Did you know that nearly 50% of all single homes have had a wet basement before? While the idea of a flooding crawlspace or damp basement can be scary to many buyers (and understandably so!), it’s a common issue that can be fixed and prevented in the future.
When you’re house hunting, you’ll likely be carefully reading each home’s Seller’s Property Disclosure for information regarding any upgrades or defects. If the seller discloses that they’ve had problems with a wet basement before, you’ll first want to call in the pros to determine the cause of the problem. While moisture in the home is always deserving of attention (it can pose serious structural and health problems down the road), it’s not always a cause for major concern or a reason to walk away from your dream home.
First, get a sense from a couple different reputable companies as to the cause and nature of the problem, as well as ideas on how to best waterproof it for the future. On average, the cost to seal a basement is about $3800 (although of course this varies widely based on size!), and some minor repairs may cost just a few hundred dollars. To fully waterproof a truly problematic wet basement, some homeowners could spend up to $10,000 or more to fix cracks in the gutter, and add drains or gutters – although thankfully, that amount of work needed tends to be relatively rare!