I was wondering if I could get some advice on the best method to waterproof my basement. Here is the story.

Bought our house two years ago from my in-laws, basement was finished when they bought the home. They lived there for 15 years with no water problems. Home is 30 years old. About two weeks ago I went downstairs and noticed water was leaking in. I believe the problem is that my septic line between the house and the tank is broken. (I am getting soapy water and it has a smell to it) The water is coming in on a different wall than wall that the septic sits outside of. I was told that the footer tile is picking up the water, it is running through the tile and found an entry point into the basement because of a clog or colapse of the tile at that point. I am convinced that is the scenario based on the amount of water entering the house. I have an inch of standing water and I use my shop vac to get a substaintal amount of water out daily.

My question is does this make sense? And also once I repair the septic line what is the best way to waterproof the basement? Have the ground around the house excavated, the exterior waterproofed and new drainage installed? Estimated cost $10,000. Or have the waterproofing done from the inside by a waterproofing company once I remove the current basement finishings? Estimated cost $5,500.

I know the cost difference is significant, but I plan remove the current finishing and fully refinish, build a nice bar, buy a pool table and all that stuff so I want to use the method that will do the best to keep the water out regardless of price. I know that trying to save now could only cost more later and I wish to avoid future incidents.
I have heard conflicting reports on both, but was looking for some opinions on this board because I know most of you have finished basements that you have invested alot of time and money into and am curious of the methods you have used.

Thank you in advance,

Aaron

I'm sorry I can't help with the specifics, but whoever you hire to fix it, hire some place that offers a warranty. I think some of the good waterproofing companies offer lifetime, transferable warranties.

well since you've fairly certain the problem is a broken septic line the solution here is to get that fixed.

basement waterproofing in the normal sence means protecting against ground water and rain run off.

What you're suggesting will not solve the problem of a broken septic line. likely waste water from showers, dishes, laundry, etc is flooding the ground around your house and coming UP through the basement wall to basement floor connection.


Get the sepctic line fixed first and see how the water situation is. You may not even have to waterproof the basement once this is fixed.

If it is septic, I would certainly get it fixed, jus tthe thought of septic water leaking into my house makes me cringe

You should also go around the house and take an honest inventory of what happens to rain water, and any irrigation systems.

The farther you can get the water from the house with drain extenders or buried drain lines the better. You can also install French drains and re-contour the land surrounding the house if needed.

Obviously fix any bad gutters.

Are you sure that it is coming through a wall and not coming up from under the slab ?

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm having the septic fixed on Monday and will go from there.

you can tell from the replies that these fixes are usually determined sequentially. obviously get that septic line fixed or at least taken off the table right away. bigmouthindc then starts you down the road (gutters, downspouts, grading.........storm water carried even further away from the foundation, french drains..........waterproofing systems.....). the point is you gotta be diligent and start from the top in terms of where the water is coming from and making sure it's moved away. the one thing you know is water will always follow the path of least resistance.

my wife/kids think i'm nuts, but sometimes when it really rains hard, i'll go up in the attic with a flashlight or take a walk outside around the foundation to check out the downspouts, etc.. if you see a problem, it's a problem that has to get fixed.

finally, if based on your location, water tables, things beyond your control, the waterproofing approaches you mention can be a very good solution. most put off though because there can be more inexpensive fixes (better gutters, downspouts......here we go again) and, once again, because it makes sense to attack the source and not just deal with the result. but.....if you've got the budget and/or want the peace of mind, you can also water proof the basement too. it certainly cannot hurt but should be as an insurance policy......tackle the source of water too). btw, the prices you mention for both exterior and interior proofing are quite reasonable IMO. (i'm sure contractors aren't very busy these days)

finally, talk to different people as you go. landscapers, basement water proofers, contractors, etc. discard the dishonest ones but learn what you can from the others and if/when you get past hte DIY stuff, you'll want to go with someone you can trust

Every year with the first really good rainstorm, I grab my umbrella and walk the perimeter of my house to see I have any gutter issues.

Except if it is lightning.