As echoed by others, your followup visits on rainy days is what sets you apart - confirmation that your solution is working. I'm impressed with the variety of equipment you have available as well as the high caliber of your crew. It's obvious they have learned the trade and don't have to be told what's next. The only thing missing is a clue to what these jobs cost for the property owner, but I understand that's probably confidential information that you don't want the competition to know. I ask only because a lot of viewers are trying to decide if they have a DIY project or if they need a pro, and renting equipment at $500 per day (each!) adds up fast.
I remember stumbling across your videos a few years ago when I was trying to core through a galvanized steel culvert pipe so I could tie in a few gutters and a French drain. You had a similar experience in one of your videos and you were even quick to respond on the tool and core bit you used. I’ve been hooked by your videos and your willingness to help others ever since.
Hello Shawn, how about a quick historical overview about your business? This could also be a good opportunity to have a glance at your portfolio, mixed with selected customer success stories from each of your services and possibly some interviews with your employees (the ones who like it). By the way. The rain footage is always awesome. Seeing these installations do their job is really cool. What I do also appreciate is, that you show the real world, where things sometimes do not work as exoected. Respect, man!
I don’t care what material Shawn uploads, i watch it all ! These videos are the best anxiety reducing outlet i have. Good stuff as always. The rain footage is absolute gold…
Dear Shawn, having found out about your channel opened up a universe of news for me regarding drains, how to find an end for the water that can harm foundations and parks, I have seen how you have repaired your vehicles on several occasions, how you have cleaned stumps The Parks,
I have learned a lot from your channel Shawn! I love watching you problem solving and just making peoples' lives so much better with your hard work and dedication. I am a private tenant as of these past couple of months and my word I have had problems with water getting into the foundations causing damp, mould and high humidity. After listening and rewatching some of your videos I was able to get the confidence to do videos of all the stuff that was going wrong when we had heavy rain and send it to the Management Company explaining in quite a lot of detail what they needed to do and they actually cleared all the gutters, downspouts, rainwater drains, channel drain...all had massive blockages....Not all Landlords are as proactive as you are Shawn. Anyway We now have a "Dry Line" all the way around the apartment building!! ...Not bad for a 67year old!🤣 And it's all thanks to your expert tuition!!lol 😀 Some questions for you!... How did you get into being a Landlord? Do you enjoy being a Landlord? Are there more positives than negatives?
@@GCFD oh, yeah! Other channels do it, and somehow posts in my feed that they’re going to be live in a half an hour or something. Victory outdoor services is a concrete contractor and he does it on Saturday nights every two weeks
Love the videos Shawn. Great seeing someone who takes the pride in their work and goes back to verify it is all working as intended. Congrats on the 50k upcoming.
Larry is absolutely right, I cured our problem of moving water uphill by using sealed Downpipe of the gutters and works absolutely flawless, 230 feet away to outfall, yes there is residual water left in the pipe but it doesn’t matter as pipe is sealed and buried from any frost damage, there is no reason to run ugly pipes on the surface as long as sealed piping is used right up to the gutter outlet 👍👍👍
Been a subscriber on your channel for more than a year now and i enjoy watching your videos especially sharing your expertise on drainage solutions. Keep posting and may you help other home owners like me. Thanks!
My wife says “Why do you watch these videos ? your never going to do any work like that” I say I enjoy watching them the same as I enjoy watching the Tour de France knowing full well at 58 I’ll never compete in the race. It was my interest in cycling that directed me to your channel. Thanks buddy 👍
your videos were really helpful today working with two laborers installing an irrigation system in my back yard. i did the pvc while they trenched for me. i checked their work and made sure things were sloped right. plugged everything into my drainage system through a valve box at the end, super convenient. thanks for the help through your vids
Congrats on 50K subs (soon), Shawn!! What about a compilation of you walking in the rain checking out the end result of various jobs? Snippets. Or a compilation of your bloopers/outtakes? Whatever you do, it'll be fun. Thanks for all your great videos and hard work!! Much appreciated! 🙂👍🍀💯🚰🌊🌦🌧🤠
If you took the pvc up the wall(replaced downspout), you could pipe the water anywhere you wanted. I don’t have any videos, but we do rainwater collection systems, and we run sdr35 up to the gutters and pipe it 400’ + to a 30k-55k tank. I think there’s a few jobs where that could have worked…
I forgot to include how much I like your using 2-3 cameras from different angles. Editing them into one presentation is a LOT of work, but the effort makes the video look so much better than a home movie. Your use of time lapse is excellent and the drone shots are first class.
