Yes by code there is a 4” drain in all window wells.

A painful yet productive weekend. First steps I had to remove All of the HVAC ducts and returns. Even more fun I found out is to hand crush 600lbs of steel duct work. Luckily our neighborhood still has a few scrappers that gladly picked up the mighty pile. Next up prep the floor so the painting task doesn't destroy our work thus far before the epoxy. Several rolls of plastic and as luck would have it a few spare Stern boxes and the dance floor is prepared. Did I mention I Detest painting!!! As luck would have it mama was a willing helper so we took turns. Started with a HVLP gun and in short order found that to be a pain with the ceiling. Off to Harbor Freight for a dispensable suction line gun and off to the races! 10 gallons later and the ceiling and base wall are Done!! Turned our amazing in my opinion. What an unpleasant task though. I can run plumbing, electrical, or framing all day but Painting is just mindless torcher. The remaining upper wall will get a finished perimeter wood shelf and a rustic wood panel wall to break up the wood and accent the later neon perimeter lighting. Overall a productive weekend but not much fun. Next up HVAC goes Back in with a last minute decision to upgrade the furnace as the new capacity will tax the AC plus it was beyond old at this point. Remaining pipes and window delivery also planned this week so we can get back to normal home climate.

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Thanks wayner! Yes they honestly did an Amazing job no question. Out of respect for privacy I tried to avoid any personal pics as they may not wish to be published. My guess is the recognition they want is the big check I wrote lol. A few more loose ends to tie up then we start the next phase inching closer to game room vs the current bomb shelter.

Wow thats a huge project! Sad its taking so long but I suspect Nothing in CA moves fast with construction tied to politics. Hope you see progress soon!

As noted there is a 5" drain in the base of each window well per code. Should more then take care of the run off. We plan to mural wrap the wells for a slightly more scenic look as soon as the windows drop this week. I will update all those photos as progress continues. Right now its HVAC time and finish plumbing along with the electrical runs to accommodate a few pinball machines....

The home already had service. I ran an independant sub station (another breaker panel) to the basement for 60 amps to more then cover the space and its power hungry games. Just made more sense to have the breakers in the room they are addressing rather then running upstairs should I need to shut down a breaker. I believe you can see the new panel in a few of the pics. The panel will eventually be framed into a wall when done to make it look proper.

Work is progressing quickly on the core pieces to make the expansion function. Didn't want anyone to think I stopped just burning the midnight oil lately! As noted I decided with the large sq foot addition and the fact that the HVAC system was pushing 20 years it was time to boost the configuration with new components and routing. Took 4 days but worth the effort long term. Routing the trunk lines specific to my game layout was a trickier task as I wanted max headroom and everything cleanly layed out. Overall came out great and the house is like a freezer now.

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Ran All new electric, plenty of outlets to every game area and a dozen smart outlets and circuits to ensure full smart game room use and automation. Basically a full Alexa room lol. New power sub station wiring all completed with only a few more lines to run for specific items. I prefer conduit which takes time but I can do it fairly well and love that at Anytime I can run additional circuits anytime I wish. Also removed the main bathroom waste line and routed the old one. Still finishing pulling the old waste lines but most of the ugly center ones are now done. Added a 3rd ejector backup to the backups system to ensure NO water issues!!

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Finally for this week, it has dried out a bit more so the rough exterior backfill is now completed. Still waiting on a truckload of top soil to make it more grass less hoe down mud. Drains installed in window wells and waiting on clear covers and ladder for large bay window. Coming along well and we are sealed up Finally!!

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Cleaning up copper plumbing with new 1" main from the front. More ceiling clean up and thinning so to speak. And as usual decided what the heck time to run new copper plumbing to the second bathroom and start fresh with every pipe.... Also (as seen in photos) started shimming the upper walls for the industrial wood look paneling and perimeter neon lighting. Epoxy marble floor quoted and scheduled to go in 2 weeks from now to ensure the floor is properly cured. That will be the ultimate fuse to light this project moving forward with a few walls and official MOVE IN progress. Can't wait to start clearing out the game hoard upstairs. Feels like we are living in an arcade this past few weeks. lol

Possibly but with (3) back up systems and the fact that we Rarely have them go off I am fairly comfortable with the system I opted to do. Plus it sends me a message when battery back up is online as well as continuous battery life monitoring. You can only safeguard so much before it becomes crazy redundant. As we have never had any water in the basement (primary basement) in 20 years I think this protection will more than suffice.

Thanks. Can anyone tell I have a Bit of OCD.... With my electrical and plumbing if its not straight and perfect its getting redone! lol

As I pulled the permit and am going through the same inspections there is no issue. Don't need to be a union tradesman to do the job right. As I have done this hundreds of times I feel confident in my work. Less so with some of the so called professionals that close enough is their effort. All good so far final inspection tomorrow and done.

While not a Wow moment of progress it is for me. New 1" copper from main and fresh new plumbing throughout. Need to do some pipe insulation this week as drippy pipe makes for a not so fun game room. lol Also the final segment of drain lines are run and tied in perfectly to the outside. No old pipe anywhere in the house so the water roots are good for many years beyond me and I can finish the primary objective Game Room! Have one small crack I want to deal with tomorrow in a wall to give me some peace of mind. Not an issue simply a typical support beam to foundation crack. Will mend it correctly tomorrow. Then its time to finish the walls and start trimming in the perimeter neon as well as finish up some additional ceiling lights on the other side now that the pipes are finally gone.

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After installing Many Watchdog systems for others over the years I found them less then reliable and not designed for long term use. They were popular years ago just not built well. I opted for the dual Zoeller 508 system which is a workhorse and rather industrial. A bit more expensive but not by much. Watchdog got popular because they hit the big box stores and became a trend. Hope the research pays off but I feel comfortable with Zoeller as the leader in this pump tech. Plus the monitoring system is extremely well done. I'll provide a link if you're interested.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M3B5YQE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

Hydro pumps can work as a peace of mind but it Really depends on your situation. Hydro pumps work but there output capacity is Very minimal. In a heavy rush of heavy rain most will not keep up. I have installed a few and in the right situation they can work out well.

Thanks. Trust me I have a long way to go but so far things are progressing as planned. I'll be happy when the games start to line up and the first guests arrive.

Lol no bodies that I will admit to..... Finishing a minor crack repair the Right way and then the fun begins!

You are absolutely my first invite!

There are ladders going in and the grates lift up for easy access and escape. They actually specify this configuration for the permit. Can't have anyone accidently fall into my basement uninvited unless of coarse its Jay! lol The goal is to keep the drunk guests from falling in.

You figured out my secret! Wait till you see the New LTG Willy Wonka leg levelers! lol