So you’ve been dealing with a wet, leaky basement for a while and your temporary solution of running a dehumidifier 24/7 is no longer sufficient.

When coming to the realization that you may need to hire a professional basement waterproofing contractor, your first thought is likely “how much will it cost to waterproof my basement?”

Understandable!

While the cost to your home and personal health may be greater by not calling in the experts, the cost of picking up the phone is a justifiable concern.

The shortest answer to the question of what it will cost to waterproof a basement is between $70 - $120 per linear square foot if done on time.

With the typical Niagara region home being around 1,250 square feet (1), this puts the cost range between $10,000 and $17,000.

Prices could easily double if improper methods of waterproofing were used or warning signs ignored causing structural damage.  

This is not an insignificant amount of money by any measure; however after knowing the costs of the worst case scenario from not fixing the problem, it’s usually very much worth the investment that will help secure your home for many years to come.

WHAT FACTORS DETERMINE THE COST OF BASEMENT WATERPROOFING?

Not all basement waterproofing projects are the same so there’s no one price that fits all but there are some factors that can impact the cost of the job.

What is the problem?

• Is water building up in your window wells?

• Are you noticing moisture or water where the wall meets the floor?

• Is it the damp musky smell that has you concerned?

• Or is the water coming in from the outside through a crack in the foundation

The degree of severity can be wide ranging and so can the solutions required to fix the issue.

• Can this be fixed from the inside?
• Has the weeping tile system reached it's lifespan?
• Are window well installations required?
• Do you need a sump pump installed?
• How severe is the foundation crack and where is it located?

Bowing walls, cracked footings and structural damage will occur when improper waterproofing methods were used or when warning signs or foundation waterproofing recommendations were all ignored and this can become very costly to fix.  

If the solution requires exterior basement waterproofing using heavy equipment and digging, this would certainly come with a higher price tag compared to some other solutions involving waterproofing the basement from the inside.

How long did you wait before calling a contractor?

If the issue is detected and resolved early, this is best (and usually the cheapest). However if you’ve waited long enough that the issue has caused structural damage and required additional work such as underpinning, this would require more time, equipment (and costs) to fix.

Bowing walls, cracked footings and structural damage occur when warning signs are all ignored and become very costly to fix. 

Drywall and exterior cladding cracking, doors and windows may become hard to open and close due to the swelling and freezing of the ground.



How large is your foundation?

The more square footage that needs to be waterproofed means more labour costs, equipment and material required to complete the job.

How deep is your foundation?

The deeper a foundation contractor needs to dig the more time and costs there will be.

Where is your home located?

Simply put, the same job can cost a different amount based on what city you live in.

The costs of waterproofing a basement in Niagara will usually be less than it costs to waterproof the same basement in a market like Toronto.

How easy is it to access your property?

Will the equipment be easy to get to where it needs to go? Are there fences or other structures in the way that would need to be removed and put back (or even rebuilt)?

Does anything need to be filled with stone?

Not every basement waterproofing job requires stone fill. For those that do, this means added time and costs to the project.

When do you need the job done by?

Is it an emergency that requires immediate attention? There may be a premium added to the cost of the project in order to move you to the front of the line.

On the other hand, if it’s a manageable situation for the time being and you’re in no rush to have the job done, you may be charged the lowest base amount possible from your basement waterproofing contractor.

Foundation Waterproofing by Moe has been offering their services to property owners within Niagara since 1998. 

Contact us today for a free estimate.

SOURCES:

1 - niagaraindependent.ca