smartwall;

bottom line........ is not showing water according to the owner, most basement walls would occasionally have dampness, especially in an unfinished - unconditioned home.
It is extremely possible that the wall has condensation on it, under certain atmospheric conditions my covered patio slab sweats, it does not mean that I have a leaky roof or that water is pushing thru from underneath.

Let the builder finish the job! before a warranty claim is imagined

If you use dimpled, is there any need for the peel-and-stick and is that any different for ICF below grade as opposed to just a concrete foundation wall?

What about backfill when using dimpled? At first glance, even using clay for backfill with a dimpled product would appear to be workable.

We have installed over 50 ICF foundations in the last 7 years. I have seen this sort of dampness several times. When addressing a possible problem, there are many things to consider.
1) You need to work through the builders warranty claim procedure. He ha a vested interest in solving the problem, just like you.
2) If finish grading is not complete, how can you be concerned. There could be puddles against the wall when it is raining! Withhold judgment until he is satisfied with the grade. It should slope a MINIMUM of 6" away in the first 10'.
3) Who specified the type of waterproofing? With most home builds, there is a sharing of responsibility for specifications by the GC and the homeowner. This will affect who is liable should there be a problem.
4) Each time I have seen the symptoms you describe, it has been solved by running a dehumidifier (or multiple, depending on size of foundation) for a week. It most likely is condensation as mentioned by others. Obviously the home needs to be in the dry and air sealed.
5) Is the damp slab in direct contact with either the footing or the gravel? If so, it is cooler than ambient temperature, and there will be seasons of condensation. The biggest mistake I see contractors making in this area is to discontinue the underslab insulation at the footing, rather than allowing it to cover the footing, thus providing a thermal break between the slab and footing. Each time we have seen the condensation problem, it could have been rectified by this detail.
Jake Vierzen
R-Value Concrete Structures LLC
www.rvaluehomes.com

Jake;

 

Your response is right on!