DIY: Installing a Sump Pit

Locate a spot that is in a corner, close to a wall and preferably has a downward slope. Also, make sure this spot does not sit on top of any preexisting water or sewer lines. Select a location at least 8 inches from the basement wall. Use chalk to sketch out the area you want to excavate. Use a jack hammer to work the perimeter of the chalk line and then shatter the concrete in between. Haul the crushed slab away either by hand or in a wheelbarrow.

Use a shovel to dig a pit in the center of the excavated area. Use your sump pump liner to gauge your progress. The liner is similar to a tarp that lines the inner walls of the sump pump pit. Stop digging once the top of the liner is level with the top of your basement floor.

Set the pit liner in the hole and fill the surrounding area with coarse gravel. Add enough gravel around the pit to elevate the grade 1 inch above the underside of the basement floor. Level the gravel with a wooden float.

Mix enough concrete in a bucket or your wheel barrow to fill in the excavated area, and pour it in gently. Use a trowel to smooth it and allow the concrete to dry and cure for at least 48 hours before you install the sump pump.