how you created rip rap to drain a parking lot into a lake, all magnificent experiences, and many others that I remember, but I really enjoy when you make a compilation of the final performance during the rains, I wish you to continue with all the successes, a hug, Ricardo from Argentina
Hi Sean (Re - Edited Comment) Thanks for the video, been needing my GCFD hit & this really hit the spot. In regards to your questions, in no particular order & taking into account your non US viewers; * Explantion of where Gate City is us USA? Is there anything specific or unique about the town? Anything it's known for? * Possibly a tour of Gate City, can be a drive by video or a get out and street walk through, etc * Sean, explain where you see GCFD headed? Expansion? Yes / NO, Why / Why not? * Interview your workers, Ronald etc. Give them the stage and let them speak for and about themselves. *Sean, tell us about your life. Your Trade / Biology Engineering background history, your early life and or personal life etc? * Offer 'Speak with Sean Sessions' (Can be a Pateron / subscriber feature or hourly rate / donation service kind of thing) - People across the world can send / show you videos of their drainage issues during the rain and you can offer solutions / provide consultations to people who need answers. You can also then do a video of you reviewing their video (Obviously cover yourself legally). I think there's actually a video of a guy on UA-cam who did this, trying to reach out to you. * Sean's life/ career progression? We see you doing drainage and other ad hoc jobs, are you thinking of doing an apprenticeship to become a full plumber etc? If not, are there any short courses you can do? * Sean what would you different in life / what would you change if you had your time again? * Any decisions you made in which you regret and/ or don't regret? * What made you think one day to upload a random Drainage video to youtube? (Apologies if you've answered this already in one of your videos) * Randon note; also increase / enhance your PPE / safety standards for you & workers (when applicable) ie bigger ear muffs, eye goggles, face shields P2 face masks when working under houses etc (Remeber these houses are old and full of old fibres eg asbestos, insulation wool, silica dust, old school pest control etc) * Release some merchandise? Maybe a full bubble shirt? Etc (Apologise if this has already been done) * Maybe do some of these ideas via a UA-cam live session (provide advance notice to us). (I will add to this list if I think of anything) We had massive water issues at our place during heavy rain. Drainage contractor fixed it however if I knew what I know now because of your channel, I would have either fixed it all myself and saved tens of thousands or specifically advised the contractor on what I wanted done. Your work is far more appreciated then what you know. 👊 Regards
@Gate City Foundation Drainage Your more then welcome Sean. I edited my comment and made a few more recommendations. I really think the 'Speak with Sean' thing may be of great use to you. Keep up the great work mate👍👊
I saw you dropped this subscriber video two months ago, but forgot that I was subscribed! I enjoyed seeing you working on your rentals. I didn't know you had rentals so that was interesting to me (I manage a rental property - 40 units). You and Camarata are the only guys I watch consistently, I don't really know why I find you better than most of the rest. I do really enjoy you explaining what the water needs to do to get off the property and then showing it work in the rain. You absolutely do that better than anyone else. I'm especially fascinated with driveways that catch the water and French drains that flow even when you can't see the water. So the one you showed on this video was great. Very surprising how much water was running through there. What's really good about your videos is that you don't repeat yourself too much and you don't indulge in word salads that make no sense. We've got a hurricane coming this weekend in LA 8/20+21/2023 (I thought I got away from them when I left Florida!) so I'll get to see the excellent drainage working in my building, but I'm nervous about the roof and windows. We all went through hell this past very wet winter because it doesn't rain here for years but when it does everything leaks! Every property manager in the region was going crazy and we've got more water coming in two days from now than some areas get in two years around here. As an east coast native, at least I know more or less what to expect, and I know it's going to be rough. People out here have no understanding of hurricanes at all, because it never happens. Wish us luck!
Thank you Malcolm! I try really hard to make my videos 100% relevant content and 0% fluff. Points I feel are important I will repeat or touch on again in the wrap-up, but I want my stuff to be educational, interesting, and/or entertaining with no lag. I spend a ton of time on these (which can be overwhelming), so thank you for taking the time to let me know. Comments like yours make me feel my efforts are not unnoticed. Good luck with your properties and weathering the rain! - Shawn
Great Sub-only video Shaun - it’s great to see you back! I’ve learned a lot for your channel (enabling me to hire a trencher and lay 250ft of schedule 40 - taking all my downspout water away…my sump pump hardly comes on now!). I’d also recommend the new Saturn Vue (A Chevy Captiva Sport) - it’s a great vehicle! With regards to what I’d like to see…. More of the same really! Possibly with brief interviews with Jeremy & the crew. In the future, it would be great to see a compilation of “terrible techniques vs Gate City corrections” - what do you think Shaun? Anyway, it’s great to see more content - every video of yours is great to watch, plenty to learn from each one.
Thank you Jet! I'm glad to hear you are keeping the water out of your house in the first place when so many want you to pump it after the fact. Nice work!
Parking area looks good. I'm sure the tenants will appreciate the upgrade. You might want to look into getting a dumpster. They are always going to have more trash than fits in the cans.
That was really nice footage of a french drain in action. I would have liked to see that project. Looking at the most-viewed videos on this channel, many of them involve french drains.
How about an upload of you on a date to the local art museum and then a trip to the trash dump with those two giggling ladies?😀😇 Just kidding, I think.🤔 Still wondering what happened to the homeowner with the koi pond and flooding sunroom that was in a hurry to fix the issues? Any decisions or progress?
He used my video and assessment to place pressure on the other company to fix the problem. This was after he assured me he was not going to work with them and was going to work with me.
I really like how you deal with issues, like the "never ending battle" with the trash on your property or any other issue you encounter like cutting internet lines etc. No anger, swearing or whatsoever, you just seem to accept it the way it is and fix it. Really cool👍 Thanks for all your video's.
Proud to be a part Edit: I'm shocked at how much water that french drain was taking on!. All I wanna see for the 50K sub special is you to treat yourself to a nice Saturn Ion Rediline. Or even the first year model Vue Redline with that 3.5L Honda engine. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. My dad worked for Saturn from the start through the GM nonsense until they become GM Spring Hill Manufacturing and on until 2019. I'm very sentimental with Saturn cars, and I appreciate how much interest you have in them.
Thank you Chevrasaki! Yes i love the saturns! I had a 2004 vue with the 2.2, 5 sp. It was a decent car but I got a dodge caravan and set it up as a camper van (version 1.0).
I think all trailers should have drop down legs at the very end of the trailer, where you drop a steel foot, and throw a pin in it, to give you point load when uploading and loading, so it doesn't want to lift the hitch end of the trailer, and then the truck with it, when you are on the end of the trailer with the equipment. This mod will make it much easier to drive on and off. I've seen a bunch of videos where someone unloads heavy equipment on a hill, and when going off the end of the trailer and onto the down ramps, it lifts the back end of the truck that is hauling the trailer, and since it is rear wheel drive and nothing is holding the front wheel in place, the trailer and truck end up going for a ride down the hill, often totaling both. A mod to all your trailers, you might want to think about.
Don't be embarrassed. I own a Window tint company and half my vehicles are tinted and half of those look like 💩 😂. My house isn't tinted either 😂. Last thing we want to do after a long hot day is work on our own things.
Well done Shawn from the UK on your video and congratulations on reaching 50k subscribers. I do like seeing the results of your completed works. Keep it coming.
Well Shawn, at least you know the sump pump works great. I liked Armin Schmidt's suggestion of an overview. Maybe not just the drainage, but how you started and where you came from. Obviously you got some type of biology degree, hometown, early jobs, first business, expansion of business, buying and renting and now apparently selling again. A bit of detail about getting started on UA-cam (I think I recall a niece's college project but maybe not). All sorts of things and stuff you reference or that went into making you the incredible person you are but that we all wonder the back story on. Like one of those vignettes they make for Olympic Athletes, only for a solid down to earth guy who works his butt off doing things that the rest of us could conceivably do (instead of superhumans like Simone Biles where all we can do is watch in awe and think 'there is just no way at all...')
Congrats on 50K - I cannot wait for your latest YT vids to drop as it is good to see what your are getting up to. I think I will have to go and watch some of your way way earlier vids from before I really found you, thanks for sending me down the Rabbit Hole.
