Waterproofing basement walls from the outside.

What goes into a proper exterior system

• Excavation to the footing, so the whole wall can be cleaned, inspected and repaired.
• Crack repair on the outside face before anything goes over it.
• A rubberized waterproofing membrane, not just the tar coating many older homes have.
• Dimpled drainage board over the membrane, so water drops straight to the footing instead of sitting against the wall.
• New weeping tile in clean stone at the footing, carried to a sump or a proper outlet.
• Clean backfill, compacted, with the grade sloped away from the house.

Skip any one of those and the system has a weak point. That's why we quote the full system, not just a membrane.

When exterior is the right call

• Water is coming through more than one wall, or through the wall itself rather than one crack.
• The old weeping tile is clogged or collapsed.
• You're finishing the basement and want the water stopped before it reaches the wall.
• There's room to dig: no addition, deck or neighbour's wall in the way.

If access makes exterior work impractical, interior waterproofing is the honest answer and we'll say so. Read interior vs exterior waterproofing to compare them.

What exterior waterproofing costs

Exterior work is priced by the linear foot, typically $150 to $300 per linear foot in the Hamilton area. One wall usually lands around $5,000 to $12,000, and a full detached house around $20,000 to $40,000. Depth, decks, driveways, walkways and tight side yards are what move the number. You'll get a written, fixed quote after we've seen the access.