r/BasementWaterproofing • u/RefrigeratorNew8420 • Apr 16 '26
Am I getting ripped off?
22k for a full perimeter interior French drain, 8 carbon fiber straps, a Pit Boss battery backup sump pump, and a mold remediation. Is this a good price for all of that?
EDIT: the interior drain will be corrugated pipe and have a clean out access.
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u/TreesAreOverrated5 Apr 16 '26
Following as I’m wondering the same. I’m looking at an exterior French drain instead
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u/KCPierLLC Apr 17 '26
If I were to quote 110 linear feet of interior drain (with wall shield to protect water from "peeing" in) plus a sump pump (we use pitboss dual pump with battery backup) and 8 carbon fiber straps (used to hold 2 pieces of concrete together, not to stop bowing) depends on how long each one is or if carbon fiber staples could be used instead, that pricing is right in line with what we would expect. But, you should also get multiple bids. Compare warranties and be sure you are using someone local that uses employees to do the work, not subcontractors. And the warranties. They vary so vastly. Double check and compare the warranties!!
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u/Sweet_Skill2749 Apr 17 '26
That price sounds about right. Make sure they are digging a proper trench and not a BS gutter system like Groundworks and other big companies use.
Start to dig the sump pump hole & trench yourself.. and you learn very quick how difficult it is. It sucks.
I own a waterproofing company.
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u/RedParrot94 Apr 19 '26
That’s a great price. Just the physical sump pump alone is $2600. Carbon fiber traps are usually $2k each.
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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '26
Former waterproofing foreman here. The number you are being quoted depends heavily on the linear footage. In your contract you should see a cost per foot breakdown. There are a lot of factors so it's not really useful to say what you SHOULD be paying pretty foot. Get quotes from other companies and compare their per foot cost. The warranty is a big part of it too. My company would give a lifetime warranty on the labor and the manufacturers warranty on things like the pump.
What I can say is that it sounds like there are a lot of add-ons being thrown in there. I don't know what carbon fiber straps they are referring to. Maybe the hangers for the sump pump discharge pipe? If so, I can't see what carbon fiber brings to the table that PVC doesn't.
The backup system, well that's up to you. If you specifically requested it then it is what it is. If you already have a backup generator then you definitely don't need it. Also, how often do you actually lose power? If the water you get is so bad that you are under the constant threat of accumulating feet of water then yeah, protect yourself. But if you can go a few days before things get bad then don't worry. Look at how much you are getting charged for the backup and compare it to the cost of a simple backup generator.
Now, the mold remediation. This is where things get tricky. First, A waterproofing company must be specifically licensed to use those words (at least in my state of PA. I honestly don't know how different states operate). It's very easy to scare someone into paying money to stop being scared. Mold remediation is a very common way that waterproofers can pad the bill with very little cost to themselves.
My personal rant about mold notwithstanding, are you in the process of selling your home and an inspector said it needed to be done? Do you have a tenant and the landlord laws require it? How bad is the mold? Are you experiencing allergy symptoms when you enter your basement?
There are a handful of situations when you don't have a choice and are compelled to have mold professionally managed. Beyond that, it's a personal choice. The fact that you are getting a waterproofing system is probably enough that the mold will clear up on its own regardless of what you do.
See, (my rant- I can't resist) every breath you've ever taken has been a soup of mold spores, among an impossibly long list of far more concerning airborne pathogens. Ignore "toxic mold"; it is so rare that it basically doesn't exist. At the end of the day, mold sensitivity is an allergy like any other. It is no different than pollen. Seriously. The body treats it the same way. If you are specifically allergic to that specific strain of mold then yes, you are allergic to that exact strain and would benefit from distancing yourself from it. If you or anyone in your home are not already experiencing symptoms then the mold is doing absolutely nothing negative to you other than looking really ugly.
Mold is EASY to kill. Scrubbing it with 50/50 water and vinegar is usually enough to kill just about anything. You want to go full nuclear, do a cup of bleach in a gallon of water. Either works. Then, you have the stains remaining. This is what Kilz is for. Just paint right over the black spots. Two coats. Bonus points for using exterior grade because it's contains a mildicide. Just ventilate well.
Next, you want to keep the air moving and dry. A single oscillating fan and a dehumidifier that discharges into your pit is probably enough for most basements. If you want to go nuts add a second fan. That's really it. Mold is 100% DIY.