Straight answers about cost, financing, the process, our warranty, and the towns we serve. Still have a question? Call us - we are happy to help.
Interior waterproofing is a permanent system installed from inside your basement. We seal your foundation walls and the wall–floor joint, add a wall vapor barrier, and pair it with a sump pump and battery backup. Unlike DIY paint-on coatings, it seals water out at the source instead of just hiding the symptoms.
Our clay-heavy soil, deep winter frost, and heavy spring snowmelt put constant water pressure against foundation walls. That water pressure forces water through gaps and the wall–floor joint - which professional sealing stops permanently.
Common warning signs are water or dampness on the floor after rain, a musty smell, white chalky residue (efflorescence) on the walls, mold, or gaps in the foundation. If you notice any of these, a free inspection (if qualified) will tell you exactly what is happening and what it will take to fix it.
For most Wisconsin homes, interior sealing is the most reliable and cost-effective permanent fix. It's installed from inside, works with our soil and frost conditions, and doesn't require excavating your yard. We'll tell you honestly if your situation calls for something else.
It's common, but it isn't something to live with. Water that shows up after every heavy rain or spring thaw means there's a path into the basement, and the clay around the foundation keeps pushing until that path gets bigger. Finding where it starts is the first step, and that's what the inspection (if qualified) is for.
That's efflorescence: minerals left behind when water moves through concrete or block and then evaporates. The powder itself isn't harmful, but it shows that water is getting through the wall. Brushing it off cleans the wall, and stopping the water is what keeps it from coming back.
Yes. Mold grows where moisture stays, and a basement that never fully dries gives it what it needs, which is also where a musty smell comes from. Stopping the water and controlling humidity comes first, and any mold that is already growing should be cleaned up as its own job.
Every basement is different, so we give you a fixed, written quote after a free inspection (if qualified), with no surprises and no obligation. For a rough idea, national cost guides put most basement waterproofing jobs at $3,000–$10,000, interior drain tile runs $40–$120 per linear foot, and sealing the walls with a vapor barrier runs $1,500–$4,000. Our cost guide lists typical ranges for every service, and we offer financing to spread the cost into low monthly payments.
Yes. We offer flexible financing with low monthly payments on approved credit, so a dry basement does not have to wait. Ask us about current options when we provide your quote.
Yes - the in-home inspection and written quote are completely free with no obligation and no high-pressure sales. You will know exactly what is wrong and what it costs before you decide anything.
The method and exactly where it goes: which walls, how many feet of drain tile, how many straps or beams. It should also cover the sump pump and battery backup if you're getting one, where the water discharges, cleanup and restoration, the warranty in writing, and the total price. If two quotes are far apart, compare them line by line.
Usually. A wall that has only started to bow can often be held with carbon fiber straps, a wall that has moved further needs steel I-beams, and a wall that has moved too far to brace may have to be dug out and rebuilt, which costs far more. Measuring a crack or a bow early keeps the cheaper options open.
Most interior waterproofing systems are installed in just 1–2 days by our own crew. We handle the cleanup and walk you through everything before we leave.
Yes. We carefully remove only what's needed along the perimeter, install the system, and leave the space ready to restore. We'll walk you through exactly what to expect.
Most installs take 1–2 days. Our own crew protects your floors, cleans up daily, and treats your home with respect from start to finish.
A complete system includes full-perimeter wall sealing, a sealed wall–floor joint, a wall vapor barrier, and a sump pump with battery backup. Every component works together so water never reaches your living space.
Never. Every job is done by our own trained, background-checked team. When you hire us, our family name is on the line.
We walk the basement with you, look at the walls, the floor, the sump and the grade outside, and measure any cracks or bowing. Then we explain where the water or movement is coming from and give you the fix and the price in writing, with the reasons behind each part. There's no pressure to decide on the spot.
Yes. Our lifetime warranty stays with the home, so it transfers to the next owner if you ever sell - a genuine selling point for your house.
Yes. Basement Foundation Repair is licensed, bonded, and insured in Wisconsin. We have kept local basements dry since 1998 and have 113 five-star Google reviews.
Very little. We size and install a reliable system and show you how it works. The battery backup gives you peace of mind during heavy storms when you need it most.
Call us. Our work is backed by a lifetime transferable warranty, so if the problem we fixed comes back, we return and make it right at no cost. The warranty stays with the house if you sell.
Ask who will actually do the work, and get the scope, the price and the warranty in writing, including whether the warranty transfers when you sell. Confirm the company is licensed and insured in Wisconsin, and read reviews from homeowners near you. A good contractor will also tell you when a job doesn't need doing.
We serve homeowners across Waukesha County and Greater Milwaukee, including Waukesha, West Allis, Brookfield, Delafield, Mukwonago, Pewaukee, Muskego, Greenfield, Hartland, Oconomowoc, Sussex, Wauwatosa, Elm Grove, New Berlin and 38 more communities in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties. Our service areas page lists every one.
We schedule appointments fast, often within the same week, and most interior systems are installed in just 1–2 days.
We seal your foundation walls and the wall–floor joint - the spots where moisture works its way into a basement - and back it up with a sump pump and battery backup. We assess everything during your free inspection (if qualified).
Snowmelt and spring rain saturate the clay around your foundation, and wet clay holds that water against the walls. The pressure pushes water through cracks and the joint where the wall meets the floor, which is why many Wisconsin basements leak in March and April and stay dry the rest of the year.
Clay soil swells when it gets wet, and the ground freezes and thaws all winter. Both push sideways on foundation walls, and over the years that pressure cracks block walls along the mortar joints in a stair-step pattern and can bow them inward. Poured walls more often get vertical cracks that let water in.
Interior work like drain tile, wall sealing and wall bracing happens inside the basement, so the season matters less. Digging outside depends on frost and ground conditions. Ask about timing for your job when you call.
It can be. Where groundwater sits close to the basement floor, water can push up through the slab and the floor joint as well as through the walls. Interior drain tile with a sump pump relieves that pressure from below the floor.
Yes. Framing, drywall and carpet over a wall that still lets water in trap the moisture, and a small leak turns into mold and a tear-out. Fix the water and any wall movement first, then finish the space.
Often just one wall. If water only comes in on one side, drain tile or sealing along that wall can be enough, and it costs less than a full perimeter. The inspection (if qualified) shows whether the water is really limited to that side.
Rarely. Most cracked or bowing walls can be sealed, reinforced with carbon fiber or braced with steel I-beams where they stand. Replacing a wall only comes up when it has moved too far to hold, which is the best reason to deal with movement early.
Keep gutters clean, run downspouts well away from the house, and make sure the soil slopes away from the foundation so rain doesn't collect against the walls. Inside, keep the sump pump plugged in and tested, and run a dehumidifier in humid months.
Make sure the line slopes so it drains after each cycle, and keep the outlet clear of snow and ice. If the outlet freezes shut, the pump can't empty the crock, so check it after a hard cold snap.
Some jobs do and some don't, depending on the scope of the work and your city or village. When your municipality requires a permit, we pull it.
It usually helps. Buyers' inspectors look hard at basements, and a documented repair with a lifetime warranty that transfers to the new owner answers their questions up front. An unfixed water or wall problem tends to become a bargaining point.
Typical prices for drain tile, sump pumps, exterior waterproofing, wall bracing and egress windows in Waukesha County and Milwaukee.
Don't wait for the next big rain. Talk to a real member of our family team today - we'll inspect your basement and give you an honest, written quote at no cost.
Same-week appointments · Financing available · Lifetime transferable warranty