I am on my second ICF build. I actually have built the same house twice in different locations. Exposed ranch, 2600 sq ft. First time I used logix with platon waterproofing and form a drain. Never a drop of water. Build #2 I let the ICF contractor use Foxblocks and "peel & stick" waterproofing with form a drain. The contractor insisted on "keeping the concrete covered with plastic" during the build. I got sick of it and tore it off. The whole slab was wet. I dried it off with fans and found one corner "weeping" from several locations and water coming up from between the edge of the slab and the ICF in several other locations. The ICF contractor isn't really going after this as aggressively as I would like, and is blaming the absence of gutters and not bieng at final grade for the issues. I quickly installed gutters and now am waiting for the next rain (although the slab is still damp around the edges). The ICF contractor dug up the corner where the weeping was occuring and found some of his peel & stick loose. He swears this has never happened to him before and may be hedging on repair. One theory is to dig down about two feet on the sides of the house and lay in some gravel to try & drain the sides of the house down the hill. I think the thing needs to be dug up around the perimeter and platon needs to be installed. The first build was in the midwest, the second in the deep south. (heavy red clay). Opinions ?

Peel and stick does not stay stuck very well if the walls were not pressure washed before application.  Peel and stick does not stick well to dirty walls.  I have seen peel and stick come loose if left unprotected for too long during severe weather.  

Were the walls backfilled with the red heavy clay?  I think the preferred backfilling method is to backfill the overcut with clean gravel up to within one foot of the finished grade and then a layer of clay to turn the water away from the wall.  The finish grade should slope away from the building as required by code. 

Any gravel under the slab or footer?  The foundation drains did go to grade, correct?  Is there a chance that the backfill crushed the drains? 

With the type of soil involved I am surprised that something like Delta MS waterproofing membrane was not used to provide positive flow.

Gutters should drain well away from the house. Possibly add a sump. If not a layer of clay sloping away from the house, perhaps plastic sheet.

Finish Grade isn't done and there is gravel under the slab & footer. Building was not washed b4 peel & stick, although some kind of "primer" was used. I would have demanded other methods had I felt that there would be a problem. They backfilled with the red clay, not gravel. At this point I am into damage control. Do you think there is any salvation short of digging the thing up all the way to the footing. I don't think the contractor is going to jump at fixing this thing. He is backpedaling. I need to figure out what to do. Otherwise the job is good.

Peel and stick is a waste of money. Once water gets behind it, it has no way out.

Water only follows the path of least resistance.
If you don't provide a path, it will turn up in the wrong place.

Air-gap membranes directing water to a corrugated footing drain buried in clear stone,
collected by a sumpbox works everytime.
If you have enough slope bring the perimeter drain to daylight.

They backfilled with the red clay, not gravel.

Oops.

If you have red clay it will perk better than white clay where all of the iron oxide has disappeared.  However, I do not think any type of clay should be used for backfill unless it is for the top foot.

My guess is that unless the overcut has been removed and then backfilled with clean gravel and the walls protected with an air-gap membrane that extends above grade, you have no assurance that the basement will not leak 10 years from now.  Be sure to replace any damaged drain while in the overcut.  If this is a walkout basement, then the drain should go to grade at least twice.  If only one drain can be installed to grade, then just be sure the drain is large enough. 

Another approach that should relieve the hydostatic pressure on the walls is to continue the gravel bed that is under the slab and footer to grade just like Superior Walls does the basements they do.  This method may work only if there is at least 6 inches of clean gravel under the slab and footer that can be extended to grade all across that elevation.  If the gravel under the slab and footer contains a lot of fines or dust, then this method does not stand much of a chance of relieving the pressure.

Did the contractor give a written warranty for the waterproofing?

By the way, where in the deep South was this house built?  Is it anywhere close to my area?

Greenville SC

I'd say the contractor cut short of doing the job right...You need a drainage mat (Platon or Delta or similar) against the peel and stick.

Is this basement completely in ground or walkout.
The reason I ask is one line of your orginal post. You mention water seeping up between the edge of the slab and the walls. This is the classic sign of hydrostatic pressure pushing ground water up into the basement. How much gravel was placed under the slab, and did they install any draintile under the slab?
First, let me say I agree with previous posters, dig up the backfill and throw that clay as far away from the house as you can get it. Repair any damaged areas of peel-n-stick, add platon, install 4" draintile, and backfill with clean wash rock to within a foot of finished grade.
However, if there is not enough gravel/drainage under the slab, you may still have a problem with groundwater seepage during very wet weather. Hope this is not the case.

