I'm looking at a basement where the seller claims it has never had water issues, but I found some pretty alarming signs. There's no waterproofing, just a sump pump that isn't actually sealed—basically just a hole. I shared a picture with the seller, and they suggested it might just be excess humidity. However, the situation looks pretty grim to me; it seems like the foundation could be leaking in one corner. What do you guys think?
2 Answers
Honestly, that looks like more than just humidity. The way it appears, there's a lot of hydrostatic pressure building up behind those blocks. I recommend checking the grading around the foundation and if the roof drainage is working. That can have a huge impact on the basement's condition.
It’s definitely not just an issue in that corner. The walls have stair stepping cracks, which means they're being pushed inward by pressure from outside. While it's fixable, you're probably looking at tens of thousands in repairs down the line. I used to handle basement waterproofing, so I’ve seen this before. It's a concern for sure.
I was considering waiving the inspection to get ahead of other buyers, but now I'm nervously reconsidering after hearing multiple comments about potential foundation issues.