I’d appreciate any input people have on how I should proceed with this job. I want to renovate the basement of my Washington, DC rowhouse. Before we have the renovation done, I want to seal the basement against water leakage (we get a small bit that comes in along the walls).
I can either:
a) do the demo myself, which means stripping out the 1920s era pine board paneling along the walls to give access to a water proofing company;
b) hire a water proofing company to do the water proofing and let them worry about the demo; or
c) just hire a contractor and include the waterproofing and demo as part of his scope of work.
Which do you think is the best approach? My biggest concern is getting the job done right, rather than price. I’m really fed up with half-assed contracting jobs and I’m willing to pay more for a job done right the first time.
Also, what should a ballpark basement rehab like I describe cost? There is a little electrical to be done, and a bathroom that needs to be completely rebuilt (I don’t think it has been operational since the 1950s).
Thanks in advance.
I’m a cheapo, so I’d probably choose (a).
You might have trouble choosing (b) because waterproofing companies want to be doing waterproofing, not demo.
© has the benefit of making sure there is no conflict with the demo and the subsequent work, but you need to watch the contractor closely, and make sure he’s choosing a waterproofer you like.
A) is the way to go if you really want the job done right (as you said you did).
I don’t think anyone is gonna be able to give you an accurate idea of the cost. Labor costs (and materials) vary by geographic area and, you haven’t mentioned the size of the room or what you are doing with floors, ceilings, etc. Plus we have no idea how ‘high end’ you are going with this project.
Thanks all, I have a rough back of the envelope estimate of $15k and up for the rehab. It would include ceilings, rehabing a bathroom, and drywalling. Most of the electrical has already been upgraded, but I need two additional outlets installed that are capable of handling modern appliances. Any tips on what to look for with the waterproofing?
Would 1920s era pine board paneling have any value to someone? Maybe someone would do the removal for free, in return for the wood?
That’s a good question. One of my in-laws thought I could sell it to a mill. It’s pretty think planking. I had thought of someone doing the demo for the cost of the wood, but then I thought it not be a good idea to invite strangers into my home to start tearing apart my basement.
since you said wanted to do it right be aware the the only right way to waterproof a basement is to fix it from the outside. You need to dig a trench around the foundation and apply membrane, weeping tile and maybe a french drain. doing it from the inside would only work for a very small amount of water seepage. in that case it might be a simple matter of water not draining away from the foundation, check grades, spouts etc.
lots of companies will tell you different and take your money though
hmm says i am a guest even though i am logged in…
Thanks Joe, we did the minor mitigation you mention above to get water to drain away from the house like lengthening drain pipes and doing some landscaping to get water to flow away from the house. Now it is just a small amount of seepage along where the floor meets the wall. Since we’re about to tear up the basement anyway, it seems a good time to get someone in there to do the waterproofing in the house.
My mom had some water issues every spring and I really didnt want to hand dig the outside so we dug a hole through the basement floor and installed a sump pump. For a few weeks every spring it runs like crazy then nothing the rest of the year. Still not as good as fixing the outside but a whole lot easier. Cost about $500 as i recall.