Won House at Auction. Water in the Basement. No Power.

[Atul Kaushal]

Dear BP,

I recently won a house at auction, the power is off, and there is water & mold in the basement.  Once I get the deed in about 30 days, I'd like to go in and fix the place up.  What is the best way to approach getting the water out, doing the demo on the walls & flooring, cleaning the mold, and rebuilding the basement?  I've heard that "remediation" companies can cost a fortune and wondering if anyone has faced this situation, what are the ways to get it done properly but also not having to sell a kidney to cover costs.

Many Thanks,

AK

[Scott Mac]

Hi Atul,

Waste water from the sewer backing up is a lot less fun than clean water.

Where did the water come from; foundation leaks, sewage backup; pipe break; etc...(???)

If it were mine, and it was fresh water I'd use a gas powered water pump (rental), let it air dry with open windows and figure out why it had water in it.

If it's black water I'd have it pumped out by a company, and then the area would need to be sterilized.

Then fix the water intrusion, then address any mold issues.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/Wacker-Neuson-Gas-Water-Pump-1-5100013999/309392462