Sorry I am sure all this information is already on the forum but I'm havin a hard time finding it. I have a leaky basement. The front of the house is @ street level and the back is a walkout basement. After heavy rains I get puddling water. I want to finish the basement so I have to correct the problem. My thoughts are to excavate install waterproofing membrane and drainage board with a perimeter drain to the drainage ditch @ the rear of my property. My foundation is made of blocks (cinder?) which I believe to be filled with concrete My concerns/questions are

1. Will I compromise the structure of the house in any way by digging down to the footing all along the exterior of the house.

2. Is there any other comparable way that would be less expensive/intrusive.

3. Is excavating for the first time a foolish risk to take on myself?

4. Can I use the existing lava rock I have (ugly) in my front yard as a medium to surround my perimeter drain pipe?

5. Would a interior application of crystalline membrane (i.e. Xypex) actually work?

6. How much am I lookin at spending were I to hire the whole job out?

Sorry if these are questions that've been answered already but I sure would appreciate any insight/advice.

I will answer subject to correction from LicensedWaterproofR, or ConcreteMasonry, or Jay in Minnesota, or Home Care Club, or Maintenance 6:

1. No, you will not compromise the structure of the house.

2. No, digging is the best way, unfortunately, and practically speaking, the only permanent way to solve your problem.

3. If your front wall is more than four feet or so into the ground, I believe it is risky...it would be risky for experienced people. If you do decide to dig, do a little at a time, not the whole wall, and remove the soil far away, do NOT pile it up on the edge of the excavation. Most certainly, do not do it alone, in case something happens. An experienced excavator will be able to read the soil type and predict to some extent its behavior; you may not have that experience and skill.

4. That depends on the size of the lava rock. LicensedWaterproofR always recommends pea stone, I think because it doesn't need compacting so it won't settle, and it has enough voids to dissipate hydrostatic pressure, and to allow water to find your drain piping. I yield to someone more experienced than myself here, but my guess is, no, the voids will be too big.

5. I don't know of any inside product that works forever, and it won't keep the water out of your wall, so the water will sooner or later appear somewhere, and you risk the constant wetness deteriorating your mortar joints or even the block itself. Water belongs outside, and that means ALL the way outside.

Gentlemen, and colleagues, please comment.

First off. Where is licensed water proofer when you need him, I guess his wife put him to work, or he went golfing.

1. Richard is correct.No concerns about digging.

2. correct again. only way to fix it once and for all.

3. Again agreement. Its difficult to dig unless the debth is only a few feet. I would get a professional for this one.

4 Right again, Lava rock will not work. It has to many nooks and crannies that will hold silt and plug up the free flowing water you will be getting. Crushed stone will work as long as its clean and no larger then 3/4" But pea gravel is the best if you have it around your area.

5. Correct. Crystalline water proofing only stops the water. It will still allow for the dampnes to travel through the wall. You do not want either. If you trap the water inside of the wall, The cinder block will deteriorate over time and you will end up with more issues then just water. The dampness that is allowed through the wall will allow for mold develpoment.

6. Cost of water proofing ranges from a few thousand dollars to several, Many factors control this. Debth, condition of wall once exposed. Amount of wall to dig out labor costs in your area, Material costs as well. Just stay zway from the big name companies that spend thousands in advertizing. You will contribute to that with the cost of them doing it.

Richard, You are smarter then a 5th grader!