Interior drain-tile systems, exterior dimple-board membranes, and sump systems built for Dane County's hydrostatic load. We pull the permit, run the structural inspection, and warranty the dry basement for life.
Basement Waterproofing pricing: Interior drain tile $70 to $110 per linear foot, full interior system $3,500 to $12,000, exterior excavation $8,000 to $18,000, standalone sump pump $450 to $900 ($1,200 to $2,500 with battery backup). Lifetime dry-basement warranty on full interior systems, transferable once.
Free inspection first. We map every seepage point during a 60-to-90-minute walkthrough, run a zip-level across the slab, check for hydrostatic stains (efflorescence, iron-oxide rust lines, peeling paint), and pull soil context from the Dane County survey if the lot is in a zone we have not worked recently. Quote on the spot or within 24 hours. For a full interior install, day one and two are slab demo and trench excavation, day three is drain tile and sump basin set, day four is the slab re-pour, day five is cleanup and system test. The Dane County permit is pulled before the crew shows up, the structural inspection happens during demo, and the lifetime dry-basement warranty kicks in the day we walk off the job.
Interior drain-tile systems run $70 to $110 per linear foot, with a full perimeter system landing $3,500 to $12,000 depending on basement size. Exterior excavation waterproofing runs $8,000 to $18,000 and is usually only needed when the lot grade itself is part of the problem. A standalone sump pump install runs $450 to $900, $1,200 to $2,500 with battery backup.
Interior drain tile handles the seepage that comes through the cold joint between the wall and the footing, plus the weep that comes through cracks in the wall itself. It is the right fix for 80 percent of Madison-area wet basements. Exterior excavation is the right fix when the lot grade is sloping water toward the foundation, when the original tar coating has failed across a large face, or when a homeowner is regrading the yard for another reason and wants the dimple board done while the trench is open. We inspect first, then recommend.
Three to five days on site for a typical Madison home. Day one and two: jackhammer the perimeter slab and excavate the trench. Day three: lay the drain tile, set the sump basin, plumb the pump and discharge. Day four: re-pour the slab. Day five: clean up, test the system. The basement is unusable during the slab demo and pour, but back in service inside a week.
Lifetime on the dry-basement guarantee for any full interior system we install. Transferable once to a new homeowner. The warranty covers the drain tile, the sump basin, and the dry-basement performance. The pump itself carries the manufacturer warranty (5 years on the primary, 2 years on most battery backups), and we replace pumps under the manufacturer warranty as part of the lifetime service.
Yes, during the slab demo and re-pour phase. Day one through three the perimeter is jackhammered open and the trench is exposed. The basement is dusty and loud and not safe for kids or pets. Day four after the slab re-pour, the basement is back in service except for the cure time on the new concrete (24 to 48 hours before any furniture goes back). We tarp the staircase and the duct returns to keep the dust upstairs.
Yes. Full waterproofing systems require a Dane County building permit, which we pull before the crew shows up. No structural engineering is needed for a standard interior drain-tile install (the slab cut is non-structural), but if the inspection turns up a related structural issue (wall bowing, settlement) we will quote the structural work alongside the waterproofing and call out the $250 to $400 engineering line on the quote.