@@GCFD - Yep, you are not wrong in how rough they are. They say that they are from 3 years ago, I feel that I have been watching you for more than 3 years tho.
I may be late to this channel but I love it. I like the way you go back after your work to see if it works. You don't get many contractors who will go back and showers the outcome. Keep up the good work
There is something primal about channeling water… I love the content! Maybe information on starting your own business and your background would be neat. It seems like you have a lot of skills and I wonder how you acquired them (plumbing, etc)
Just seeing this as I am a new subscriber. A suggestion would be to organize your playlists. Perhaps with names and dates? Link the assessment to the work video in its description.
Don't be embarrassed, you have improved a lot since then. A possible solution could be an above ground water tank that feeds into the toilet and laundry for washing and some gardening, but not for human consumption. A lot better than a dry well. Have you ever considered that if you did install a water tank and it overflowed, that it can feed into the sump pump which would feed into the street ?
Great video Kudo's for helping out a tenant w the tow...Would be nice if all landlords were that courteous... 19.11 looked like missing a lug nut on the LF wheel of the truck....the french drain is working above par....Sorry to hear about the lost footage, Till the next one...Dont change a thing.. waiting for 50k.....
Shawn, you have spoiled me! The way you go back to get rain footage has got me scratching my head with other youtubers as to why they don't do follow-ups of their work. Great job!
Would love to see in details on how your SCH40 pipes are drilled. Size, Spacing, ETC.. Love your content!!! Still waiting on your latest video updates too...
Congrats on your well deserved milestone! Was at the optometrist when I had a back spasm. He was concerned, but I just explained I had been shovelling to install some pipe for our drainage system. His face lit up when I told him I learned everything about drainage from you. We were installing head walls so my husband could mow without running over the pipe ends. They look like a pro did the work. I discussed drainage with the Optometrist for 40 mins! I hope he became a subscriber. 😊
Congratulations Shawn and the whole GCFD team on the upcoming 50k subs. Maybe you could do a collection of your encounters with critters and wildlife on the job. I've always liked your lessons on animal biology... 😁😁😁
Thanks for the video! What would your suggestion be when the city suggests a dry well? Small property but good fall. I can’t pipe out to the street (city property).
A wall, fence, or hedge could be used to support a significantly above ground drain pipe from the house to sidewalk. Like say a miniature Roman aqueduct. Using long ramps you could put the pipe on the existing sidewalk to reach the street without creating a tripping hazard.
How about a compendium of tough jobs that didn't work out exactly as planned (and you had to revisit), or you decided not to tackle, and what you would do different nowadays. i.e. More of a 'lessons learned' over the years? I recall seeing a video you did of an apartment complex that water just wanted to run towards an apartment (actually thru it) - and if I remember correctly, you had to revisit one area and rethink the problem. Some of the best videos were when you had to tackle the hardest water issues. Another might be a road trip to NDS, ADS etc., and have a factory tour (skip the cheap black pipe section). Looks like ADS might be in the eastern part of the county. Might be interesting to see what innovative products might be in the works or how they test.
I'm interested in how you would deal with rising subsurface water in a new construction design of a home. I know that's probably not what you usually deal with.
Try to identify the sources of the ground water. Is the area known for springs or shallow groundwater, or did the new construction change something that can be corrected?
@@GCFD My lot is downhill from a farmer's field where they irrigate. My lot's subdivision has a history of septic systems not working because of this irrigation groundwater so we had to be patched into the municipal sewer system. The lot is in a high desert with silty sand soils that are relatively low expansion but, obviously, it'd be great to design a home that stays dry and has the needed fall for the gutters to run underground to the street storm drain. I'm just designing a (super) sump setup that would keep the subsurface water from getting up to my slab-on-grade future home. I plan on implementing many of your great practices (gutter water piped with fall directly off the property, tile system. This will all be run by an engineer so don't worry too much about me. I was just hoping to find others who've dealt with a similar scenario. I'll probably end up with a sub-slab drain tile system made of schedule 40 PVC that collects any water into multiple sump pumps to keep any water at bay. Crushed stone that doesn't allow for any capillary action of the water will play a big role. And a radon/water vapor abatement system will draw a vacuum on the system. The lot is in an extreme radon risk area (eastern Utah) in very cold IECC climate zone 6. Keep doing the great videos on whatever work you're doing. I've learned a lot, thanks.
Since your company is not just you, but supported by some great employees and contractor relationships, maybe do some interviews and employee profiles of the great people that support your business! Of course, with their voluntary participation!
50,000 will be here soon. Great work. On the celebration issue I would like to see how to get proper design advise when buying a new house. It seems like the builders are not serious about good drainage. It seems like most of your videos are fixing drainage issues left by the builder. Builders should also have a plan for water coming from the neighbors.
I was researching lidar on drones as a possible way to survey & it's expensive. It is definitely accurate enough but the price on the gear is as much as the old methods. But the 3D images produced would change the way you woo customers.
Cheers on 50K in advance as it's only a matter of days if not hours. I still remember some of your first heavy equipment purchases and progression to the present. I enjoy seeing your work at the solutions and how you approach them. Your occasional commentaries on the biology and botany of the locations adds additional depth to the presentations. Cheers again from Edmonton Alberta..
I would be interested in the milestones of your business (e.g. first customer, first invoice over 10.000$, what types of customers you began with (e.g. private, government, businesses and how this changed over time, if at all) perhaps what happend after 1,2,3,5 and 10 years in business. Your biggest success and biggest desaster with your company. An overview what happens behind the scenes e.g. support from your family (only if they are OK with being mentioned, of course). I think that would be nice points for your 50k subscriber special and would be not too revealing regarding your business interna, I think. Keep up the good work!
How did you start the company, was it allot of up front start cost or did you already have something going that helped it start? Did you start because you were asked, or was it because you were interested in this or what was it that got you into this?
I know it's probably a cost thing with the gravel being cheaper but it would really spruce up the second property if you did a proper parking area out of conrete or asphalt. Like your neighbors next door.
I would really like to know more about your team, the other employees who make up GCFD. People come and go in all the different videos, but you have a core that you use regularly.
I would like to know if you would consider expanding your business to other areas of the country. You could franchise your business and provide training. I know many people would like to benefit from your knowledge and get services like yours but do not have a local company that offers it.
