Water In The Basement?

Question

Hello BP Fam,

I am tired of looking at houses here in Delaware and not doing any research on fixing/replacing (if possible) a foundational issue with a home. I have seen multiple houses now that have water in the basement. The water is not from a water heater or other appliance. Does anyone have an idea at what cost range or ideas of where this water could be coming from? Sorry for such an open question like this I am sure there are a million answers. The homes are incredibly old. 1870-1900. They are priced about 80-60k under what they are worth. Is this enough of a range for the repairs needed? Do you usually stay away from foundational issues?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

-Kristopher Kelly

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Most foundation issues are cheaper to repair than people assume.

I don't know the source of water. It could be the ground slopes towards the foundation, allowing water to pool up against the foundation and then seep in. Maybe you have a high water table? Maybe there's a leaking pipe?

I believe you can seal an entire basement for $5,000 - $10,000. This involves digging up the entire foundation, repairing cracks and damage, and then coating the entire thing with a sealant. But what if the water is just coming in through one crack in one wall? You can seal that yourself for under $300. It just depends on where the water is coming from and how bad the damage is.

You need to hire someone to investigate these homes and determine if that's the problem/solution. There's no way we could assess this for you over a forum.

Vincent Garman · Answer

Ask away! I just did a french drain and sump pump in a 1920 Row in the city for $6500 and concrete on the floor for $5k. About 500sqft of the basement. There are definitely cheaper out there. All depends. Concrete and basement waterproofing guys that are good are tough to come by.

Kristopher Kelly · Answer

@Vincent Garman

Thank you for the heads up about homes here in Delaware. With the 5-25k that you are talking about is that a complete seal and no need for a sump pump? Or is that price range enough to put a drain and sump pump? Sorry for all the questions.

Kristopher Kelly · Answer

@Nathan G.

Wow! Thank you for the insight. That is way cheaper than I thought for sure. When in the process would you hire someone to look at that? Would you request a second showing and have them come with me?

Kristopher Kelly · Answer

@Austen Mueller Thank you for the insight. The home is near the beach but I don't believe in a true "flood zone". I wonder how much those are I will contact a local guy to see what something like that would cost. I just keep coming across these "deals" but they all have something wrong with the basement having a lot of water in them.

Vincent Garman · Answer

Delaware as a high water table. This is common in all houses here. Plenty of companies will do this for you. Depending on size and extent anywhere from $5k-$25k is a good range.

Kevin Sobilo · Answer

@Kristopher Kelly, wet basements are pretty common in old homes. They were never intended as living spaces when these homes were built.

On simpler working class homes, basements often had dirt floors (some still do). Often times afterwards, they poured a concrete floor over the dirt. However, there is generally no gravel, drainage, or water barrier under the floor. So, moisture will wick up through the concrete or even come around the edge of the floor slab.

Foundations back then could be made in a variety of ways, but many times the foundation itself is also porous with no water barrier or drainage on the outside.

Most of these issues can be improved with simple fixes. Exterior grading, gutters and downspouts directing water away from the house.

If you get real standing water in the basement, then a perimeter drain cut into the basement floor with gravel and a pipe leading to a sump pit will make a huge difference.

I want every basement to be drier than it was or to protect against moisture, but with difficult conditions sometimes you settle for a getting rid of standing water situations with the solutions I mentioned and perhaps running a dehumidifier in summer months.

Theresa Harris · Answer

FInd out why there is water and then call a local company for an estimate.

Austen Mueller · Answer

Not sure how much water were talkin, but If numbers make sense to install a French drain and a sump pump it could be worth it. And is the home in a flood zone??

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