Basement Waterproofing: What Utah Homeowners Should Know

Water and finished basements don’t mix.

That sounds obvious, but moisture problems aren’t always obvious before you finish the space. Sometimes it’s a little staining on a foundation wall. Sometimes a window well gets wet after a big storm. Other times, the basement has been dry for years and suddenly you find water on the floor after a heavy rain or a fast spring snowmelt.

If you’ve ever had water in your basement, even once, it’s worth figuring out where it came from before you start framing walls and installing flooring.

We’ve dealt with water issues on basement projects before, and the first thing we’ve learned is not to jump straight to a solution. You need to figure out where the water is coming from first.

Sometimes the fix is fairly simple. Other times, it isn’t.

Start Outside

If you find water along a basement wall, one of the first things we’d do is walk outside and look at what’s happening on the other side.

You’d be surprised how often something outside the house is contributing to the problem.

Start with the landscaping. The ground around your home should carry water away from the foundation. Over time, dirt can settle and landscaping can change, leaving low areas where water collects next to the house.

Then look up.

Where are your gutters sending water?

A downspout dumping water right next to the foundation can create a lot of water in one small area during a Utah rainstorm. Extending the downspout farther away from the house may be one of the simplest things you can do.

Sprinklers are another one we check.

If a sprinkler head is pointed toward the house, it may be soaking the same section of the foundation every morning. That’s an easy thing to overlook because you’re probably not standing outside watching your sprinklers at six in the morning.

It’s worth checking.

Don’t Forget About the Window Wells

Window wells are another common place for water to collect.

Leaves and dirt can build up inside them, drainage can become a problem, or landscaping around the well can direct water toward it.

If enough water collects there, eventually it may find its way through or around the window.

After a heavy storm, take a look at your window wells. They shouldn’t be holding a pool of water.

If they are, figure out why before you finish the wall around that window.

What If Water Is Coming Through the Floor?

This is where the problem can get a more complicated.

If water appears around cracks or joints in the basement floor, particularly during certain times of the year, groundwater may be part of the problem.

We’ve worked on basements where a sump pump and drainage system were needed to manage that water.

One project we worked on in Salt Lake City had enough water intrusion that we had to cut into the concrete floor, install drainage, and add a sump pump. That particular job cost around $5,500.

That’s not what every wet basement needs.

In fact, that’s why I wouldn’t tell someone that basement waterproofing costs a certain amount without seeing the basement first.

You might have a $100 problem.

You might have a $5,000 problem.

You might have a much bigger problem.

Until you know where the water is coming from, you really don’t know.

What About Cracks in the Foundation?

Cracks in concrete aren’t unusual.

The important question is whether water is coming through them.

If you see moisture around a crack, we’d first look outside at what’s happening around that part of the foundation. Check the grading, sprinklers, gutters, and downspouts.

If you’re constantly putting water against the outside of the foundation, fixing that should be part of the solution.

The crack itself may also need to be repaired.

In some cases, that can be handled from inside the basement. In others, accessing the exterior of the foundation may make more sense.

There isn’t one waterproofing method that’s right for every crack or every basement.

Interior or Exterior Waterproofing?

Homeowners sometimes ask us which is better.

It depends on the problem.

If water is being directed toward your foundation because of bad grading or a downspout, we’d obviously rather stop that water outside.

If groundwater is coming up beneath the basement floor, an interior drainage system and sump pump may make more sense.

If there’s a problem with the exterior foundation waterproofing, excavation may be necessary.

Sometimes the solution involves more than one of these.

What we wouldn’t recommend is choosing a waterproofing system first and then trying to make your water problem fit that solution.

Find the water.

Figure out why it’s there.

Then decide how to deal with it.

Waterproof Paint Isn’t a Cure for Every Wet Basement

This is another place where homeowners can get into trouble.

You can buy waterproofing products that go on the inside of a concrete wall, and there are situations where coatings can be useful.

But if water is continually collecting outside your foundation, painting the inside of the wall doesn’t make that water disappear.

We’d rather figure out why the wall is getting wet.

Maybe the landscaping is sloped toward the house. Maybe a downspout is dumping water in that spot. Maybe there’s a crack that needs attention.

Covering up the evidence isn’t the same thing as fixing the problem.

The Best Time to Deal With Water Is Before We Finish the Basement

An unfinished basement makes water problems much easier to see.

The concrete walls are exposed. The floor is exposed. You can see staining and cracks, and you can usually tell where water has been.

Then we finish the basement.

Now there are framed walls, insulation, drywall, baseboards, carpet, and flooring covering everything.

That’s why we want homeowners to tell us about any history of water before we start.

Even if it was just once.

Maybe you had a little water in one corner five years ago during a huge storm and haven’t seen it since.

Tell us anyway.

It doesn’t necessarily mean you have a major problem, but it’s something we’d rather know about before we put a wall in front of it.

Can You Fix a Water Problem After the Basement Is Finished?

Yes.

It’s just usually more annoying and potentially more expensive.

If we need access to the foundation wall, drywall may have to come out. If we need to get underneath the floor, flooring may need to be removed. Baseboards, insulation, or framing may also be in the way.

Then, after the water problem is fixed, everything has to be put back together.

That’s why an unfinished basement is the perfect time to investigate anything suspicious.

You already have access to everything.

How Much Does Basement Waterproofing Cost?

There’s really no useful average price.

A homeowner might simply need to extend a downspout or adjust a sprinkler.

Another house might need grading work.

Another might have a foundation crack that needs repair.

Another might need a sump pump and drainage system.

And another could require excavation around part of the foundation.

Those aren’t remotely the same project, so giving all of them the same “$3,000 to $5,000” estimate doesn’t tell you very much.

The Salt Lake City drainage and sump project we mentioned earlier was around $5,500, but that’s just one example.

The best way to price waterproofing is to first figure out what’s wrong.

A Few Things We’d Pay Attention To

Before finishing your basement, walk around and look for anything that suggests water has been there before.

Water stains on the concrete are an obvious one. A musty smell is another.

Look around window wells and along the bottom of the foundation walls. Pay attention to cracks that appear to have had water around them. White, chalky mineral deposits on the concrete can also be a sign that moisture has moved through the wall.

And if you know the basement has flooded or leaked in the past, don’t assume the problem went away simply because everything is dry today.

Try to figure out what caused it.

Can You Waterproof a Basement Yourself?

Some things are absolutely worth doing yourself.

Clean your gutters.

Make sure your downspouts aren’t dumping water next to the house.

Check your sprinklers.

Look at the slope of the landscaping.

Keep an eye on your window wells.

Those are simple things every homeowner can do.

If you’re dealing with water that keeps coming back, groundwater underneath the floor, significant foundation cracks, or a problem that requires excavation or drainage work, that’s when we’d bring in someone who deals with those problems professionally.

There’s no prize for turning a simple repair into a major DIY project.

Before You Finish Your Basement

If your basement has had water in it before, don’t panic.

But don’t ignore it either.

Try to figure out when it happened and where the water came from. Walk around outside. Check the obvious things first. If the problem needs professional attention, deal with it while the basement is still open and accessible.

We’ve finished a lot of basements, and we’d much rather delay drywall for a few days while a water problem gets fixed than tear that drywall back out later.

Once we know the basement is dry and the underlying problem has been addressed, then we can get back to the fun part—turning the space into somewhere your family actually wants to spend time.

Planning to finish your Utah basement? Contact Utah Basement Finisher at 385-343-7847 for a free in-home consultation and detailed quote.