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Tigard Waterproofing

Stopping water outside the wall

Exterior waterproofing in Tigard

The soil is dug away from the foundation, the wall is coated, and a new drain is laid at the footing. It is the bigger job, and the only one that keeps the wall itself dry.

Outside or inside?

Outside makes sense when

  • the basement is finished and you do not want the floor broken up
  • water comes through the wall well above the floor
  • the wet side is one wall you can reach with a machine
  • the old footing drain has clearly stopped working

Inside makes sense when

  • a deck, driveway, addition or neighbor's fence sits against the wall
  • water rises at the floor edge on several sides
  • the yard cannot be torn up in the wet months
  • the budget has to cover the whole perimeter

The dig, in order

  1. Mark what is buried

    Utility lines are located before a bucket goes in. In Oregon the request goes to 811 at least two business days ahead, and power tools stay out of the strip 24 inches either side of each mark.

  2. Open the trench

    Soil comes out down to the footing along the wet wall. Plants, paving and anything fixed to the house in that strip come out first.

  3. Clean, repair and coat

    The wall is washed off, open cracks are filled, and a waterproof membrane goes on. A drainage board over it protects the coating and gives water a way down.

  4. Lay the drain and backfill

    Perforated pipe in washed stone, wrapped in fabric, goes in beside the footing. The trench is filled in layers and the surface is graded to fall away from the house.

What happens to the yard, and to the mud

Expect a trench several feet wide and a spoil pile beside it for the length of the job. Ask who replaces the lawn, shrubs, irrigation and paving, and whether that is in the written price.

Open trenches fill with rain here. Clean Water Services' standards do not allow soil or muddy water to be carried onto a neighbor's lot or into the storm drainage system, so ask how the company will hold the spoil and the runoff on site.

The new drain has to end somewhere. Tying a pipe into the public storm system needs approval from Clean Water Services, and a private drain needs building approval. The Tigard guide explains who to ask.

Ask the company

  • How deep is my footing, and will the trench need shoring?
  • Which membrane and which drainage board, and are both named in the contract?
  • Where does the footing drain discharge, and who gets that approved?
  • Who files the 811 request, and what about my own irrigation and lighting lines that 811 does not mark?

Exterior work questions

Can exterior waterproofing be done in winter?

It can, but wet soil is heavier, trench walls are less stable and coatings need a dry surface. Ask the company how it handles each of those.

Do I still need a sump pump?

Only if the new drain cannot run downhill to an approved outlet. On a flat lot it often cannot, and the drain then ends in a pit with a pump.

Ready to have someone look at it?

Describe what you are seeing and where in the house it is. The company on the phone will tell you whether it is work they take on and when they could come out.

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) 555-0120

Calls can be recorded. Read how the referral is paid for and what happens to your details.

Call (503) 555-0120