Basement Waterproofing in Metro Detroit
Wet or leaking basement? We find where the water is actually getting in and stop it there. Free inspection and a written quote from a licensed Michigan builder.
- 4.9 on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed MI builder #262400278
- Free inspection, written price first
- Free 6-month check-up after every job
- Based in Farmington Hills
Basement waterproofing, in short
Basement waterproofing stops water where it enters the basement and gives it somewhere else to go. We inspect inside and outside, find the entry point, and fix that point: a crack in the wall, the joint where the wall meets the floor, the hollow cores of a block wall, or water pooling against the house outside.
Depending on what we find, the fix is an interior drain and sump pump, sealing the wall from the outside, or sometimes just a downspout or grading correction. The inspection is free and you get a written quote before anything starts.
Signs your basement needs waterproofing
- A wet basement floor or puddles after heavy rain
- Water seeping through walls, cracks, or the wall-floor joint
- A damp, musty smell that will not go away
- Efflorescence, the white chalky residue, on walls or floor
- Peeling paint, rusting appliance feet, or warped stored boxes
- Condensation, high humidity, or mold on stored things
- A sump pump that runs constantly or not at all
Leaky basement repair starts with finding the leak
A wet basement is not one problem with one fix. Water gets in through cracks in the wall, through the joint where the wall meets the floor, through the hollow cores of block, or straight through porous concrete when the ground outside is saturated.
Where the water shows up tells you a lot. Water in one corner after a storm points to a downspout or grade problem outside. A damp line along the bottom of the wall points to the wall-floor joint. Water running down from a crack is coming through the crack. Sealing the wrong surface just moves the water a few feet, so we read those signs before recommending anything.
Interior or exterior basement waterproofing?
Interior waterproofing manages water that is already reaching the wall. We seal the entry points, install a perimeter drain along the footing inside, and run it to a sump pump that discharges outside and away from the house. It is less disruptive than digging and it is the practical answer when water comes up at the wall-floor joint.
Exterior waterproofing stops water before it touches the wall. We dig down to the footing, clean the wall, seal it, and set a drain at the base. It is the more complete fix and the one we recommend when the wall itself is taking on water or when there is structural repair to do at the same time.
How exterior foundation waterproofing works →
Book your free basement waterproofing inspection
We come out, find the cause, and give you a written quote. Call 248-635-3767 or request a visit online.
- 4.9 on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed MI builder #262400278
- Free inspection, written price first
- Free 6-month check-up after every job
- Based in Farmington Hills
Foundation waterproofing and basement sealing
Sealing is only as good as what is behind it. A coating painted on the inside of a wall can help with damp masonry, but it rarely holds back water that is being pushed through the wall by wet soil outside. When the water is under pressure, the seal has to go on the outside of the foundation, or the water has to be collected and pumped away on the inside.
If you have been quoted a sealer by a basement sealing company, ask where the water is coming from first. We will tell you whether sealing alone will do it.
Why does my basement smell musty?
A musty smell means moisture. With no visible water, it usually comes from humidity and water evaporating out of the masonry rather than an active leak. Efflorescence, the white chalky residue on walls or floor, is a sign that water has been moving through the concrete and leaving minerals behind.
The smell goes when the moisture source is dealt with and the humidity comes down. If there is mold on framing or stored boxes, that needs cleaning up directly as well, and we will tell you if that is what we are looking at.
Cracks in the basement floor: when to worry
Thin hairline cracks in a basement floor are common. Concrete slabs shrink as they cure, and most of those cracks are cosmetic.
- Water comes up through the crack after rain or snowmelt
- The crack is getting wider, or one side sits higher than the other
- It lines up with a crack in the wall, or the floor is heaving or sinking
- Doors upstairs have started sticking at the same time
Any of those is worth an inspection. The first is a water problem we fix as waterproofing; the others can be foundation movement.
Foundation repair and crack repair →
Basement waterproofing near you in Michigan
Southeast Michigan is hard on basements: heavy clay soil that holds water against the walls, freeze and thaw all winter, and a spring thaw that puts a season of snow into the ground at once. We are based in Farmington Hills and work across Metro Detroit, in Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw and Macomb counties.
How the work goes
How we fix a wet basement
Two homes with the same puddle can need two different fixes. Here is what each part of the work does.
Sump pumps and discharge
A sump pump is the last stage of most interior systems. We set the basin at the low point in a bed of stone, size the pump to the water the house actually takes on, and run the discharge through a freeze-safe fitting so the line does not crack in a Michigan winter. See sump pump installation.
Cracks and structural entry points
If water is coming through a crack, the crack is the job. Vertical and diagonal cracks can be injected and sealed. A horizontal crack or a bowing wall is a structural problem that will keep reopening any patch, so it gets repaired as structure first and waterproofed second. See foundation repair.
