Who should look at a crack that leaks every spring in Stittsville?

A crack that lets water in every spring should be looked at by a waterproofing contractor, and depending on what they find, a licensed plumber may also be involved if the work touches the drainage or sump system.

The City of Ottawa lists three ways water gets into a basement: sewer surcharging, groundwater coming through cracks or joints in walls or floors, and overland water entering through windows or cracks. A contractor or plumber has to look at the crack and the wall before anyone can say why it leaks.

Ask the contractor to say in writing what they checked. The repair could range from crack injection (published Ontario contractor pricing about $500 to $1,500 per crack; one Ottawa source quotes from about $300 for epoxy) to exterior excavation and membrane work (about $100 to $350 per linear foot of wall) if the drainage system needs attention at the same time. Those are ranges, not quotes, and the right scope depends entirely on what the contractor sees.

A few things worth knowing before work starts:

• The City of Ottawa says "damp proofing of existing basements" is exempt from a building permit, but structural foundation repairs and drain tile replacement do require one. If the contractor's scope goes beyond sealing the crack, ask them which permit category applies before work starts.
• Ontario Dig Authority asks for a locate request at least 5 business days before any digging begins. On a job where a contractor excavates, the contractor is the excavator and is responsible for submitting that request.

Comparing two written quotes, check whether each one names the same wall, the same linear footage, the same scope of drainage work (tile replaced or left in place, and where it drains), and whether the protection described is dampproofing or waterproofing.