Backfill: Gravel or fancy dimpled membrane stuff?

[Erin]

We have a walkout basement so only 3/4 of it will be back filled.  But the long wall is it a really difficult spot.  It's going to be a challenge to get a bobcat up behind it, or even a wheel barrow!     Consequently, we've been seriously considering the dimpled membrane stuff (aka Ameridrain, Delta Drain, etc.), but I'm wondering if it's the panacea it's touted as.

We get about 14" of rain/snow each year and our soil is a sandy loam, if that makes any difference.

We'd haul and move our own gravel, so obviously that's the cheaper route, but will Delta Drain be as effective?  More so?  Can we do the dimpled membrane just on the long wall and then gravel the short walls?   

Any thoughts welcome!!

[rdzone]

I also have a walk out basement and I can tell you what I did. My basement is block wall.  I am an over builder, so I used bituthene membrane, then the delta dimple drain, then 2 inches of blue board.  I put in drain tile then backfilled with gravel and fabric, then backfilled with pit run gravel on top of that.  On the inside I painted the walls with drylock paint 2 coats.  I have not had any hint of water in the basement as of yet.   

[desimulacra]

You need a pro's advice but will put my 2 cents in. I hate basements, they leak period. Ok I know of one that does pretty good, they just have to run a dehumidifier to get by. However the soil here is red clay. The only basements I know of that have not caused much problem were over engineered. Thicker walls, membrane and double french drains. So my advice is to use both fancy dimpled stuff, and gravel and french drains. Hard to fix a basement after the fact. My brother just got an estimate of $35,000.00 to 45K to fix his new homes basement.
Also you need to judge how much watershed drains against home, did not see this mentioned,  the more watershed the more protection you need.

[Erin]

no matter what, we'll be putting in french drains. 

And of the dozen homes I've lived in with basements not a one has leaked.  frankly, I think it has little to do with water management and more to do with relatively well draining soil and low rainfall...

really, the only reason we're trying to avoid gravel is because of how difficult its going to be to get it back there...
so far as watershed, we placed our house pretty carefully.  its just a hair uphill from a natural swale.  the foundation has been open for two years and the dirt "sides" have eroded very little...

[Mia]

I'd say that your choice of waterproofing really depends on conditions where you are building.  We know that homes in our area tend to have wet basements so we took multiple measures.
We are on a clay hill, about 23% grade where the house is, so we have a daylight basement.  And it is way too steep for a backhoe to work safely up there so the back fill was done by the 2 of us mid-century model humans, with shovels & wheelbarrows.  (what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I've heard)  (also makes you older)   
So, 2 coats of waterproofing, & tarpaper & then the expensive dimpled stuff & upper & lower drainpipes (one on top of the footing & one beside it) with that papery stuff over the drainpipes.  then gravel, then fill in the dirt over that.  And another drain about 10 foot behind the house (uphill side).   And a sump pump in the basement.
The basement walls showed a little dampness near the base in one back corner last 2 winters but nothing serious.  Yearly rainfall averages about 40 inches around here, in the Willamette Valley.
Perhaps what we did was overkill but nobody like puddles in the basement.

[diyfrank]

Typically you should spray the wall with foundation sealer then hang delta drain or any other brand. 
Place a perforated pipe at the bottom of the wall and cover with 6" of drain rock. Cover the drain rock with typar or any other brand of filter fabric. Make sure to drain all water away from the walls when you back fill.