How Much Does It Cost To Waterproof Basement

Without proper waterproofing, your home could have a lot of problems. Damage to the structure isn’t even left out. You might think putting a coat of paint on the walls and floors inside will fix the problem. But the problem could come from the outside walls.

Waterproofing your home or office can help protect it from flooding, rain, and other types of water damage. Basement waterproofing can save you a lot of stress and worry in the future. Interested in basement waterproofing cost? Then this article is for you.

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Why should you do Basement Waterproofing?

Before we go into basement waterproofing costs, you should first know why you should even consider it. It should stay dry if you want to turn your basement into a living space.

Unless a finished basement can be the same size as the floor above, the water heater, furnace, washer and dryer, and other important appliances are in the basement.

With smart, well-planned basement waterproofing, a home that is 1,000 square feet can become almost 2,000 square feet.

With this, it’s important to ensure that the renovations space is dry. Drywall, carpeting, paint, and even hard floors don’t handle moisture well in a finished basement.

Even if you don’t plan to change your basement, you should still keep it as dry as possible. Moisture can cause mold and mildew to grow and rot away building materials. This includes important parts of your home’s structure. Not all molds are dangerous, but some can make mycotoxins that are.

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What Makes a Basement Wet?

Poorly Graded Soil

If the ground next to your house is flat or slopes back toward it, water can flow along the foundation and into the house.

Gutters and Downspouts

Water can spill over the sides, and near the foundation if you have clogged gutters. There may be pieces missing from downspouts that move water away from the house.

Window wells that aren’t well made

Window wells are the holes in the ground around basement windows. Water can collect in wells.

Poorly Installed Window Well Covers

Window well covers keep dirt and water from getting into basement windows. If the covers are loose or missing, water can get to the windows and get in.

Drain Tile Doesn’t Work

Drain tile is a drainage system buried close to the outside of a house. The name “tile” is wrong because it’s not tile but pipe. This pipe could get clogged or broken.

French drains are underground drain systems that can get clogged with dirt or roots.

Water going up through the sump

Water can sometimes come up through the sump pit and into the basement during a flood.

Cracks in the building

If the foundation wall has cracks, water can get into the basement.

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How To Waterproof Your Basement

Find out where the water comes from

Look for the walls’ marks to determine where water is getting in. Make sure the landscaping slopes away from the house. Make sure that the gutters aren’t full.

If everything looks good but there is still water, you should call a plumber to check the storm system. They can use a camera to see if the problem is due to clogged or broken pipes.

Do dig around the outside wall of the basement (s)

Hire a professional to dig down the drains in the foundation. Put in a cleanout so you can check the lines. Water can sometimes build up and leak in because of a simple blockage. When you clean and check these drain lines, you may not need to do any more waterproofing.

At the same time, they can add any water drainage systems needed to keep water away from your house.

Look for breaks.

During excavation, a company that knows how to keep water out will look for cracks. Water from the outside can get in through cracks and cause damage.

You can use sealant and a membrane should. During the inspection, if you or the contractor find any cracks, the next step is to seal them. Concrete and masonry surfaces are easy to seal with a cement-based sealant.

The foundation wall can get a waterproof membrane to keep out even more water. If more cracks show up, this membrane will move and change.

Don’t use plastic or tar.

Both of these things should not get used to making something waterproof. You’ll have to start all over again when the targets are hard and crack. In the same way, plastic will peel and let moisture back in.

Don’t use waterproof paint to fix a leak.

Concrete walls have holes in them. Waterproof paint only covers the top of the concrete. It doesn’t get into the pores, so it doesn’t stick to the wall. As the water gets in, it brings minerals, which continue to build up behind the waterproof paint.

As it builds up, the paint flakes off, which puts you back at the beginning. Waterproof paint is a short-term solution that lasts between 6 and 24 months.

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Is Basement Waterproofing Cost Worth It?

Absolutely. Your return on investment will depend on how big your home is. It also depends on where you live and how much waterproofing you put on it. But it’s a good way to improve your home and is worth the initial cost.

A leaky or damp basement can be a problem if you ever want to sell your home. If a home inspector sees it, which they will, it can lower the value of your home and scare away potential buyers.

A wet basement can damage valuable items even if you plan to live in your home for a long time. The worst part is that your insurance may not cover it.

