It's that time again and our basement flooded again last night. We do not have a sump pump installed, but do have one. Can someone please suggest a local waterproofing company to seal my basement and install the pump. We are located in Mechanicsville.

It's that time again and our basement flooded again last night. We do not have a sump pump installed, but do have one. Can someone please suggest a local waterproofing company to seal my basement and install the pump. We are located in Mechanicsville.

Try "googling" it. "Basement waterproofing\MD" Maybe you will find what you're looking for.

Stay away from Mid Atlantic Waterproofing. I cannot comment in any way about the quality of their work, but their prices are insane, and all of the sales reps are high pressure and will use scare tactics to try to get you to commit to an overpriced waterproofing system. They will spend a large amount of their effort on poopooing their competition, and if you don't cave and buy their system, some of them are downright rude, I had to kick the last one out of my house after things got heated.

I've used JES, and they are OK, but they are not local and have the large company mantra, work fast and cheaply, large profit, the finished product is decent but could be better. Definitely try to find someone local. Sorry I can't help you with any names.

Thanks for that update. I have been online all morning searching, but it's nice to get feedback from those that have actually used them. I try to stay away from large companies as well.

The Bug Company did my mothers. Seemed to have done a fine job.
I think they might be in Mechanicsville too.

Do you have a sump pit in your basement?

Do you have a sump pit in your basement?Her first post says they have a sump pump, but it is not installed.

Her first post says they have a sump pump, but it is not installed.

You gotta have pit for your pump. :shrug:

Couldn't waterproofing by a DIY thing?

Couldn't waterproofing by a DIY thing?

Up to a point, and only if you consider yourself handy. The average homeowner could clean, prep and paint with a hydraulic paint like UGL, but cutting into the cement floor to create a pit and install a sump pump properly may be beyond them. And it seems to me there is a lot more to waterproofing than what I've mentioned.

Couldn't waterproofing by a DIY thing?

LOTS and LOTS of work for a diy-er if you are going to do it correctly and it's a lot more difficult (in lots of cases) than hitting it with Dry-Lok.

LOTS and LOTS of work for a diy-er if you are going to do it correctly and it's a lot more difficult (in lots of cases) than hitting it with Dry-Lok.

Ok, good to know. When we bought our house, the inspector mentioned sealing our garage/basement ourselves if we wanted. We haven't done anything with yet. We've only lived there for 6 mos and so far haven't noticed any leaks.

Ok, good to know. When we bought our house, the inspector mentioned sealing our garage/basement ourselves if we wanted. We've only lived there for 6 mos and so far haven't noticed any leaks.

Best results for waterproofing after construction consists of digging out your entire foundation and sealing the exterior of the wall with a waterproofing agent and a waterproof membrane. Any minor leaks can be most often addressed by making sure you have proper drainage of your downspouts, clean gutters and that the soil surrounding your home is sloped away from the foundation walls. :easypeasy:

Might want to consider getting the floor cut and install the pump before doing anything extra. The water could be coming from below the structure and invading the site which exterior waterproofing won't cure.

Look for concrete drilling co's. like Diamond Core Drilling and Sawing Company (http://diamondcore.com/)

Might want to consider getting the floor cut and install the pump before doing anything extra. The water could be coming from below the structure and invading the site which exterior waterproofing won't cure.

Look for concrete drilling co's. like Diamond Core Drilling and Sawing Company (http://diamondcore.com/)

:yeahthat: Definitely find the bad spots 1st.

Best results for waterproofing after construction consists of digging out your entire foundation and sealing the exterior of the wall with a waterproofing agent and a waterproof membrane. Any minor leaks can be most often addressed by making sure you have proper drainage of your downspouts, clean gutters and that the soil surrounding your home is sloped away from the foundation walls. :easypeasy:

From what I can tell the outside is taken care of. If that's so, wouldn't sealing the inside be overkill?

Might want to consider getting the floor cut and install the pump before doing anything extra. The water could be coming from below the structure and invading the site which exterior waterproofing won't cure.

Look for concrete drilling co's. like Diamond Core Drilling and Sawing Company (http://diamondcore.com/)

Can I just tell you guys how much I learn just by reading your posts? Like that right there :yeahthat:

That's a great tip!

From what I can tell the outside is taken care of. If that's so, wouldn't sealing the inside be overkill?

If it's not leaking then you shouldn't have to worry about the inside.

From what I can tell the outside is taken care of. If that's so, wouldn't sealing the inside be overkill?

