job. I eventually got the large one that allowed me to mix a whole 80lb bag of concrete and I mixed 100's of bags,of concrete that way with a hoe. If we talk about should offs, I should of had a mixer but I got through it and it was a back yard with no other access but through the house. getting a mixer in and out would have been difficult and expensive. I got much stronger doing it by hand.

I love your videos I learned so much and use your videos when I have a project around the house so how about a whole video on this subject drain tile and all

Never ev3n thought about adding a 2nd pit. Thx

What if you don’t have a tile like you have in this application? Drill holes? Cut off the bottom? Most houses might not have the luxury of a tile around the foundation

Really useful…thank you. From an architect in the UK 👍🏼

i have a house here in michigan out in Farmington hills were i would like to install a pump and basin.could use a few tips.

The gravel on top of clay will settle over time, floor could crack when void develops Either use fresh gravel well tamped or water in the gravel clay excavated then tamp. Nitpicky but your concrete mix was way too wet

Hi there, I have followed your advice many times and I have done many projects with success. Solid content. Thank you. Question, how do I know where to dig for a sump pump in my basement. I know it goes at the lowest point. How do I know where the lowest point is located in my basement? Please.

cut big holes in bottom and use a filter screen also use rock so water can filter back to pump

HOUSEIMPROVEMENTS.... Outstanding video; well done my friend. 👍👍

Gravel,a 5 gallon bucket &a sump pump....done.

I would drill holes all around the barrel, water will move through the rocks under the concrete floor .

Wouldn’t made more since to back fill with the gravel then the mud. You had plenty of it.

Upon changing my sump pump, again, I cleaned the pit/liner first, before installing new sump pump. Also did the weeping hole per Zoeller manual. Pump is a Rigid 1/2 hp I noticed the bottom is cracked. I was quoted $990 to replace the pit. I Google this issue first and found out, that there pit/ liner is suppose to have holes to allow water to come into the pit. And then the pump to eject the water outdoor. So, is the crack at issue then? The water rises to it's previous waterline that it doesn't even trigger the pump at. It used to get trigger to almost an hour, or not at all. Should I leave the crack alone?

very clean work! and very informative video!!

Your videos are awesome Shannon. Thanks as usual !

You need to seal the space around the pipe going through the wall to prevent any leakage.

Taping the Machine-Branding does nothing. This thing looks exactly like the Hilti TE1000. The "AVR"-mark i only see by Hilti. The TE1000 is a really Powerfull electrical Jackhammer. I love this thing. It's easy to break massive reinforced concrete with this machine.

Nice work Shannon..

Thank you

Thanks Contractbrah

Thanks! Question: should a sump pump basen be perforated ?

Don't you need geo fab around the perforated pipe and gravel as opposed to clay backfill to keep sediment from entering the pipe and/ or clogging the pump?

Does the pipe coming from the weeping tile passes underneath the footing or you have to drill a hole in the footing to pass the pipe from the weeping tile to the sump pit ? I want to install a sump pit to an exterior weeping tile system and I was wondering how to connect them together ? Thanks . Great video

What a GREAT job!

Need some advice. Great video by the way. I want to up a basin in a 30-year-old house that already has a sump well and sump pump that is fed from a drain at the bottom of a sloping down driveway. I would need to put in the holes to align with the drain pipe that feeds the sump well which I think is 1 and 1/2 inch diameter. Any ideas how I can align those holes or wont this work in a pre-existing sump well?

Could you leave the concrete about 1/2 inch below the floor level then pour self leveling mix on top for a nice smooth finish? Lol, never mind...

Excellent video

any advice on how to modify my effluent pit lid so I can remove it without having to disconnect the pump piping. This is a septic system effluent pump chamber pit so a lid like yours wont do otherwise the smell will be noticeable even though its in the yard.

Our house was built in 1992, now the sump pump failed, I’m trying to install a new one,but having a hard time removing the pit lid/cover, it won’t budge,it’s the same lid/cover in this video.

Great video, but it is painful to watch upi mix all the crete in a bucket!

Hi, Great! very clean job. I am also going to Install a sum pump in our basement it is little old house. I am not sure where the weeping tiles are coming inside the basement or if not coming in then how can I connect that to weeping tiles. I really want to connect that to the tiles. I could not get answer to this anywhere. Do you have any video on this?