Just recently I was representing a buyer in a purchase of a home that had a flood in the basement – right in the middle of the transaction. What a mess! Take a look at these photos – this could’ve been your home:
So what did I learn from this?
1. It is impossible to get a reputable waterproofing company to come and help you right away. Spring is the worst time to have drainage or flooding issues as most waterproofing companies get completely swamped. I called maybe 10+ companies for an appointment and they are booking appointment for a month/two in advance. B’Dry had an appointment about 3 weeks out, Newberg Drainage was booking for August, Metro Drainage July and so on. Really??!! We had water in the drywall, mold growth was about 48 hours away and we could not get anyone to help us. Luckily I did find a waterproofing contractor through a colleague that was able to come quickly, but that was more of a miracle than reality.
2. Did you know that your outside drain (like the one in the picture at the bottom of the steps) might be connected to your sump pump inside of the house? If your sump pump fails or electricity is out – you might be having this situation.
3. If you do have a basement or are planning on having one – you should set up an appointment with a drainage company and make sure the systems and landscaping are sufficient to steer water away from the house. Also make sure your sump pumps have battery back-up for those storms that knock the power out. To repair the damage in this home will probably be about $27,000 – water damage is very expensive to repair.
4. If the house is vacant – you better insure it as a vacant home, because if your basement flood and it takes 2 weeks for you to discover it – repair costs can escalate.
5. Do put tile floor in the basement – that will save you thousands if your basement ever floods.
The lesson here – don’t take this issue lightly and don’t hope for the best – do your due diligence and install systems to protect your most valuable asset. If you’d like the list of reputable companies that were recommended by my colleagues – please shoot me an email – I will be happy to share.