Your basement is one of the areas that is prone to dampness. High humidity levels, wall cracks, and floods are common in this area of the home. When they assault the basement, they can render it unusable. Besides messing up your basement, moisture can also cause a myriad of health problems and even reduce the value of your home.
However, waterproofing can give your basement a new lease on life and keep it dry for a long time. How much does it cost to waterproof a basement in DC? Here’s a breakdown of the costs you may incur so you can budget for your upcoming basement waterproofing project. Your project could involve interior or exterior waterproofing, or even both.
This involves excavating the soil around your foundation and installing drainage panels and membranes close to the exterior wall. It is the most effective waterproofing method for clay soil, which requires flexibility to allow expansion and contraction.
Membranes vary in price. Regardless of which material you choose, you’ll be looking at a bill ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the size of the house.
Here are the specific costs involved in exterior waterproofing:
1) Excavation — If you live in a home with limited space or accessibility issues, you may need to excavate the exterior in order to reach the outer part of the basement. This could cost you between $70 and $150 per foot, depending on depth.
2) Window wells and drains — Window wells help usher light into the basement. They also serve as emergency exits and protect basement window egresses from flooding. Installing window wells can cost you $500-$2,000. Window well drains cost around $400 and window wells are around $950. These prices are not for egress windows. An all-inclusive egress window system can range from $10,000 to $12,000.
3) Removal of standing water — If there’s standing water on your driveway, lawn, or basement foundation, you need to remove it. While JES does not remove water from a driveway, the expert team will instead install PolyRenewal on the cracking/sinking concrete within the driveway. That installation costs between $1,400 and $5,500 on average, but could be more depending on the area and extent of any damage. Concrete replacement is around $22 per square foot.
4) Gutters and downspouts installation — Without this system, water will run through the sides of your wall and get into the basement. Gutters and downspouts help channel water away from the walls to your sewer line. JES does not offer gutter installation, but downspouts can be extended for around $19 per foot.
5) Exterior weeping tiles — These are plastic pipes with perforation and they collect water before it reaches the wall. Installing them requires excavation. This may cost around $100 per foot for the pipe, gravel, and exterior membrane under 2’ deep.
Water and moisture from the ground can destroy many things in a basement. Apart from attracting mold, it can also cause wood rot, settling, and cracks on the foundation walls. The average cost of waterproofing a 1,200 sq. ft. basement is roughly $15,000. The ultimate costs depend on the size of your basement, type of sump pump system, extra work done, and the materials used.
Typical waterproofing projects start with an inspection and entail water damage repairs, internal drainage installation, and sump pump installation. Most local contractors will do a free inspection and advise you on the way forward.
A vapor barrier is an effective way to protect the basement from seepage. While it is mostly used for crawl space encapsulations, it also has other practical applications in basements. You need to hire a professional to help you with this task, and contractors could charge you anywhere from $1,500-$3,000 for a complete installation. Costs depend on the size of the basement and the quality/thickness of the vapor barrier sheet.
Other costs you may incur include:
Are you planning to waterproof your basement? Contact us to schedule a free basement waterproofing inspection. We’ll give you a free and fair quote along with recommendations to keep the basement try.
Groundworks Editorial Team
