Can You DIY Basement Waterproofing? All You Need To Know

When you go to YouTube, you will find thousands of DIY videos teaching you how to waterproof your basement. They look so easy, and the project seems to be something you can finish on a weekend when you have time off work.

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Can You DIY Basement Waterproofing? All You Need To Know

But you also hear about horror stories of homeowners whose DIY projects ended in disaster. So, the question is, can you waterproof the basement yourself, or do you need to hire a contractor?

The answer is not complicated. Yes, you can do it yourself. But you better make sure to use the correct Basement Waterproofing Sealer.

First, Look At What You Will Spend When You Hire a Contractor

According to Home Advisor, the average homeowner spends between $2,000 and $6,000 to hire a contractor to seal the basement. In the ideal world, this should have been done during the house construction phase. However, if you just closed a deal on the home, then the problem of a flooded basement is passed on to you.

When you ignore the problem and allow the basement to flood, the problem will only continue to worsen. For instance, the cleanup and repair after flooding will start at around $1,000. However, depending on the severity of the damage, spending $10,000 is not out of the equation.

The damage and restoration depend on the type of water in the basement. These are typically classified into three:

  • Category 1 - It refers to clean water, which most likely comes from a burst pipe
  • Category 2 - It refers to gray water, which relates to wastewater with some contaminants. Examples of this are dishwasher or washing machine overflow
  • 3.Category 3 - It refers to black water, which refers to the liquid coming from your sewage. The water poses health risks

As you might imagine, Category 3 is more expensive to clean and repair.

DIY Basement Sealing

Using the right Basement Waterproofing Sealer, you can avoid flooding and water damage, while also saving thousands in costs.

For instance, if you buy a waterproof sealer, you will only spend about $2.22 per square foot. A 10x10 basement with a height of 6 feet will cost you around $800 since you will not pay for labor anymore.

Of course, the cost will also depend on the type of walls and floors your basement has. A basement made of concrete block, for example, would drive up the price to around $1,000. Still, you are saving another $1,000 when you consider the minimum $2,000 cost of hiring a contractor to waterproof your basement.

The water sealer will help stop mildew odors, moisture problems, groundwater entry, and humidity. The Basement Waterproofing Sealer will help protect your basement from the inside using a liquid rubber primer that penetrates the pores of the basement floor and walls.

The rubber primer is also very flexible, so it contracts and expands depending on the temperature. It does not become brittle over time. In fact, the material will even bolster the concrete and mortar in your basement. Regardless of what happens outside, water would not seep into your house. The best thing is that the product will last for a lifetime if installed correctly.

Abigail Jones
 

Hi, I'm Abigail. I like spending time tearing my house apart and putting it together back again. Join me on home improvement tutorials, tips on my blog.

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