Should the grass that you're covering with the crusher run be treated with Round-Up first? Seems like it would overtake the gravel soon. The 50K subscriber video will be great no matter what. You have a wide variety of topics that are all interesting in their own way.
hi i stumbled across your videos on you tube watching diffrent videos of car trailers build & maintanance when i saw yours the way you meticulesly woud measure,solder,tied together diffrent things i said this is pretty cool let me check out other videos from him,wow 180 degree turnaround who would have known drainage so i started watching the videos and i really liked the way they are put together your way of explaining it, and the real reason i subsrbed was the calming of the videos everything calm,organized and commited listen thanks for the moments i dont do any kind of this work im a 64 year old retired banker that loves to watch intresting things and btw i live in puerto rico a small u.s territory island in the atlantic very near the dominican republic hey take care keep up the good work and again thanks.
Hi Shawn! Could you do update(s) on projects that you did evaluation on. Did you get that last project with the big pond that’s right next to the home?
Hi Shawn, thanks for the video. I was curious what is the cost of an average job. Now I know it’s none of my business but you said to ask questions lol. Sorry you don’t need to answer. Great video, for a minute I thought now he looking to get into the towing business lol. You’re a good landlord. Oh, can I still say landlord? Lol ok looking forward to more shows. It’s more a show for me I refuse to watch regular TV, so for that I thank you. Bobby……
Full bubble, ain't no trouble! I think a sit down with a couple of the lads for a chat, favourite jobs, gnarliest stories, best pizza! Would need a classic corrugated crush as well. Have you thought of auctioning off any curb cores again? 50k, not far away!
@@GCFD Can only try! Maybe as part of a 50k special? Or you could wait until 100k and make it a competition give-away. Create multiple cores and have everyone sign them. You could autograph, do some sharpie artwork and randomly select subscribers to win them. Would be a fun way to share your work with the community.
I note you mentioned that this was your house as a rental. Could you describe the different wearing of hats as compared as being a homeowner versus being just a contractor?
Hey Sean I'm really curious to know about your pricing as far as your drainage assessments and do you charge for them. And also what you charge the customer for some of these jobs that we've seen.
I am a subscriber from Germany, I am not familiar with the rules of the Trade in the US… I would like to know, what profession you have learned? Are you a Master-Plumber? Or a master Gardener? Or something similar? To run a company like yours in Germany, you definitely have to have a Masters-Degree in one familiar trade. So wharves your exact profession? Or did you entirely „learning by doing“ and did not receive an adequate training / qualification?
for the 50k special, it would be nice to have another video like the one you did about getting into mechanicing, or the tale of the king ranch or even a day or week in the life of shawn. Something not about drainage or regular jobs.
Great video Shawn, no need to feel embarrassed about the job at your first job you were on least you shown us whats happened, some folk would have sorted it of camera and say nothing has went wrong, and by the way your a dab hand on the bobcat 👌👍
I cannot believe how lax your Council authorities are with regard to stormwater from spoutings and downpipes just draining onto the soil around your houses, causing foundation problems and rising damp, and into the houses down the hill. Here in Australia in Melbourne where I live, all stormater is connected to council drains either onto the roadside kerbs, or council stormater pits on every property. I do like you going to a completed job on a rainy day and seeing the redirected stormater drian well away fro the houses
I've asked this before but I'd like some "introductions" to the people you work with. I think last year you had a woman on your team who might have been your daughter? You don't need to get into their personal lives but knowing all their names, how long they have worked with you and stuff like that would be nice. That said, you may have people come and go so it would be nice to know if they are temporary or not. It looks like you have a few businesses going on - how many rentals do you own? I'm assuming that the location where you changed the tire is your house? Or is that just where your business is located?
As echoed by others, your followup visits on rainy days is what sets you apart - confirmation that your solution is working. I'm impressed with the variety of equipment you have available as well as the high caliber of your crew. It's obvious they have learned the trade and don't have to be told what's next. The only thing missing is a clue to what these jobs cost for the property owner, but I understand that's probably confidential information that you don't want the competition to know. I ask only because a lot of viewers are trying to decide if they have a DIY project or if they need a pro, and renting equipment at $500 per day (each!) adds up fast.
Thank you Gary!
I remember stumbling across your videos a few years ago when I was trying to core through a galvanized steel culvert pipe so I could tie in a few gutters and a French drain. You had a similar experience in one of your videos and you were even quick to respond on the tool and core bit you used. I’ve been hooked by your videos and your willingness to help others ever since.
Thank you ex! Thanks for watching and commenting all the time - Shawn
Hello Shawn, how about a quick historical overview about your business? This could also be a good opportunity to have a glance at your portfolio, mixed with selected customer success stories from each of your services and possibly some interviews with your employees (the ones who like it). By the way. The rain footage is always awesome. Seeing these installations do their job is really cool. What I do also appreciate is, that you show the real world, where things sometimes do not work as exoected. Respect, man!
Thank you Armin! I talked a little bit about the history in my 1000 sub special. I could expand on that with the new video. Great suggestions!
i agree and more stuff with ronald
I don’t care what material Shawn uploads, i watch it all !
These videos are the best anxiety reducing outlet i have.
Good stuff as always. The rain footage is absolute gold…
Thank you Recon!
Dear Shawn, having found out about your channel opened up a universe of news for me regarding drains, how to find an end for the water that can harm foundations and parks, I have seen how you have repaired your vehicles on several occasions, how you have cleaned stumps The Parks,
Thank you for watching Ricardo! I'm glad you're enjoying my stuff - Shawn
I have learned a lot from your channel Shawn! I love watching you problem solving and just making peoples' lives so much better with your hard work and dedication.
I am a private tenant as of these past couple of months and my word I have had problems with water getting into the foundations causing damp, mould and high humidity.
After listening and rewatching some of your videos I was able to get the confidence to do videos of all the stuff that was going wrong when we had heavy rain and send it to the Management Company explaining in quite a lot of detail what they needed to do and they actually cleared all the gutters, downspouts, rainwater drains, channel drain...all had massive blockages....Not all Landlords are as proactive as you are Shawn. Anyway We now have a "Dry Line" all the way around the apartment building!! ...Not bad for a 67year old!🤣
And it's all thanks to your expert tuition!!lol 😀
Some questions for you!...
