I assume the house on the right is your neighbor, and the property line is about in the middle? I think your idea of a ditch was good. I would go as far from the house as the property line allows, dig a ditch, and try to slope the ground down from the house toward the ditch. Maybe pour a concrete strip or skirt out from the house like the neighbor's sidewalk and paint it. But that's an awful lot of work. Just a thought, because I've been thinking about doing something like that with the front of my house, but mine may be something more complicated (like hollow places from old scrap lumber buried near the foundation). Good luck with whatever you try. Trouble is it might take months to find out if it works. lol.
I wish there was a way that I could ban my wife from this thread. You guys are way too ambitious, and I don't want to give her the idea that I should be doing something around the house.
I really believe @Martin Alonzo was pretty much on the right track here. Directing water away from the house is going to help and so will placing a parapet of sorts next to the house but still, it’s a temp fix. When Martin said you guys need to dig down the exterior wall and seal it, I really believe it would be a tad more permanent and cost worthy. Sealing from the inside is good and needs to be done again, but the cells of the walls still fill up with water and wait for a way to get it. If you can get someone to dig down just beyond the saturation point (perhaps 2 or 3 feet) and then double seal the wall, fill it back in and hard pack the dirt and then add the parapet, I think the majority of your troubles will be over. The digging doesn’t have to be a Grand Canyon type of thing but just wide enough to get you roller, spray gun or brush in there to do the job.
Be careful, @Bobby Cole. My troubles started with my wife saying, "Since you have the ladder out, why don't you clean the chimney?" My life will never be the same....
@Bobby Cole I do have someone in mind but unfortunately he is now taking care of his parents and it's difficult for him to get away hence the need for a quick fix.
How far do you have to go to empty it? I'm assuming its on wheels, so that would mean you have to carry it somewhere wheels can't go.
Sounds like the sealant was the way to go. Ask at Lowes, Home Depot, etc., if any are 'low fume' or which has the least odor. Its like paint, some brands smell worse than others. Here's some I found online: https://sanitred.com/shop/sample-pack/quart-sample-pack/ http://waterproof.com/basement-waterproofing-products/ https://www.radonseal.com/basement-waterproofing.htm Use Google search terms 'diy interior basement waterproofing products' for more choices.
Not far. There is a double laundry sink in the basement as well as a floor drain. I either lift it up or tilt it over.
A squeeze bulb siphon pump might be worthwhile to cut down labor: https://www.amazon.com/Plumbers-Siphon-Pro-Universal-Extender/dp/B014LEQC98. That's how I drain my portable air conditioner into the bathroom floor drain, so I don't have to fool with wrestling it into submission.