Newtown, PA · Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 2 votes
Hello BP Community ,
(Un)fortunately we viewed the house on a day with heavy rain and it had a few spots of running water from the basement walls (the seller agent is aware of the puddle of water as well). I took a few videos that you can see the basement (basement wet 1& basement wet 2) We generally like the neighborhood and the house, but the wet basement is our biggest concern about the house at the moment.
We definitely want to be safe and take all precautionary measures to ensure the basement and home stay dry and warm and will want to repair and invest in basement waterproofing.
Would you consider a house with water in the basement? Not sure if you have any advice or tips on how we should address the water in the basement problem during the homebuying process in the terms of inspection, repair and negotiation.
Rental Property Investor · Bucks county, PA · Member since 2019 · 58 posts · 24 votes
5y
@Michael Chang
What town in Bucks county? According to inspectors and officials in my town (also in Bucks), wet basements are very common due to the shallow bedrock and ground moisture.
I have water trickling from small cracks in the basement of my investment property, especially during rains obviously, but it never entirely floods the basement and a sump pump + dehumidifier combo take care of it all along with additional (simple) drainage we built that carries the water from the pump away from the building. We are about to do some repairs to the floor of the basement but our house is also built in 1910.
It may look like a big problem but it can also be easily manageable. Ask the neighbors if they have the same experience? I know the people around me are in the same shoes. Having someone experienced take a look will definitely give you "concrete" answers and peace of mind, however. I personally wouldn't touch anything with real foundation issues.
Rental Property Investor · DC Area · Member since 2019 · 100 posts · 54 votes
5y
@Michael Chang What state are you in? In Maryland, wet basements are common. Cinderblock/concrete foundation walls are porous. A puddle of water is a little more concerning - are you/the sellers sure of the cause? The house I recently bought (cinderblock foundation) had moisture on the walls in one corner which we noticed during the home inspection (it had rained the night before). After moving in we had some re-grading done in outside in that area. There was also an interior drainage/sump system already installed, so for me it wasn't a huge deal. Depends on your comfort level.
Newtown, PA · Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 2 votes
5y
@Tom Harkins I am in Bucks County Pennsylvania. We are not sure the cause of the leak/puddle water and it's more likely recent because the seller used that space to store carpet. I have to find out what kind of foundation it is and get inspection/basement waterproof specialist to examine it. Were you able to leverage the inspection to negotiate on the purchase price or get repair credit? Thanks.
Rental Property Investor · DC Area · Member since 2019 · 100 posts · 54 votes
5y
@Michael Chang We did get a credit due to this and some chimney work that was needed. If you are working with a real estate agent they could advise you on how to approach that. A good first step would be to get estimates
Rental Property Investor · Bucks county, PA · Member since 2019 · 58 posts · 24 votes
5y
@Michael Chang
What town in Bucks county? According to inspectors and officials in my town (also in Bucks), wet basements are very common due to the shallow bedrock and ground moisture.
I have water trickling from small cracks in the basement of my investment property, especially during rains obviously, but it never entirely floods the basement and a sump pump + dehumidifier combo take care of it all along with additional (simple) drainage we built that carries the water from the pump away from the building. We are about to do some repairs to the floor of the basement but our house is also built in 1910.
It may look like a big problem but it can also be easily manageable. Ask the neighbors if they have the same experience? I know the people around me are in the same shoes. Having someone experienced take a look will definitely give you "concrete" answers and peace of mind, however. I personally wouldn't touch anything with real foundation issues.
Your being way over cautious , every one of my homes has some moisture or water after a heavy rain it’s part of living in PA . Geez Don’t let that be a reason to pass up an otherwise good deal