investigation it was coming from a small closet that has a sink and big pipe (which may be a sewage pump ejector, I'm not exactly sure) running from the upper floor to the ground. I have never noticed this smell before. I think it had rained the day that happened.

Again, today, the smell came back but it smells more like sewage. We do have a septic tank, and we had issues with it leaking into our lawn a few years ago and we got the entire tank replaced I believe.

Any tips? Is this smell dangerous (eg methane buildup) or is it harmless and disgusting?

and him pulling a permit. He advised me if he pulled the permit it would have to be for the full job not just electric so it would be better if I pulled an home owners inspection permit because I'm doing the basement in stages. I called and requested this and I was told it was 71.50 a sq ft and 4.50 per something else. Well I have 1200 Sqt so just adding that together that tells me that can't be right as that is about 85,000 bucks. I question why it would be so much to to finish my basement and was told thats the system and they hung up on me. I called back and got someone else and rephased the question still to get told they needed to know the full amount I was going to spend to finish the basement.

Anyone have any insight on this?

completely full of silt and mud. Water that collects at the bottom of the stairs eventually drains out (over a period of days) but a heavy rain will quickly overwhelm the area, and water comes in under the basement door.

I haven't been able to pry the drainplate off, but could probably chip out enough concrete to do that if I thought I could get the muck out of the well by removing it.

Covering the basement stairs is a possibility, but not an easy one in this case.

Any suggestions?

Anyone have ideas on how to do it yourself and make it look like real wood.