Assistance with estimating basement repair costs

[Bruce Steinetz]

I am looking for assistance in estimating repair costs for basements when sizing up  potential rental properties. I have two categories of basements in mind.

Category 1: the basement shows some hairline cracks at the frost line; and some stair step cracks but no heaving, and only minor evidence of moisture..

Question: what type of repairs should I plan for? Is there a simple rule of thumb for cost per linear foot of basement wall to help me make the estimate?

Category 2: there is clear evidence of water seeping in at the foundation level. And some cracking of the walls, but no heaving.

Question: what type of repairs should I plan for? Is there a simple rule of thumb for cost per linear foot of basement wall to help me make the estimate?

Thank you for your help
Bruce 

[Kevin Sobilo]

@Bruce Steinetz, I don't think there are simple answers for these questions. I think these are issues that you need to try to understand so you can make an informed evaluation in each case.

For example, in many cases your category 1 example would probably involve NO basement repair! I suspect in many cases the repair would be to the EXTERIOR of the home in working to change the ground water conditions. Directing downspouts further from the house or adding dirt to create slope away from the house to try to make the soil adjacent to the foundation less saturated with water and less likely to heave and push on the foundation.

With category 2, age of home, type of foundation, and intended use of basement would all play a part in this. In an extreme example, an older house with a stone foundation and dirt floor basement might be expected to be damp/wet. However a new home with a poured foundation, drainage, etc would be expected to be pretty dry. Also, if you don't intend to finish the basement into livable space that also factors into the type of solution one might use to address the issue.

So, unfortunately, I don't think there is a good rule of thumb. I think this is a more involved issue and just requires some education and careful analysis to address.