Yes and no. It may not leak, but if you give the cement walls a coat of hydraulic paint, you can keep the extra humidity down and that cementy-musty smell, and cement dust is minimized. Made a big difference in my basement.

The Bug Company did my mothers. Seemed to have done a fine job.
I think they might be in Mechanicsville too.

The Bug Company did my basement about 4 years ago, excellent work under bad conditions, it poured rain right after they opened up the floor, they dug there trench and water started coming in, they came back and set up a portable pump so we could make it the through the night. Im in Charlotte Hall and when Albert gave me the quote of what it would cost I went ahead and had him do the work, without getting any other estimates. They had to tear up my family room to include drywall, studs, paneling and installation. They were careful not to damage the panelling which was chair rail high, and they put everything back up, looked good as new. Havent had any water problems since, even when we had the 14 inches last September.
They are located on Rt. 5 in New Market about 300 ft south of the light at Rt. 6 by the library, they are between the north and southbound lanes of Rt. 5, some people call it New Market, some say Charlotte Hall and others Mechcanicsville.

It's that time again and our basement flooded again last night. We do not have a sump pump installed, but do have one. Can someone please suggest a local waterproofing company to seal my basement and install the pump. We are located in Mechanicsville.

How old is your house?
If it's fairly new and built with a basement it SHOULD have a French Drain system under your foundation which either all lead to a sump pit and the pump pumps it out, or into dry wells.. in your case without the pump the basement floods I'd assume the first IF you.have a sump pit, if that's the case installing the pump should fix your problem, but in your case get a battery back up pump. No question that if electric goes out in a storm.you're going to.flood without battery or generator back-up.

The Bug Company did my basement about 4 years ago, excellent work under bad conditions, it poured rain right after they opened up the floor, they dug there trench and water started coming in, they came back and set up a portable pump so we could make it the through the night. Im in Charlotte Hall and when Albert gave me the quote of what it would cost I went ahead and had him do the work, without getting any other estimates. They had to tear up my family room to include drywall, studs, paneling and installation. They were careful not to damage the panelling which was chair rail high, and they put everything back up, looked good as new. Havent had any water problems since, even when we had the 14 inches last September.
They are located on Rt. 5 in New Market about 300 ft south of the light at Rt. 6 by the library, they are between the north and southbound lanes of Rt. 5, some people call it New Market, some say Charlotte Hall and others Mechcanicsville.

You had an interior drainage system installed?

A couple more thoughts, Kom526 mentioned gutters, downspouts and sloping which are very good points. To go further on that, all of the downspouts should be pushing water away from the house and ideally downhill. The sump outlet should be directed the same way. Otherwise, it's possible to pump the same water over and over.

The new This Old House crew is one of my favorites.
How to Install a Sump Pump | Video | Basement & Foundations | This Old House (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1631605,00.html)

To go even further
Drying Out a Wet Basement | Basement & Foundations | This Old House - 1 (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,220912,00.html)

You had an interior drainage system installed?

I dont know what you call it, but they came in and jack hammered the concrete floor away, an area about 27ft long, dug out a trench maybe 2 feet deep, put gravel and piping in. They dug a sump pit, and put the sump pump in. This was all done on the inside of the house. Its been working great for about 4 years now.
The days that the work was being done, it rained almost everyday, alot of mud was being tracked in and out as they came out with the dirt and in with the rocks and other materials. After the work was completed you cant even tell that the room was torn up. I would have hated to see what my downstairs would have looked like when we got that 12-14 inches of rain last September.

A couple more thoughts, Kom526 mentioned gutters, downspouts and sloping which are very good points. To go further on that, all of the downspouts should be pushing water away from the house and ideally downhill. The sump outlet should be directed the same way. Otherwise, it's possible to pump the same water over and over.

The new This Old House crew is one of my favorites.
How to Install a Sump Pump | Video | Basement & Foundations | This Old House (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1631605,00.html)

To go even further
Drying Out a Wet Basement | Basement & Foundations | This Old House - 1 (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,220912,00.html)

All my downspouts and sump outlets (2) run for a distance of at least 3 ft before the water hits the ground.

It's that time again and our basement flooded again last night. We do not have a sump pump installed, but do have one. Can someone please suggest a local waterproofing company to seal my basement and install the pump. We are located in Mechanicsville.

Hi,

I work at a company that is local to you , and we do floods.
Let me know if you still need help, I can have someone come out there at your convenience and take a look at it and tell you what it will cost. We have over 30 years experience.

Let me know, good luck :)

Jenny