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How long does Basement Waterproofing last?

Even though basement waterproofing costs can be a lot, it may be worth it. How long waterproofing lasts depends on several things.

  • How much waterproofing product used
  • The weather, and
  • How bad the damage was, to begin with.

There is no set time frame because there are so many different parts. But most professionals will give a warranty for about ten years.

Factors that Affect Basement Waterproofing Costs?

Depth of Foundation

To work on a deep foundation from the outside, digging is inevitable. And this takes more work. Most foundations are dug out four feet below the frost line. If they are deeper than that, they have window wells to make them easier. In general, the cost of waterproofing your basement goes up with the depth of the foundation. This is one of the major factors that affect basement waterproofing costs. 

Method of Waterproofing

The method of waterproofing plays a major role in basement waterproofing costs. You can protect against moisture from the inside or the outside. Quick fixes like using sealant to stop basement leaks may cost less than long-term solutions.

Injection

This is a quick way to fix a damp basement, but it isn’t usually recommended as a long-term solution. You can fill a crack in a foundation made of poured concrete with epoxy or polyurethane. Most of the time, an injection costs between $500 and $700 per crack.

Internal Drainage System

 In this system, they put a weeping tile on the inside of the house by breaking the floor about 12 inches from the wall. A weeping tile stays in a trench next to the footing and sloped toward a sump pump.

They then drill relief holes in a block foundation to let water out of the wall. A plastic foundation membrane with dimples attaches to the inside wall from the ground up to under the floor slab. This will direct the water to the tile that drains it. It is another factor that affects basement waterproofing costs. 

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Basement Waterproofing Costs

Basement waterproofing costs are anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000 or even more than $50,000. This depends a lot on the size of the building and all the other factors listed above.

The best way to make sure your basement stays dry for a long time is to waterproof it from the outside. The outside of the foundation has a seal to keep water from getting in through the walls and into the basement.

The best long-term way to waterproof a building’s foundation is to dig a trench around the building. Costs vary based on how easy it is to get to the site, how deep the trench is, and how much restoration it needs.

The first step is to dig down to the footing so that loose dirt and trash can get cleaned off the foundation. Then, RCC puts on two coats of rubber with a trowel and puts a fabric mesh in between the coats for extra strength. This mesh also ensures that the right amount of rubber is used on each job.

The last layer of protection is a plastic drainage membrane with holes on the side facing the soil. It is the last of 5 steps to waterproof the foundation. It helps water flow away from all the waterproofing materials on the outside.

Next to the footing, a 4-inch weeping tile with filter cloth is set up in place. It is then connected to either the storm sewer connection or a sump pump. Before the soil is backfilled and packed down, a bed of 3/4-inch gravel is set on top of the weeping tile. This helps to keep silt out over the long term.

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Summary

Every homeowner worries a lot about water in the basement. A wet basement is bad for your health because it makes toxic mold grow. The only sure way to keep the basement dry is to waterproof it.

But this is a big task that you shouldn’t take for granted. Several things affect how much it costs to waterproof a basement. We hope this post on basement waterproofing costs helped.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does it make sense to seal your basement?

The most important reason almost every homeowner should waterproof their basement is that it strengthens the foundation of their home. As the name suggests, the most important part of your home is its foundation. It is the base of your home’s stability and keeps your family and property safe.

How can I waterproof my basement for the least amount of money?

Most of the time, installing an interior perimeter drain system is the cheapest way to keep water out of this type of foundation.

Can a basement be watertight from the inside?

Only waterproofing the inside of a basement won’t work in the long run. If the outside of the foundation is weak, it might buy you some time, but it can’t stop all problems. Most of the time, the dampness in the basement is because of something outside the foundation.

How is a basement made watertight?

The 3 main ways to keep water out of a basement are sealants and epoxy injections. Sealants and epoxy injections are often thought of as quick fixes. But some homeowners choose them when they don’t have the money for a drainage system.

Does making your basement waterproof raise the value of your home?

A basement waterproofing job will give you back about 30% of what you put into it. This can be a great selling point when you sell your home. Since waterproofing has many benefits like preventing foundation damage and mold growth.

How long does the waterproofing basement last?

Around 10 years. Most professionals will give a warranty for about ten years.

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