Home Improvement Ideas & Tips: To Fix Leaky Basement in Toronto

108

Everyone has their areas of expertise. Doctors know about health, teachers know education, plumbers know plumbing. Often, when things go wrong that are outside of a person’s area of knowledge, they seem catastrophic and mysterious to the point of being unsolvable.

Home maintenance in Toronto often falls into that category.  When something breaks or ceases to function in the house, many homeowners have no idea why it happened or how to fix it; they have to call “the maintenance guy.”  You know, the guy:  the air-conditioning guy, the window guy, the raccoons-in-the-attic guy.  When the guy shows up and does his magic, all is well again.

Speaking as the “wet basement guy,” I want to explain to Toronto homeowners that when they have water in the basement it is not necessarily a catastrophe and it usually can be easily fixed.  Also, there is simple maintenance that anyone can do that can prevent Leaking Basement water in your Toronto basement from coming back.

How Much Does it Cost to Waterproof a Basement?

 

There are a number of factors that determine the cost of waterproofing a basement. Below are some of the more significant variables.

Factors Influencing the Cost to Waterproof a Basement:

Foundation Type:

The first step in solving a basement seepage problem is to determine what the foundation was constructed of.  Foundations in the Chicago area are most built using poured concrete.  Cracks are the most common source of basement seepage in poured concrete foundations.  Homes found in Rockford, Northwest Indiana and Wisconsin are often built using concrete blocks.  Older homes are typically built using other types of masonry such as brick and stone.  Each type of foundation requires a different method of repair.

Basement Waterproofing Costs in Toronto –

Knowing the basement waterproofing costs when you have a Leaky Wet Basement in Toronto is recommended before starting a basement waterproofing project. While looking at national averages we can provide a general idea, such numbers usually do not include factors that may affect the final price, such as local labour hourly rates, material costs and any local permits required for the Chicago basement waterproofing project.

As our numbers show in 2021 average cost that homeowners paid for Basement Waterproofing Toronto are between $1,624.00 and $1,768.00.

This Basement Waterproofing Chicago Quote Includes:

  • $8.00 to $8.00 per square foot material costs.
  • Average labour costs to waterproof basements in Chicago, Illinois.
  • Average costs for materials and equipment for Wet basement waterproofing in Toronto.
  • All project costs (surface preparation, components, and machinery), and clean-up fees.

This Basement Waterproofing Toronto Cost Estimate Does NOT Include:

  • Any permits required for basement waterproofing Chicago projects.
  • Inspection and/or Chicago building fees.
  • Materials and supply Cook and Illinois sales taxes.
  • Materials and supply Chicago sales taxes.
  • Any general contractor fees, if used for the project. Such fees generally add another $203.52-$254.40 to the total.

For reference it may be helpful to compare the costs from surrounding towns as well:

How Did I Get Water in my GTA Basement?

The water that ends up in the basement Foundation comes from the ground, either because of a high-water table or saturation caused by heavy rains or poor water management.  There are various points of entry for this water; the most common is non-structural cracks in poured concrete foundation walls.  Water can also cause a wet basement in Toronto through porous masonry or deteriorated mortar joints, through the cove joint or cracks in the basement floor, through floor drains, around windows, doors and openings for pipes and utilities and over the top of the foundation wall.

How Do I Avoid Getting Water in My Toronto Basement Again?

The most important maintenance work for a Toronto homeowner will take place on the outside, making efforts to keep unnecessary water away from the foundation:

Keep gutters clean and flowing to avoid rainwater spilling over and soaking the ground next to the house.

Extend downspouts at least 10’ away from the house to avoid dumping concentrated amounts of water at the corners of the Wet Basement foundation.

Make sure that grading slopes away from the house and that landscaping or outdoor hardscape does not trap surface water around the house.