Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair in Royal Oak, MI
Built over old swamps and the buried Red Run, with a high water table. We find where the water gets in and stop it there.
- 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
We work in Royal Oak, about 12 miles from our base in Farmington Hills. We waterproof basements, install and replace sump pumps and repair foundation walls, and the inspection is free.
Built over swamps and buried creeks
The city's 2025 master plan says Royal Oak was largely swamp and marshland before it was built up, and that it sits at the headwaters of Red Run Creek, which flows to the Clinton River and Lake St Clair. As the city grew, mostly in the postwar years, those swamps, streams and creeks were filled and piped. The plan points to the curving streets like Bonnie View and Vinsetta as the clues that remain.
Water still follows the old low ground. A house over a filled creek bed or a former wet spot can take on water when its neighbors stay dry.
The plan also notes that the region was built before today's rules on holding back storm water, so much of the rain that falls on roofs and pavement runs off quickly. Gutters, downspouts and the grade around your house decide whether that water ends up against your foundation or out in the yard.
A high water table
The same plan says Royal Oak has a high water table and soil that limits how much water it absorbs. For a basement, that means the ground around the walls and under the floor stays wet for longer, and water is pushed up at the joint where the wall meets the floor as well as through cracks.
On ground like that, an interior drain and a well-sized sump pump do most of the work. We set the pump at the low point, size it to the water the house actually takes on, and run the discharge well away from the foundation, through a fitting that will not freeze shut in January.
Seepage, or water through the floor drain?
Royal Oak has a combined sewer, which carries storm water and sewage in the same pipes, and the city's plan notes that major rain events can flood basements with sewage. That water comes up through the floor drain, and the fix is a plumbing one, usually a backwater valve fitted by a licensed plumber.
Seepage comes through the walls, cracks or the wall-floor joint, and that is the work we do. Tell us where the water appeared and we will tell you which one you had.
Services that fit here most often
Sump Pump Installation
Pumps sized for a high water table, with discharge carried away from the house.
Basement Waterproofing
Water at the wall-floor joint and through cracks.
Foundation Repair
Cracked and bowing walls in older postwar basements.
Yard Drainage & French Drains
Low spots that follow old creek beds.
Book a free inspection in Royal Oak
We come to you from Farmington Hills, about 12 miles away. 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
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.
Questions from Royal Oak homeowners
Do you work in Royal Oak, and how far is it from your base?
Yes. Swift Dry works in Royal Oak, which is in Oakland County and about 12 miles from our base in Farmington Hills. Every job starts with a free inspection and a written quote. The distance is approximate and is not a promise of arrival time.
Why does my Royal Oak basement get wet when my neighbor's does not?
Royal Oak was built over swamps and buried creeks, and it has a high water table. A house over an old wet spot or creek bed can take on water when houses a few doors away stay dry. The free inspection finds where the water is getting into yours.
Water came up through my floor drain. Is that a waterproofing job?
Usually not. Water through the floor drain in a heavy storm is typically a sewer backup, and the fix is a backwater valve from a licensed plumber. Seepage through walls, cracks or the floor joint is what Swift Dry fixes.
My sump pump runs a lot. Is it too small?
It may simply be busy. With a high water table, a pump in Royal Oak can run often and still be working fine. It needs attention if it cycles constantly, struggles in heavy rain, has no backup, or empties close to the house. We size the pump to the water the house actually takes on.