How to choose the best waterproofing contractor

How to Choose the Best Basement Waterproofing Contractor

April 14, 2022
Basement waterproofing
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Having a wet basement or even worse, basement flooding after a storm, can be a nuisance on one end of the scale, and traumatic at the other end. If you’ve had a wet basement for a while, and you’ve tried some DIY measures that failed, it is time to consider hiring a professional basement waterproofing contractor. The situation is more urgent if you had substantial flooding after the last big storm.

Just because you feel a sense of urgency doesn’t mean you can afford to cut corners when it comes to hiring a basement waterproofing contractor. We’ve been in the basement waterproofing business for more than 20 years, and we’ve come across some bad actors. That’s why we’ve put together some tips on how to choose the best basement waterproofing company.

Tip #1: Do Your Homework

You can learn a lot on the internet, especially when it comes to basement waterproofing. Read up on why your basement is wet or floods during heavy rain. Understanding the root cause will help you understand the terms any contractor will throw out, including hydrostatic pressure and efflorescence. Read through waterproofing company websites and trusted home improvement organization websites to gather information related to foundation seepage.

Tip #2: Ask for Recommendations

If you have a neighbor, family member, or coworker who has had basement waterproofing done, ask them who they hired and if they’re satisfied. Check out neighborhood websites like NextDoor as well and ask for recommendations. Is there a company you should avoid? You can ask that too.

Tip #3: Read Reviews and Testimonials

Once you have a few recommendations, Google the companies by name. Before you go to their website, read their Google reviews. Read their Yelp reviews. Read their Facebook reviews. You want a basement waterproofing contractor with hundreds of reviews, spanning at least 5 years. This tells you they’ve been in business a while, and they get a lot of work. You also want someone with at least an average of 4 stars. Pay attention to how the business addresses negative reviews.

Once you’ve read the reviews, visit their websites to read through the Testimonials, if they have them. These are usually from clients who had big problems and are overjoyed to have found a solution.

Lastly, check their rating with the Better Business Bureau. You want to see an A or an A+.

Tip #4: Make Sure They Offer a Lifetime Transferrable Warranty

This is crucial when it comes to your basement waterproofing system. You want to hire a contractor/company that stands behind their work, and one that has an on-staff team that can come to your aid in times of heavy rains and power outages. One guy and a truck who depends on subcontractors can’t offer that. You also want a company big enough that they keep a sufficient inventory of sump pumps, batteries, and other materials. This ensures they can easily swap out a failed pump for a new one.

You should ask a few questions if they do offer a warranty. Do they still offer a lifetime warranty if you don’t do the full perimeter? Do they warranty the sump pump(s), battery backup sump pump(s), foundation walls, and slab? For how long? Make sure you get an actual piece of paper specifying the warranty terms that you can transfer if you sell your home.

Tip #5: Ask how many service employees and trucks the company has to run service during times of need and ask to see pictures of their trucks, facility, and inventory.

Often companies have pretty pictures on their websites and in their sales materials. We often see that the pictures are marketing stock and that they are not even of the company itself. Make sure you see pictures of their people, their facility, their inventory, and their trucks. Warranties are only as good as the service capabilities of the company standing behind the warranty. If the company doesn’t have any employees or trucks how is it going to service its customer base? Buyer beware! Don’t be misled!

Tip #6: Ask About The Process and Materials They Use

When a basement waterproofing company representative is in your home, ask them all the questions you can think of. How well they explain their process and highlight the materials they use can help you decide who to hire. Why are they suggesting the solution they are? Do they explain things clearly? Ask to see brochures that show the materials they use or even ask to see a sample. Ask how many gallons per hour (gph) their sump pumps can expel. Do they install backup sump pumps as well? Ask to see real before and after photos of previous projects.

Tip #7: Choose Your Basement Waterproofing Contractor

After you’ve done your homework, met with several companies, and reviewed all of the paperwork, it’s time to choose your contractor. Choose the one who best meets your needs, and seems most on the up and up. Experience trumps a lowball offer by an inexperienced company every time. And honesty matters. Don’t trust a contractor who guarantees you a dry basement. Sump pumps fail. The power goes out. You want a company that will tell it to you straight, and who will be there to step in if you need help.

Why Choose Value Dry Waterproofing?

If you own a home with a wet basement in Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Delaware, or the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, you should consider working with Value Dry Waterproofing. Why? Because we check all of the boxes and then some.

We offer:

More than 20 Years of Experience
Licensed, Bonded, and Insured
Excellent Reputation and Reviews
Free Inspection
Financing Options
Patented Products
Have a Fleet of Trucks, Employees, and Inventory of Materials
Lifetime Transferable Warranty
Peace of Mind

Schedule Your FREE Basement Inspection

We would welcome the opportunity to help you reclaim your territory. We offer basement waterproofing solutions to homeowners throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and Delaware. Schedule a free basement inspection by filling out the form, or call us at (888) 768-2583.

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