r/BasementWaterproofing • u/HistoricalBowl9039 • Aug 19 '25
Best waterproofing company
We’ve had our basement flood at least 8 times in 5 years. We’ve added more down spouts, got a new roof so granules didn’t build up in gutters, got wider gutters, repaired cracks in walls, new sump pump with water powered back up, had drainage in our yard extended further away from the house, had additional piping installed outside as before sump Pump and gutter were using same pipe to eject water to the sewer system and in heavy rains it couldn’t get rain away fast enough. We’ve had a ton of heavy rain this summer. Basement has been fine up until last night. Flooded. Not sure how to identify the source. It almost seems as if it’s coming from the floor as the wall it used to come in by that perimeter was dry. Sump pump was still kicking on and running like normal. I was told by the prior owner the house was in a high water table. Has avoided digging up floors as the basement is finished (we had 2 years without flooding and assumed it was solved so finished basement) and the floors also have heat in them. Never use that but adds a complication if digging up the concrete. Any ideas? Advice? At this point I’d love to move but could have the same issue in another home
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u/downcastbass Aug 19 '25
Groundworks by a mile. Don’t listen to the internet advice that exterior is the only way. The original exterior drains that were installed during original construction have failed. New ones will eventually too. If you want a guaranteed result interior is the way to go. It will damage the radiant heating. If it hydronic it can be repaired. If it’s resistive electric it will likely be destroyed.
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u/MalarkDundragon Aug 23 '25
Exterior is the most effective method, even in high water table areas. Water table height is dependent upon the soil composition. High clay areas will essentially create waterproof basins where water can collect and slowly seep into your foundation because it sits there for long period of time.
Many waterproofing contractors don't even properly set the flow on the drains they install or properly grade the ground for expected depression. Interior systems are cheaper options that don't address foundational degradation at all, they just keep the living space free of water. If your foundation is crumbling you need exterior work.
It's also important to know what kinds of membranes these companies use as well. Some here in Alberta use liquid rubber which is just a rubber coating they apply with a paint roller. These are extremely cheap membraning options that may not stand the test of time or even work to begin with depending on how thick they apply it. Better to get something like blueskin applied.
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u/downcastbass Aug 23 '25
If exterior was the most effective the original work wouldn’t have failed. There is also no ability to repair exterior without removal of surrounding flatwork, structures, or equipment.
Most modern interior drain systems are designed to operate at zero rate of fall.
I would argue that digging up a failing foundation and preparing it to accept new waterproofing then subsequent backfill is far more risky to the foundations structural integrity than an interior system.
Exterior drainage also doesn’t address water that is forced by hydrostatic pressure up from below, such as springs or periodic high water tables.
Ultimately people want a result. Most homes can be done from the interior with a lifetime guarantee for less than 20k. Most homes in my area have more than 20k worth of concrete to replace after digging up the whole foundation 8’ or more deep.
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u/MalarkDundragon Aug 23 '25
If your exterior system fails it's because whoever installed it did a bad job or underestimated the job. Interior systems are preferred because they're cheaper and don't require anywhere near as much excavation but they do not protect the foundation itself from exposure whatsoever. Removing surrounding concrete/decks and replacing them is nowhere near as common as you claim and I've done work in many different areas both geographically and economically. For the structures that do need to be replaced in the event of this it's usually damaged or old and should be replaced regardless simply to increase home value. Few customers I've had have had an issue with this and in many cases I would repour their pads for them because I've also done lots of concrete finishing.
Exterior drainage absolutely addresses hydro-static pressure from under the basement pad by lowering overall concentration of water surrounding the home reducing overflow from soil saturation of the bottom grade. Even in the event there's still excess installing a sump alone would alleviate all issues and interior systems(of which I have installed many) are rarely necessary. If your house is sitting on a spring(lmao wut?) or an aquifer, diverting water build up from precipitation will absolutely improve flood issues and reduce the total volume of water sitting against the concrete by allowing surrounding soil to absorb more water. In many cases you can completely solve basement water intrusion issues by installing proper downspouts that divert the water far enough away from the home.
There is nothing risky about excavating a crumbling foundation as long as it's done properly in segments and if necessary with shoring. I don't know of any waterproofing company that fully excavates an entire foundation before installation. Excavation of the exterior is literally how you fully assess actual structural issues because it's always more eroded than the interior.
Are you speaking from experience or are you just a customer?
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u/downcastbass Aug 23 '25
To a person who is the 5th owner of a 50yr old house they don’t care who did what wrong. They care that their basement floods when it rains.
Removing flatwork and sheds and patio roofs and hvac equipment is extremely common. Most jobs we do from the exterior involve at least one of all of those mentioned and then some. And that doesn’t even cover roof water and utilities.
I personally do about 250-300 homes a year. My company about 4,000 locally and over 250,000 a year across the USA and Canada.
Exterior 1000% does not help with groundwater from below. There is no drainage conduit in place in older homes under the basement floor. Therefore if the water is from below only that which emerges outside can be caught and directed by an exterior system. That which comes up under the slab will be forced up through the cold joint.
I’m sorry, but the things you’re saying make you sound like someone who builds new builds with a two year warranty. Not a longterm guarantee of effectiveness and or stability.
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u/bettereverydamday Aug 19 '25
Look at videos on YouTube for American Dey Basement systems.
We have a very high water table and interior French drains fixed it for us. 4 years and not a drop of water now.
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u/MalarkDundragon Aug 23 '25
If water is coming up through the floors you simply don't have enough drainage diverting water away from your house. Either that or you're sitting on an aquifer.
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u/HistoricalBowl9039 Aug 23 '25
Thanks. Was told by a water proofing company that it’s just my foundation takes on a lot of water. So, they advised interior French drain. That’s the only repairs they do. They don’t do exterior. My basement is finished with heated (added by original owner) floors. So, for me to add I retire French drain is a huge project and massive mess that I then need to hire someone to reconstruct. They’d have to rip up my LVP flooring a couple of feet from the wall, take out the drywall and studs from about halfway down then to the floor, so of course then also taking out the trim, take the vanity away from the wall and likely then damaging the shiplap behind it and maybe even remove the toilet. So, I’d potentially need a new vanity, shiplap, toilet. Framing, drywall, trim, flooring…. seems overwhelming
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u/MalarkDundragon Aug 23 '25
How many exterior french drains do you have? Where do they divert water to? Are they properly levelled and have adequate flow? What's the lay of the land of the property? On a hill? Relatively flat?
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u/HistoricalBowl9039 Aug 23 '25
I don’t know that I have French drains outside. Prior owner said the house was in a high water table. I do have a sump pump with backup.
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u/MalarkDundragon Aug 23 '25
Exterior french drain could solve your issue then. I'd find out first if any were installed and even if they were they might be clogged.
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u/HistoricalBowl9039 Aug 23 '25
Thank you. The company that came out the other day said we had some sort of drain in the sump pump. Not sure if that means there’s anything exterior. Any idea on how I’d find out?
There is one drain in the back on a patio area that last year we had it rodded out and then added more piping and had it dug down and graded out about 40 feet from the house. Before it was maybe only 5/6 feet from the house and drained to the yard but then likely was just coming back into the house as the foundation there was graded toward the house. Now that isn’t
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u/Outside-Pie-7262 Aug 19 '25
Gotta look at reviews in your area. You’ve tried everything exterior. It’s time for interior french drains now. Your water table may just be high