Before you hire
Choosing a waterproofing company
Waterproofing is hard to judge from a brochure. The inspection, the paperwork and a license search tell you most of what you need.
What a proper inspection includes
Outside first
The inspector walks the outside before going downstairs: gutters, downspouts, the slope of the ground, window wells, where the neighbor's water goes.
Moisture readings
A meter on the walls, the floor and, in a crawl space, the joists and beams. Ask for the numbers.
The source, named
You should hear a cause, not only a product. Roof water, surface water, ground water or indoor air.
More than one option
A fair proposal says what the smaller fix would be and why the larger one is or is not needed.
Questions worth asking every bidder
- What is your CCB number, and what name is it under?
- Who will be at my house: your employees or a subcontractor?
- Does this work need a permit, and who applies for it?
- Where will the collected water be discharged?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and does it pass to a buyer if I sell?
- What is left out of this price that I might have to pay for later?
Get it in writing
Oregon's Construction Contractors Board says construction agreements above a set amount must be in writing, and recommends that every agreement and every change be written down whatever the size.
The contract should name the walls or areas covered, the materials, the discharge point, the price, the payment stages and the warranty terms. A warranty that is promised in conversation and missing from the page does not exist.
The Board's advice on money is blunt: never pay the full amount up front, and do not pay in cash.
It also suggests getting bids from more than one contractor before you decide.
Check the license yourself
In Oregon, any business that advertises, bids on or carries out construction, alteration, home improvement or repair work needs a license from the Construction Contractors Board. Waterproofing falls inside that.
Use the CCB contractor license search. The Board says the license number is the most accurate way to search. A name search can miss a contractor over spelling, so try a shorter version of the name before you conclude anything.
The record shows whether the license is active and bonded, whether proof of liability insurance was filed, and any complaints or disciplinary action from the past ten years.
There is a practical reason to care. The Board can help mediate a dispute with a contractor only if that contractor is licensed. Its consumer page explains the complaint process and its deadlines.
Have your questions ready
Call, describe the problem, and put the questions on this page to the company you speak with.
Get a waterproofing company on the phone
For homeowners with water coming into a basement or crawl space, or a yard that drains toward the house.
Call (503) 555-0120Calls can be recorded. Read how the referral is paid for and what happens to your details.