How did you get into being a Landlord?
Do you enjoy being a Landlord?
Are there more positives than negatives?
Would have been nice to see how your drywell ias working during a rain storm, Would like to se more drain projects.
The dry well works until it fills up. Then the water pours out of the channel drain and across the yard.
Consider doing a live show to answer all the questions. Love the channel
I didn't know I could do a live show!
@@GCFD oh, yeah! Other channels do it, and somehow posts in my feed that they’re going to be live in a half an hour or something. Victory outdoor services is a concrete contractor and he does it on Saturday nights every two weeks
Nice collection of different jobs, thanks fro sharing
Nice video, Shawn. Always pleased to see any uploads you make. Early congratulations for the 50k subs mark, a great achievement. All the best.
Thank you!! 👍
Love the videos Shawn. Great seeing someone who takes the pride in their work and goes back to verify it is all working as intended. Congrats on the 50k upcoming.
Thank you red!
Larry is absolutely right, I cured our problem of moving water uphill by using sealed Downpipe of the gutters and works absolutely flawless, 230 feet away to outfall, yes there is residual water left in the pipe but it doesn’t matter as pipe is sealed and buried from any frost damage, there is no reason to run ugly pipes on the surface as long as sealed piping is used right up to the gutter outlet 👍👍👍
Hello from the Netherlands .
i watch al your video's Shawn 👍
thanks for the video Shawn .
Sincerely Hollandduck
Really enjoy these types of videos! Congrats on 50k! Can’t wait for the 50k video!
Starting a new business: Gate City Towing??? :)
Haha!
Been a subscriber on your channel for more than a year now and i enjoy watching your videos especially sharing your expertise on drainage solutions. Keep posting and may you help other home owners like me. Thanks!
My wife says “Why do you watch these videos ? your never going to do any work like that”
I say I enjoy watching them the same as I enjoy watching the Tour de France knowing full well at 58 I’ll never compete in the race.
It was my interest in cycling that directed me to your channel.
Thanks buddy 👍
Wow thank you Antoni! Ride on!
your videos were really helpful today working with two laborers installing an irrigation system in my back yard. i did the pvc while they trenched for me. i checked their work and made sure things were sloped right. plugged everything into my drainage system through a valve box at the end, super convenient. thanks for the help through your vids
Congrats on 50K subs (soon), Shawn!!
What about a compilation of you walking in the rain checking out the end result of various jobs? Snippets. Or a compilation of your bloopers/outtakes? Whatever you do, it'll be fun. Thanks for all your great videos and hard work!! Much appreciated! 🙂👍🍀💯🚰🌊🌦🌧🤠
Maybe short snippet of Before, After job and then the Rain results - Many Many Many Hours of Editing, maybe get a kid to do it as paid side project.
Thank you as always Sheena! 👍
If you took the pvc up the wall(replaced downspout), you could pipe the water anywhere you wanted.
I don’t have any videos, but we do rainwater collection systems, and we run sdr35 up to the gutters and pipe it 400’ + to a 30k-55k tank. I think there’s a few jobs where that could have worked…
I forgot to include how much I like your using 2-3 cameras from different angles. Editing them into one presentation is a LOT of work, but the effort makes the video look so much better than a home movie. Your use of time lapse is excellent and the drone shots are first class.
I think so too Gary. I like to use the camera work to make a somewhat uninteresting task look more interesting.
how you created rip rap to drain a parking lot into a lake, all magnificent experiences, and many others that I remember, but I really enjoy when you make a compilation of the final performance during the rains, I wish you to continue with all the successes, a hug, Ricardo from Argentina
Thank you Ricardo! 👍👍
Hi Sean
(Re - Edited Comment)
Thanks for the video, been needing my GCFD hit & this really hit the spot.
In regards to your questions, in no particular order & taking into account your non US viewers;
* Explantion of where Gate City is us USA? Is there anything specific or unique about the town? Anything it's known for?
* Possibly a tour of Gate City, can be a drive by video or a get out and street walk through, etc
* Sean, explain where you see GCFD headed? Expansion? Yes / NO, Why / Why not?
* Interview your workers, Ronald etc. Give them the stage and let them speak for and about themselves.
*Sean, tell us about your life. Your Trade / Biology Engineering background history, your early life and or personal life etc?
* Offer 'Speak with Sean Sessions' (Can be a Pateron / subscriber feature or hourly rate / donation service kind of thing) - People across the world can send / show you videos of their drainage issues during the rain and you can offer solutions / provide consultations to people who need answers. You can also then do a video of you reviewing their video (Obviously cover yourself legally). I think there's actually a video of a guy on UA-cam who did this, trying to reach out to you.
* Sean's life/ career progression? We see you doing drainage and other ad hoc jobs, are you thinking of doing an apprenticeship to become a full plumber etc? If not, are there any short courses you can do?
* Sean what would you different in life / what would you change if you had your time again?
* Any decisions you made in which you regret and/ or don't regret?
* What made you think one day to upload a random Drainage video to youtube? (Apologies if you've answered this already in one of your videos)
* Randon note; also increase / enhance your PPE / safety standards for you & workers (when applicable) ie bigger ear muffs, eye goggles, face shields P2 face masks when working under houses etc (Remeber these houses are old and full of old fibres eg asbestos, insulation wool, silica dust, old school pest control etc)
* Release some merchandise? Maybe a full bubble shirt? Etc (Apologise if this has already been done)
* Maybe do some of these ideas via a UA-cam live session (provide advance notice to us).
(I will add to this list if I think of anything)
We had massive water issues at our place during heavy rain. Drainage contractor fixed it however if I knew what I know now because of your channel, I would have either fixed it all myself and saved tens of thousands or specifically advised the contractor on what I wanted done. Your work is far more appreciated then what you know.
👊
Regards
Wow what a great list Tom! I'll definitely address some of these in my upcoming video! Thank you so much - Shawn
@Gate City Foundation Drainage Your more then welcome Sean. I edited my comment and made a few more recommendations. I really think the 'Speak with Sean' thing may be of great use to you.
Keep up the great work mate👍👊
You are still alive!
Of course he is, a flood can't get to him
I've been busy but trying to get some videos created and uploaded. I have a lot more on the way.
😂
Yes, he’s alive! Great video. 👍
You like to add variety to the channel. Would be nice to see where the concrete gets recycled.
