Is waterproofing worth the cost

Is waterproofing worth the expense? I explain to my Toronto City Wide Group clients the economic considerations of having a wet basement.

Basement leaks are usually unexpected for you the homeowner. Water leaking into the basement from the ground is a common and always unpleasant problem that homeowners will experience. I say will because, without corrective measures, there are two types of basements- those that have a water problem and those that will. If you are like many of us and use your basement partially as a storage unit, the stuff you are saving may well be damaged or destroyed by water infiltration and its value is unrecoverable. It seems to me that if the stuff is worth saving and storing in the first place, it’s worth protecting from water damage.

It is not only stuff that can be damaged when water invades. Installed new or existing interior finishes will equally be ruined. Once leaking water has affected drywall, insulation, and so on, these finishing materials have to be replaced as their integrity is compromised. Certainly common sense dictates that any homeowner planning a basement renovation needs to ensure that modern waterproofing technology is a part of their renovation plan and budget. I always make this recommendation to my clients. When the basement is a clean slate, all unseen problems can be readily addressed. Modern waterproofing is a small expense when compared to the wholesale replacement of your belongings and basement interior finished and the cost of doing the same renovation a second time. Left unrepaired more extreme water damage to structure and foundation will progressively occur.

For me, the most important reason to repair your wet basement is because basement water leakage seriously influences the value of your home. Prospective buyers generally turn away from homes with leaks because it is seen as a major, expensive fault. Despite mopping and a lick of paint to hide the evidence, home inspectors and experienced agents readily spot signs of a wet basement. Leakage must be declared to the person buying your home and is usually a deal-breaker or a factor in lowering the offer to purchase.