Exterior Waterproofing & Added value to the home

Before I even ask my question, I know that there are lots of factors that go into determining the added value of a project.  Assuming the exterior waterproofing job is done properly and is successful, what can one anticipate how much value this type of work would add to the house?  The cellar will now be waterproofed and properly ventilated.  It is approximatey 650 square feet (8 foot ceiling…. yes 8 feet).

guikazoid

in Appraisals 13 years and 8 months ago

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Bond | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Unfortunately I agree with Wyckoff, it’s the type of repair that doesn’t add value, but will detract from the value of the property if not done.  If you can turn the space into a nice, useable space, that may add value, but the waterproofing alone won’t.

guikazoid | 13 years and 8 months ago

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the only damage they unearthed was rotted wood on 1st floor, being replaced with bricks.  as per the cellar, it was renovated in 2005, so structurally its fine.  not much damage has been visible.  we removed all the sheetrock from the cellar and their was no signs of water coming from the front wall or side wall.  there was definite signs of water coming from the back wall and the east wall.  the water was coming from the east wall was due to a neighbor neglecting his cellar.  he has already taken care of that issue.  the main reason we did this work is to make actual use of the space, there was no air, small amounts of water seeping in.  it was extremely moldy down there. in addition to waterproofing it from the exterior, we added proper ventilation to the boiler room and “living area”.  big rant. ok.

wyckoff | 13 years and 8 months ago

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Assume the value added is zero.  It’s assymetric: nobody gives you extra credit for a dry and properly ventilated house, but they certainly will price in a discount for water damage. The cost of not waterproofing your building only gets bigger over time, as water is the biggest enemy of structures.

BHS | 13 years and 8 months ago

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This is a tricky question to answer. It’s always worth doing whatever maintenance or preventative work will keep the building structure safe and sound, and waterproofing could be in that category, depending on the conditions and what exactly you’re planning to do (and it’s effectiveness). If the basement is wet and leaky, moisture could weaken the foundation over time (or not), create mildew and unpleasant humidity, and encourage termites and other destructive pests. The best case scenario would be a 100% end to all water in the basement/cellar and the newly created possibility of turning that space into a rec room by future owners. The worst case would be spending a ton of money on waterproofing measures that dodn’t solve the problem of accumulating water (you can’t permenantly block water from entering a foundation wall by coating it if the surrounding ground continues to be saturated).