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Serving Massachusetts, Rhode Island & New Hampshire
Basement Waterproofing
Exterior excavation, foundation waterproofing, perimeter drains and the grading and downspout work that keeps water from reaching your basement walls in the first place.
The short answer
Water in the basement is one of the most common problems in older New England homes. Many houses around Marlborough, Hudson and Worcester County sit in clay-heavy soil that holds water against the foundation, and the spring thaw and heavy storms push that water into every crack, pipe opening and joint. The result is damp walls, puddles on the floor, musty smells and ruined storage.
We focus on the outside of the house, where water starts. That means excavating along the foundation wall, cleaning it, sealing cracks and applying a waterproof coating or membrane, installing a perimeter drain with clean stone to carry water away, and backfilling with material that drains. Often the bigger win is above ground: correcting grading so soil slopes away from the house and getting downspout water far from the foundation.
Honesty matters here. If a foundation wall is bowing, has large horizontal cracks or shows signs of structural movement, that needs a structural engineer before anyone waterproofs it. We will tell you that plainly instead of selling a fix that does not address the real problem.
Full exterior waterproofing means digging down along the foundation, exposing the wall and treating it from the outside. A waterproof coating or sheet membrane goes on the clean wall, and a drainage layer or board can protect it. At the bottom, a perforated pipe surrounded by stone collects water and carries it to a dry well or a discharge point.
Not every house needs the whole perimeter dug up. If water only comes in along one wall, we can often treat that section. If the cause is surface water, regrading, swales and buried downspout lines may solve most of it at a fraction of the cost. We look at where the water actually enters before recommending anything.
Window wells and basement stairwells are frequent leak points. We can rebuild a stairwell or window well with block, add drainage at the bottom and make sure the surrounding grade sends water away.
An old rusted bulkhead or a cracked, sunken concrete base lets water straight into the basement stairs. Among our project photos is a basement bulkhead set on a solid concrete base, which is the right way to do it: a level, sealed foundation for the door so water sheds off instead of running in.
We can replace a worn bulkhead, rebuild the concrete base or the block walls of the stairwell, and correct the grading around it so the entry stays dry.
Clay and glacial till drain slowly, so water lingers around the foundation instead of soaking down. In March and April, snowmelt runs over frozen ground toward the house. Heavy rain overwhelms gutters, and downspouts that dump next to the wall soak the soil right where you do not want it.
Older homes often have no exterior drain at all, or one that has clogged over decades. Settled backfill creates a low spot along the wall that collects water. Fixing the outside, from the grade down to the footing, addresses those causes directly.
Call or text a few photos to (508) 663-9401. We reply within 1 hour during business hours, Mon-Sat 8am to 6pm.
We look at where water shows up inside, then check grading, downspouts, window wells and the bulkhead outside, and recommend the scope that fits, with a clear price.
We dig along the foundation, seal and coat the wall, install the drain and backfill. Then we regrade, restore the soil, clean the site and walk the work with you.
Something else? Call (508) 663-9401. We reply within 1 hour during business hours.
It depends on how many walls are involved, how deep the foundation is, access, soil and what has to be removed and replaced. As a rough market range, exterior waterproofing in New England often runs about $100 to $300 per linear foot of foundation, and grading or downspout fixes cost much less. Your free estimate gives you the real number.
Exterior work stops water before it reaches the wall, which is why we focus on it. Interior systems manage water after it gets in. The right choice depends on your house, access and budget, and we explain the trade-offs during the estimate.
Often they make a big difference, especially when water shows up after storms. If soil slopes toward the house or downspouts dump next to the wall, fixing that is the first step before anything more expensive.
A horizontal crack or a bowing wall can be a structural issue, and that needs a structural engineer to evaluate it first. Once you have a plan from the engineer, we can do the excavation, drainage and waterproofing work around it.
Yes. We are based in Marlborough, MA and take exterior waterproofing, drainage and bulkhead projects in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Call or text photos to (508) 663-9401.
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