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I just paid a guy $75 to come out and look at my basement because water is coming in after rains in one corner. He's telling me that I probably have a crack and gave an estimate of $13,500 ($6500 dirt work, $3500 moisture barrier and $3500 crack repair). Tuckpointing the brick foundation would be an additional $3500. This sounds shady to me...perhaps I should have been more wary about paying for an estimate but my small town yellow pages didn't offer many options. How does this guy know there is a crack? Could this be a drainage problem instead? Being a widow in retirement, I have neither the knowledge or money for something like this and need some advice on what my next step should be.

Submitted: 129 days and 19 hours ago.

Category: Home Improvement

Value: $15

Status: CLOSED

Hi XXXXXXXXXXXXX
It sounds like your estimate is for a cadilac when a tricycle might suffice. The numbers you were quoted may not be pricey for the work indicated but I doubt this extensive a project is necessary. If your basement is not finished living space then you may only need a sump pump in the problem corner. It is also quite possible, if this is only a problem when it rains, that all you need to do is correct the drainage around the outside of your foundation. This could be as simple as extending the downspouts from the gutters away from the house or regrading the problem area so the water drains away from the house and not back into your basement.

Accepts:
Expert:	Rick
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Answered:	7/14/2009

General C&ontractor

Licensed Construction Supervisor & Remodeling Contractor 35+ years experience

129 days and 19 hours ago.

Reply

Thank you, Rick. It is a finished basement with no sump pump. It sounds to me like you would suggest someone look at the grading and downspouts first before proceeding with anything else. What kind of person does this work (regrading) so I would know who to contact?

Posted by Rick 129 days and 19 hours ago.

Answer

If you have down spouts the first thing you should do is extend them so they terminate several feet from the foundation particularly in the problem area. Any handyman can extend your downspouts. If this doesn't work to your satisfaction then you could try a full serice landscaping company (not a lanscaper that just mows lawns). Or you could call an excavating contractor but the draw back with an excavator is that you will have some landscaping to do and they usually don't plant grass or save and replant shrubs.

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Thank you, Rick. It is a finished basement with no sump pump. It sounds to me like you would suggest someone look at the grading and downspouts first before proceeding with anything else. What kind of person does this work (regrading) so I would know who to contact?

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Thank you, Rick. It is a finished basement with no sump pump. It sounds to me like you would suggest someone look at the grading and downspouts first before proceeding with anything else. What kind of person does this work (regrading) so I would know who to contact?

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