Choosing a waterproofing company
The company you reach through this site is independent, and so is any other you call. Nobody has checked them on your behalf. This page is the checking, laid out so you can do it in an evening.
What a proper inspection looks like
- Someone goes all the way into the crawl space or round every basement wall. A glance from the hatch is not an inspection.
- They walk the outside too: gutters, downspouts, the slope of the soil, where the neighbours' water goes.
- They measure. Wood moisture with a meter, humidity in the air, and how deep any standing water is.
- They take photos and show you, since you are unlikely to go under there yourself.
- They explain the cause before they name a product.
- They leave a written scope that says what is included and, just as usefully, what is not.
Be wary of a price that is good only if you sign that day. Water that has been coming in for years will wait a week while you think.
Questions for every company
- Who will actually do the work? The company's own employees or a subcontractor. Either can be fine. You should know which.
- How many jobs like mine have you done in this area? Ask for addresses or customers you can speak to, and read what past customers have written about them.
- What is the cause, and what happens if this does not fix it? Listen for a clear chain from cause to cure.
- Which permits does this need, and who applies? The answer should come without hesitation.
- What is excluded? Electrical work, hauling, landscaping and wood repair are the usual gaps.
- What do you need from me? Clear access, a power point, pets kept in, cars moved.
Get the price and the warranty in writing
The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board publishes advice for homeowners on what to settle before a contractor begins. In short:
- Ask to see proof of liability insurance, and of workers' compensation cover where it applies.
- Agree a payment schedule and any finance charges.
- Have every warranty written down.
- Put the start date and the finish date in the contract.
- Make the contract specific: materials, brands and models.
For waterproofing, add three things: the discharge point for any pump or drain, the humidity or moisture reading the work is meant to achieve, and what the warranty does not cover.
Check the Alabama licence
In Alabama, repair and improvement work on a house needs a home builders licence from the state board once the cost of the job, labour and materials together, passes a set threshold. A larger crawl space or basement job can pass it. The board gives the current figure in its frequently asked questions.
Look the company up in the board's licence search by business or personal name. If it does not appear, the board says to phone its office on 1-800-304-0853 to confirm whether the builder holds a current licence.
This matters for a practical reason. Alabama's Homeowners' Recovery Fund can only be claimed against when the builder was licensed by the board at the time of the work.
Comparing two proposals
Line them up item by item. One may include a sump pump and the other not. One may run the liner up the walls and the other stop at the floor. A lower total is often a smaller job. The price guide lists what to look for.
Tell someone what you are seeing
Call and describe what is going on under the house or in the basement. You will be put through to an independent local waterproofing company that works in your part of Tuscaloosa County.
Calls may be recorded. The company pays this site for the introduction. See the referral disclosure.