Yes! I've been meaning to do that. I have a couple clips in some early videos but need some updated ones.
I saw you dropped this subscriber video two months ago, but forgot that I was subscribed! I enjoyed seeing you working on your rentals. I didn't know you had rentals so that was interesting to me (I manage a rental property - 40 units). You and Camarata are the only guys I watch consistently, I don't really know why I find you better than most of the rest. I do really enjoy you explaining what the water needs to do to get off the property and then showing it work in the rain. You absolutely do that better than anyone else. I'm especially fascinated with driveways that catch the water and French drains that flow even when you can't see the water. So the one you showed on this video was great. Very surprising how much water was running through there. What's really good about your videos is that you don't repeat yourself too much and you don't indulge in word salads that make no sense. We've got a hurricane coming this weekend in LA 8/20+21/2023 (I thought I got away from them when I left Florida!) so I'll get to see the excellent drainage working in my building, but I'm nervous about the roof and windows. We all went through hell this past very wet winter because it doesn't rain here for years but when it does everything leaks! Every property manager in the region was going crazy and we've got more water coming in two days from now than some areas get in two years around here. As an east coast native, at least I know more or less what to expect, and I know it's going to be rough. People out here have no understanding of hurricanes at all, because it never happens. Wish us luck!
Thank you Malcolm! I try really hard to make my videos 100% relevant content and 0% fluff. Points I feel are important I will repeat or touch on again in the wrap-up, but I want my stuff to be educational, interesting, and/or entertaining with no lag. I spend a ton of time on these (which can be overwhelming), so thank you for taking the time to let me know. Comments like yours make me feel my efforts are not unnoticed. Good luck with your properties and weathering the rain! - Shawn
Great Sub-only video Shaun - it’s great to see you back!
I’ve learned a lot for your channel (enabling me to hire a trencher and lay 250ft of schedule 40 - taking all my downspout water away…my sump pump hardly comes on now!).
I’d also recommend the new Saturn Vue (A Chevy Captiva Sport) - it’s a great vehicle!
With regards to what I’d like to see…. More of the same really! Possibly with brief interviews with Jeremy & the crew.
In the future, it would be great to see a compilation of “terrible techniques vs Gate City corrections” - what do you think Shaun?
Anyway, it’s great to see more content - every video of yours is great to watch, plenty to learn from each one.
Thank you Jet! I'm glad to hear you are keeping the water out of your house in the first place when so many want you to pump it after the fact. Nice work!
Parking area looks good. I'm sure the tenants will appreciate the upgrade. You might want to look into getting a dumpster. They are always going to have more trash than fits in the cans.
Awsome thanks for the interesting video! I am amazed at how stable the drone is. I always look forward to your new videos.
It's a nice drone so I think that's most of it Steve. I am currently using a DJI Mini 3 Pro.
That was really nice footage of a french drain in action. I would have liked to see that project. Looking at the most-viewed videos on this channel, many of them involve french drains.
How about an upload of you on a date to the local art museum and then a trip to the trash dump with those two giggling ladies?😀😇 Just kidding, I think.🤔
Still wondering what happened to the homeowner with the koi pond and flooding sunroom that was in a hurry to fix the issues? Any decisions or progress?
He used my video and assessment to place pressure on the other company to fix the problem. This was after he assured me he was not going to work with them and was going to work with me.
I really like how you deal with issues, like the "never ending battle" with the trash on your property or any other issue you encounter like cutting internet lines etc. No anger, swearing or whatsoever, you just seem to accept it the way it is and fix it. Really cool👍 Thanks for all your video's.
I like to stay positive and keep moving forward! 👍
As long as it costs money to get rid of trash, there are always people who will dump it.
Proud to be a part
Edit: I'm shocked at how much water that french drain was taking on!. All I wanna see for the 50K sub special is you to treat yourself to a nice Saturn Ion Rediline. Or even the first year model Vue Redline with that 3.5L Honda engine. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. My dad worked for Saturn from the start through the GM nonsense until they become GM Spring Hill Manufacturing and on until 2019. I'm very sentimental with Saturn cars, and I appreciate how much interest you have in them.
Thank you Chevrasaki! Yes i love the saturns! I had a 2004 vue with the 2.2, 5 sp. It was a decent car but I got a dodge caravan and set it up as a camper van (version 1.0).
Worked as a mechanic for a while. Remember the first time i saw that Honda in a Saturn. Always liked the make never owned one
I think all trailers should have drop down legs at the very end of the trailer, where you drop a steel foot, and throw a pin in it, to give you point load when uploading and loading, so it doesn't want to lift the hitch end of the trailer, and then the truck with it, when you are on the end of the trailer with the equipment. This mod will make it much easier to drive on and off. I've seen a bunch of videos where someone unloads heavy equipment on a hill, and when going off the end of the trailer and onto the down ramps, it lifts the back end of the truck that is hauling the trailer, and since it is rear wheel drive and nothing is holding the front wheel in place, the trailer and truck end up going for a ride down the hill, often totaling both. A mod to all your trailers, you might want to think about.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🩵🌧️💦💧
That French Drain is absolutely awesome! 🌊
Don't be embarrassed. I own a Window tint company and half my vehicles are tinted and half of those look like 💩 😂. My house isn't tinted either 😂. Last thing we want to do after a long hot day is work on our own things.
Hahah so true RHEC!
Well done Shawn from the UK on your video and congratulations on reaching 50k subscribers. I do like seeing the results of your completed works. Keep it coming.
How u do life and business is perfect no matter what the problem is or isn't. Keep up the compassionate endeavors!!!
How about a review of your current major equipment and pro con review… seems like a thoughtful ever evolving mix..
Shawn, thanks for the videos, I really apricate the return trips to see how the job is working. Keep the video's comming.
glad to see a video thank you for sharing
Thank you Matt!
Well Shawn, at least you know the sump pump works great.
I liked Armin Schmidt's suggestion of an overview. Maybe not just the drainage, but how you started and where you came from. Obviously you got some type of biology degree, hometown, early jobs, first business, expansion of business, buying and renting and now apparently selling again. A bit of detail about getting started on UA-cam (I think I recall a niece's college project but maybe not). All sorts of things and stuff you reference or that went into making you the incredible person you are but that we all wonder the back story on.
