The Rockaway house has been finished and occupied for a few months now, but there’s still some important items that I’ve been ignoring while I take a much needed break from renovations.

The most pressing issue is the lack of drainage in the backyard. Since Sandy, everybody’s drains have been backing up due to all of the sand and debris that got down there. With each heavy rain, we get the added bonus of a swimming pool in the backyard. When we opened the grate to clear the blockage, we discovered that it is not a drain after all. It’s just a pit. A clogged pit at that.

The options are to either connect a drainage system to the sewer line or install a sump pump. Both options would mean digging a trench and would require some lite plumbing. Furthermore, the pump would need electric or an underwater battery back up to work, so if there is another massive storm, it would be useless.

I’m no flood specialist, but I came up with a third solution that feeds two birds with one scone. It’s sort of french drainish but covers much of the yard. The yard is butt ugly right now, covered in crumbling, chippy painted concrete. The pitch leads to a small “drain” in the middle and as I mentioned, the water has nowhere to go. It’s just a pit.

So, my solution would be to break up the fugly concrete and make a much larger pit. Sand below pebbles or stones. It doesn’t have to take up the entire area, but a 4’x4′ pit would be better than a 4″x4″. I even have some leftover blue stone in my Brooklyn backyard, so I can purdy it up with that a bit.

It may not be the correct thing to do, but it’s gotta be a helluva lot better than what’s there now. Photos are just inspirational design ideas.