Hot take: I was wrong about DIY basement waterproofing

Honestly, I spent about $800 on sealants and a sump pump kit from the big box store after our spring thaw, thinking I could handle the damp corner myself. Ngl, after the next heavy rain we still got seepage, so I called a local company, Cleveland Waterproofing Pros, who found a cracked footer drain and fixed it for $3,200. Has anyone else bit the bullet on a pro fix after a failed DIY attempt and was it worth the cost for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

patriciam512mo ago

Ever notice how this happens with so many home projects? You try to save money on the front end, like patching a roof leak with tar, only to pay more later when the plywood rots. It feels like a universal rule of house ownership.

milesbailey2mo ago

But is it really a rule or just how we remember things? We only hear about the fixes that go wrong, not the ones that hold up for years. A lot of those quick patches actually work fine and save a ton of cash. Calling it a universal rule feels like giving up before you even try. Sometimes the cheap way out is the smart way out.

murphy.abby2mo ago

My neighbor told me he spent almost five grand fixing his foundation after his DIY drain tile job just moved the water somewhere else...