There are various ways that water can flood a home, and various ways to repair those issues. To find out how long the basement waterproofing process will take, it is important to first determine if this is a plumbing issue or a seepage issue. Many times, both can disguise themselves as the other. A reputable, knowledgeable professional should be able to tell the difference. So, if it does turn out to be a Waterproofing issue, what then? Well there are 3 ways water can come into the foundation; Over-the-Top, Through, and Under.
Over-The-Top Seepage is mostly solved with an exterior solution. The water is sealed from coming in from the outside, and many times landscaping is involved as well. From the waterproofers’ aspect, their work is generally minimal. Exterior Sealing, the solution to Over-the-Top Seepage, is performed fairly quickly. It must be over 40 degrees and dry to perform the work so the sealants used can adhere properly to the foundation. That obviously limits the work to be done anytime but the winter and while it is raining.
Through the foundation seepage (Foundation Cracks, Pipe Penetrations, Window Well Drains, Tie rods, etc) are generally fixed via Epoxy Injection for the cracks and voids, and some PVC piping for the Window Well Drains that runs to a sump pit. Depending on the severity of the issue and how many issues there are to solve, it can be completed within a day most of the time. Window Well Drains take two technicians approximately 2-3 hours to complete. A Foundation Crack will take 1.5-2 hours to complete, per crack. Pipe Penetration and Tie Rod Injections take approximately 1 hour per repair.
As more of these repairs are added to the ticket, the time that it takes to do each individual repair goes down. This is accomplished through efficiency in work (think Ford’s assembly line). We are able to get more efficient as we do more of the same work, which allows us to lower the prices as more is added on.
When we are talking about Seepage from Under the floor, this is due to Hydrostatic Pressure and generally requires the installation of a Drain Tile System. This entails installing a 4” pipe under the floor, running to a Sump Pit that pumps the water out and away from the home. Now, if the foundation already has a Drain Tile, replacing the Sump Pump or digging a deeper pit may solve the issue. Discharge Line issues (where the water goes once outside) can sometimes solve it as well. Both of these issues can be solved in a day or less.
If we do need to install a new Drain Tile System, we are on the average timeline of 2-3 days. The amount of work is quite larger, as we now need to break concrete, haul out debris, and install a full-perimeter system to mitigate the water. Permits are also involved in these projects, and the inspections can alter the time it takes to complete. Some cities are not very flexible in inspection times, so the job needs to be coordinated well in order to be successful for both parties.
To sum up, Basement Waterproofing timelines can vary depending on what needs to be done. As a general rule, the projects should be encased within 3 days, many times much less time than that. Most of our repairs are done within a day. It is when we have the larger projects that the timeline can be extended out 2-3 days.
Feel free to reach out with any questions on how long basement waterproofing will take— we’re always happy to help! And remember,
Not Everything’s Better When Wet!