BrianPK;

your finish grading needs to be completed before you can determine the cause

I've had a few related questions on my mind for ICF footing and foundation wall waterproofing, and this looks like a good opportunity to kind of add on to the OP's question:

--When you use a membrane on the outside of the below-grade foam, is there any concern that the membrane (such as Platon or Delta MS) could be eaten through by insects (termites, etc?) and compromise the barrier?

--With ICF's, how do you seal off the cold joint between the footing and wall on the outside of the wall (since it is covered with foam from the ICF's)? Do you even need to do this if you drape the Delta MS all the way down the wall and over the footing to the drain tile? How does one seal this on the inside of the joint since it is also covered with foam?

--As mentioned above by Wes, how does one adequately water proof on the inside joint of the footing/slab/wall? If you put clean washed rock under the slab, I assume you put drain tile around the inside perimeter of the slab that leads to a sump pump, correct? Is that the only way, or is there a "passive" way to design against water infiltration?

Thanks folks!

Based on my conversations with the people who manufacture Delta MS, they do not think that termites will attack the membrane.  In twenty or thirty years we should have some evidence.

A couple of ways to avoid problems with cold joints at the intersection of the wall and footer is as follows:

1.  Install the slab 6" above the cold joint on a bed of tamped, clean gravel.

2.  Or cast the wall and foundation in one placement - no joint at all.

Placing a drain tile on both sides of the footer and not on top of the footer is the way I prefer.  However, the inside drain is not required if the undisturbed earth is sloped to grade and the slab and footer are placed on tamped, clean gravel.  Walkout basements are often done this way.  See Superior Walls for their passive way.  If the basement is not a walkout, then a sump can be installed but will require electricity for the pump.  And when you need the pump the most is during a heavy rainstorm when the power is off.  So either install a large capacity sump or have backup power.

Years ago I used to design and help build underground homes.  There was no upstairs to go to if it leaked.  So we concentrated on preventing leaks.  I am sure there are many more ways to protect from leaks than what I have mentioned above.

Building underground homes?? Yeah I suppose you'd be an expert at waterproofing then :-). What do you think of using Delta's footing and/or cold joint barrier systems? Do you think these would be useful or a waste of money?

If you can't get the base of the house above the water table or if there is concern of water, based on soil conditions, a waterstop installed when pouring the footings works as well.

By the way, I am not an expert at anything.  Basically, I am a generalist.  I know a little about a lot of things. 

I have not used  DELTA®-COLDJOINT BARRIER products but I think they would be effective.  Since I like having the footer and slab on tamped, clean gravel I have not paid much attention to capillary action up through the footer.  If the footer is on undisturbed earth, then I believe the footer barrier would be a good investment.  Six inches of gravel under the footer helps to defeat capillary action.

One problem with using Delta MS is that it does not bend well enough to follow severe changes in a wall.

One problem with using Delta MS is that it does not bend well enough to follow severe changes in a wall.

Where does that statement come from Alton?

Although I don't personally use Delta MS, I do use 2 other similar air gap membrane products
The New Home Warranty program here requires a 2 year warranty against water infiltration on all new homes.
I do have a couple tricks of the trade that are too time consuming to write about on here.
Suffice to say, we get no call backs..have had maybe one in 23 years.
Give the ground water a path, use lots of granulars on your weeper tile, provide for relief from hydrostatic pressure,
 install a sumpbox whether you think you are going to need it or not,..... don't waste money on peel and stick for ICF's.
If you watch the u-tube link, the basics are in there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MhXJDayctI

I was referring to trying to get a tight fit with a stiff membrane over a brick ledge on an inside corner that is below grade.  Maybe it is just me but I would like the membrane to follow the wall very closely up and over the brickledge.  Maybe on the next job we can experiment to discover a better way to tackle this problem.  Am I the only one that has noticed this?  I have not had this problem with spray on coatings.  I may be expecting too much by comparing it to spray on coatings that follow the wall's ins and outs completely.  I know the membrane could be cut to make it fit tighter but water might get behind the membrane.  If someone has an answer other than tacking the membrane to the concrete wall then please share.  Otherwise, I really like the product.

I have suggested to homeowners that the brick ledge should be about two inches above finished grade so waterproofing would be easier and that no mortar would be below grade.  However, although it is a bad practice to place typical above-grade mortar below grade, that happens on most homes in my area. 

I am open to suggestions.  I try to learn new things every day.