Like one of those vignettes they make for Olympic Athletes, only for a solid down to earth guy who works his butt off doing things that the rest of us could conceivably do (instead of superhumans like Simone Biles where all we can do is watch in awe and think 'there is just no way at all...')
Congrats on 50K - I cannot wait for your latest YT vids to drop as it is good to see what your are getting up to. I think I will have to go and watch some of your way way earlier vids from before I really found you, thanks for sending me down the Rabbit Hole.
Thank you! Good luck with some of those early videos - they are pretty rough, lol.
@@GCFD - Yep, you are not wrong in how rough they are. They say that they are from 3 years ago, I feel that I have been watching you for more than 3 years tho.
Looks good Shawn. That concrete still looks like new. I enjoy watching all your videos keep em coming.
All of the above. Also revisit your old rains jobs to show how they have weathered over the years andhow they are performing.
“Don’t get glue on the paver, the homeowner might get mad.”🤣🤣🤣
I may be late to this channel but I love it. I like the way you go back after your work to see if it works. You don't get many contractors who will go back and showers the outcome. Keep up the good work
Thanks Shawn! - hope you reach the 50K.
Just like to see more of those challenging drainage solutions.
There is something primal about channeling water… I love the content! Maybe information on starting your own business and your background would be neat. It seems like you have a lot of skills and I wonder how you acquired them (plumbing, etc)
I love the drainage solutions. Parking lot looks great.
Just seeing this as I am a new subscriber. A suggestion would be to organize your playlists. Perhaps with names and dates? Link the assessment to the work video in its description.
Keep it the way you want, it’s your choice and an awesome company is indeed worthy of 50,000 subscribers !!!👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you Lloyd!
Don't be embarrassed, you have improved a lot since then. A possible solution could be an above ground water tank that feeds into the toilet and laundry for washing and some gardening, but not for human consumption. A lot better than a dry well. Have you ever considered that if you did install a water tank and it overflowed, that it can feed into the sump pump which would feed into the street ?
Great video Kudo's for helping out a tenant w the tow...Would be nice if all landlords were that courteous... 19.11 looked like missing a lug nut on the LF wheel of the truck....the french drain is working above par....Sorry to hear about the lost footage, Till the next one...Dont change a thing.. waiting for 50k.....
Shawn, you have spoiled me!
The way you go back to get rain footage has got me scratching my head with other youtubers as to why they don't do follow-ups of their work. Great job!
you should probably have a dumpster there for a 4 unit apartment building... 2 trash bins is not enough, its going to pile up
Would love to see in details on how your SCH40 pipes are drilled. Size, Spacing, ETC.. Love your content!!! Still waiting on your latest video updates too...
Great video Shawn. Hopefully someday you'll do a video on where you buy your equipment like Skidster, power wheelbarrow and such. Thanks
Congrats on your well deserved milestone! Was at the optometrist when I had a back spasm. He was concerned, but I just explained I had been shovelling to install some pipe for our drainage system. His face lit up when I told him I learned everything about drainage from you. We were installing head walls so my husband could mow without running over the pipe ends. They look like a pro did the work. I discussed drainage with the Optometrist for 40 mins! I hope he became a subscriber. 😊
Whatever content you are inclined to make is what should be in the 50,000 sub video!
Thank you Luke!
Congratulations Shawn and the whole GCFD team on the upcoming 50k subs. Maybe you could do a collection of your encounters with critters and wildlife on the job. I've always liked your lessons on animal biology... 😁😁😁
Ye that was fun!
Thanks for the video! What would your suggestion be when the city suggests a dry well? Small property but good fall. I can’t pipe out to the street (city property).
A wall, fence, or hedge could be used to support a significantly above ground drain pipe from the house to sidewalk. Like say a miniature Roman aqueduct.
Using long ramps you could put the pipe on the existing sidewalk to reach the street without creating a tripping hazard.
👍👍
How about a compendium of tough jobs that didn't work out exactly as planned (and you had to revisit), or you decided not to tackle, and what you would do different nowadays. i.e. More of a 'lessons learned' over the years? I recall seeing a video you did of an apartment complex that water just wanted to run towards an apartment (actually thru it) - and if I remember correctly, you had to revisit one area and rethink the problem. Some of the best videos were when you had to tackle the hardest water issues.
Another might be a road trip to NDS, ADS etc., and have a factory tour (skip the cheap black pipe section). Looks like ADS might be in the eastern part of the county. Might be interesting to see what innovative products might be in the works or how they test.
I'm interested in how you would deal with rising subsurface water in a new construction design of a home. I know that's probably not what you usually deal with.
Try to identify the sources of the ground water. Is the area known for springs or shallow groundwater, or did the new construction change something that can be corrected?
@@GCFD My lot is downhill from a farmer's field where they irrigate. My lot's subdivision has a history of septic systems not working because of this irrigation groundwater so we had to be patched into the municipal sewer system.
The lot is in a high desert with silty sand soils that are relatively low expansion but, obviously, it'd be great to design a home that stays dry and has the needed fall for the gutters to run underground to the street storm drain.
I'm just designing a (super) sump setup that would keep the subsurface water from getting up to my slab-on-grade future home.
I plan on implementing many of your great practices (gutter water piped with fall directly off the property, tile system.
This will all be run by an engineer so don't worry too much about me. I was just hoping to find others who've dealt with a similar scenario.
I'll probably end up with a sub-slab drain tile system made of schedule 40 PVC that collects any water into multiple sump pumps to keep any water at bay. Crushed stone that doesn't allow for any capillary action of the water will play a big role. And a radon/water vapor abatement system will draw a vacuum on the system. The lot is in an extreme radon risk area (eastern Utah) in very cold IECC climate zone 6.
Keep doing the great videos on whatever work you're doing. I've learned a lot, thanks.
Dig the variety. That French drain was epic. Don't think I've seent one drain that much b4, especially without any obvious source of water
Since your company is not just you, but supported by some great employees and contractor relationships, maybe do some interviews and employee profiles of the great people that support your business! Of course, with their voluntary participation!
50,000 will be here soon. Great work. On the celebration issue I would like to see how to get proper design advise when buying a new house. It seems like the builders are not serious about good drainage. It seems like most of your videos are fixing drainage issues left by the builder. Builders should also have a plan for water coming from the neighbors.
I was researching lidar on drones as a possible way to survey & it's expensive. It is definitely accurate enough but the price on the gear is as much as the old methods. But the 3D images produced would change the way you woo customers.