The outside causes we fix too
Plenty of leaky basement calls get solved outside: extending downspouts, correcting grade that has settled back toward the house, or adding drainage where water collects along the foundation. If that is what your house needs, we would rather do that than sell you a bigger system. See yard drainage.
Why homeowners call Swift Dry
- Free basement inspection, inside and outside the house
- 4.9 rating on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed Michigan residential builder, license 262400278
- Based in Farmington Hills, serving Metro Detroit since 2023
- Interior and exterior systems, whichever your home needs
- A written scope and price before any work starts
- We say so when a smaller outside fix will do
What you get with every job
Before you let anyone into your basement, you should know what you are signing up for. Here is what every Swift Dry customer gets.
Warranty terms are set job by job; when one applies, it is written into your quote.
- A free inspection, inside and out
- We look at the basement and the ground around the house to find where the water or movement starts. No charge and no obligation.
- A written scope and price first
- You get the work, the walls involved and the price in writing before anything starts. If a smaller fix will do, we say so and quote that.
- A licensed, insured Michigan builder
- Swift Dry is a licensed and insured Michigan Residential Builder Company, license 262400278. You can look it up on the state's LARA search.
- A free check-up about six months later
- After the work is done, we come back for a free visit to check it. Every job gets one.
- Financing if you want it
- Three financing options on your quote, with pre-approval on request.
Articles on basement waterproofing
- Why water gets into your basement during a winter thawWhy basements leak during a Michigan thaw, the three usual ways water gets in, what a musty smell or a floor crack means, and what to fix before winter.
- Stair-step cracks in block basement walls: what they meanWhat a stair-step crack in a block basement wall tells you, how to read settling versus soil pressure, what to measure, and when it needs repair.
- Why does my basement smell musty in fall and winter?Why a basement smells musty once the house is closed up for fall and winter, how to tell humidity from an active leak, and what to fix first.
- Foundation cracks: when to worry before the ground freezesWhich foundation cracks are cosmetic and which need a look before winter, why Michigan foundations crack, and what frost and clay soil do to a cracked wall.
What Metro Detroit homeowners say
Rated 4.9 on Google from 46 reviews. Read the reviews.
Basement waterproofing questions
Do you waterproof basements near me?
Yes, if you are in Metro Detroit. We are based in Farmington Hills and take basement waterproofing jobs across Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw and Macomb counties. Recent jobs include Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ypsilanti, Saline, Canton, Livonia, Warren, Waterford, Troy and West Bloomfield. Call 248-635-3767 and we will tell you straight whether we can get to your address.
Do I need interior or exterior waterproofing?
Interior systems manage water once it reaches the wall and are less disruptive. Exterior systems stop it before it gets there and are the more complete fix, but they involve digging. Which one is right depends on where the water is entering, what your foundation is built of, how much room there is to dig, and whether there is structural work to do at the same time. That is the main thing the free inspection settles.
What does basement waterproofing cost?
It depends on what the inspection finds: where the water or movement starts, how much of the house is involved, and how much digging or clean-out comes first. A small waterproofing job and a full system are very different prices, so we do not publish a range. The inspection is free, and you get a written price before any work starts.
Does every wet basement need a sump pump?
No. A sump pump manages water that has already arrived. If the real problem is roof water dumping at the corner of the house or a yard that pitches toward the foundation, fixing that outside can solve it without a pump. We look at both before recommending anything.
How long does basement waterproofing take?
Most interior systems take one to three days. Exterior work depends on how much of the foundation we open up and on the weather. The timeline is in writing with the quote.
Why does my basement leak only after heavy rain?
Heavy rain soaks the clay soil around the house, and the wet soil pushes water toward the wall. The water usually finds the weak spots: a crack, the joint where the wall meets the floor, or a pipe or window well. Roof water that lands next to the foundation, ground that slopes toward the house, and a sump pump that cannot keep up make it worse. We find where the water is coming in before we recommend anything.
Is a basement sealer or paint enough?
A coating on the inside of a wall can help with damp masonry, but it rarely holds back water that wet soil is pushing through the wall. If another company quoted you a sealer, ask where the water is coming from first. We will tell you whether sealing alone will do it.
Will you tell me if I do not need a full waterproofing system?
Yes. Swift Dry looks for the cause first, and if a smaller fix will do, such as moving roof water away from the foundation or fixing the grade, we say so and quote that instead.
Get your free basement waterproofing inspection
Honest quote, no obligation. Serving Metro Detroit from Farmington Hills.
- 4.9 on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed MI builder #262400278
- Free inspection, written price first
- Free 6-month check-up after every job
- Based in Farmington Hills