Interesting Bob!
Cheers on 50K in advance as it's only a matter of days if not hours. I still remember some of your first heavy equipment purchases and progression to the present. I enjoy seeing your work at the solutions and how you approach them. Your occasional commentaries on the biology and botany of the locations adds additional depth to the presentations. Cheers again from Edmonton Alberta..
Thank you Laurie! thanks for your support over the years!
Let's see some video of that f650 dump truck we rarely see.
I would be interested in the milestones of your business (e.g. first customer, first invoice over 10.000$, what types of customers you began with (e.g. private, government, businesses and how this changed over time, if at all) perhaps what happend after 1,2,3,5 and 10 years in business. Your biggest success and biggest desaster with your company.
An overview what happens behind the scenes e.g. support from your family (only if they are OK with being mentioned, of course).
I think that would be nice points for your 50k subscriber special and would be not too revealing regarding your business interna, I think.
Keep up the good work!
How did you start the company, was it allot of up front start cost or did you already have something going that helped it start? Did you start because you were asked, or was it because you were interested in this or what was it that got you into this?
Nice footage. Always great to see a'' life in the day of" type vid.
I know it's probably a cost thing with the gravel being cheaper but it would really spruce up the second property if you did a proper parking area out of conrete or asphalt. Like your neighbors next door.
I am in Australia and love watching the work you do, I would like to see a bit on the people that work for you and how they came to be there
I would really like to know more about your team, the other employees who make up GCFD. People come and go in all the different videos, but you have a core that you use regularly.
Have you ever had a job that you really regret not filming because it turned out interesting or notable in some way?
Shaun, you know you are able to heat a glue joint with a torch, which will cause the PVC to soften and the glue joint to loosen. It's good in a pinch.
I would like to know if you would consider expanding your business to other areas of the country. You could franchise your business and provide training. I know many people would like to benefit from your knowledge and get services like yours but do not have a local company that offers it.
10/10, that rock-inlet at the end was amazing.
Should the grass that you're covering with the crusher run be treated with Round-Up first? Seems like it would overtake the gravel soon.
The 50K subscriber video will be great no matter what. You have a wide variety of topics that are all interesting in their own way.
hi i stumbled across your videos on you tube watching diffrent videos of car trailers build & maintanance when i saw yours the way you meticulesly woud measure,solder,tied together diffrent things i said this is pretty cool let me check out other videos from him,wow 180 degree turnaround who would have known drainage so i started watching the videos and i really liked the way they are put together your way of explaining it, and the real reason i subsrbed was the calming of the videos everything calm,organized and commited listen thanks for the moments i dont do any kind of this work im a 64 year old retired banker that loves to watch intresting things and btw i live in puerto rico a small u.s territory island in the atlantic very near the dominican republic hey take care keep up the good work and again thanks.
Shawn great videos! There's a Yiddish saying " the shoemaker goes barefoot"...........
Hi Shawn! Could you do update(s) on projects that you did evaluation on.
Did you get that last project with the big pond that’s right next to the home?
Hi Shawn, thanks for the video. I was curious what is the cost of an average job. Now I know it’s none of my business but you said to ask questions lol. Sorry you don’t need to answer. Great video, for a minute I thought now he looking to get into the towing business lol. You’re a good landlord. Oh, can I still say landlord? Lol ok looking forward to more shows. It’s more a show for me I refuse to watch regular TV, so for that I thank you. Bobby……
Hey Shawn, would you ever consider selling Gate City Foundation Drainage t-shirts? I'd definitely buy one.
Full bubble, ain't no trouble! I think a sit down with a couple of the lads for a chat, favourite jobs, gnarliest stories, best pizza! Would need a classic corrugated crush as well. Have you thought of auctioning off any curb cores again? 50k, not far away!
Hey Alex I haven't thought about auctioning off a core in awhile. Do you think people are still interested?
@@GCFD Can only try! Maybe as part of a 50k special? Or you could wait until 100k and make it a competition give-away. Create multiple cores and have everyone sign them. You could autograph, do some sharpie artwork and randomly select subscribers to win them. Would be a fun way to share your work with the community.
I note you mentioned that this was your house as a rental. Could you describe the different wearing of hats as compared as being a homeowner versus being just a contractor?
So many of us { subs } have learned how to divert water from house because of Gateway ! I'm with ya the whole way to 100k subs !
Hey Sean I'm really curious to know about your pricing as far as your drainage assessments and do you charge for them.
And also what you charge the customer for some of these jobs that we've seen.
I am a subscriber from Germany, I am not familiar with the rules of the Trade in the US…
I would like to know, what profession you have learned?
Are you a Master-Plumber? Or a master Gardener? Or something similar?
To run a company like yours in Germany, you definitely have to have a Masters-Degree in one familiar trade.
So wharves your exact profession?
Or did you entirely „learning by doing“ and did not receive an adequate training / qualification?
for the 50k special, it would be nice to have another video like the one you did about getting into mechanicing, or the tale of the king ranch or even a day or week in the life of shawn. Something not about drainage or regular jobs.
Great video Shawn, no need to feel embarrassed about the job at your first job you were on least you shown us whats happened, some folk would have sorted it of camera and say nothing has went wrong, and by the way your a dab hand on the bobcat 👌👍
Get'r done Shawn! Great job WTG 👍
I cannot believe how lax your Council authorities are with regard to stormwater from spoutings and downpipes just draining onto the soil around your houses, causing foundation problems and rising damp, and into the houses down the hill.
Here in Australia in Melbourne where I live, all stormater is connected to council drains either onto the roadside kerbs, or council stormater pits on every property.
I do like you going to a completed job on a rainy day and seeing the redirected stormater drian well away fro the houses
Great video. I am dying for Part 2 of the last gutter video!
Like to see more drain projects, and how well yours works at your house during rain.
Mine has been working very well!
I've asked this before but I'd like some "introductions" to the people you work with. I think last year you had a woman on your team who might have been your daughter? You don't need to get into their personal lives but knowing all their names, how long they have worked with you and stuff like that would be nice. That said, you may have people come and go so it would be nice to know if they are temporary or not. It looks like you have a few businesses going on - how many rentals do you own? I'm assuming that the location where you changed the tire is your house? Or is that just where your business is located?
For your 50k, I’d love to see a rig and equipment run down.