What the price depends on
The rate is per square metre of wall. It depends on the material (bitumen coating, polymer-modified bitumen, mineral slurry, torch-on membrane), the number of coats, the state of the wall and whether the foundation has already been dug out. If the surface is cracked and the old coating is crumbling, it has to be cleaned and repaired first, and that takes time too. Current labour rates are in the table.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Foundation waterproofing | 50–130 zł/m² |
Indicative prices. Ranges for a typical scope. Fixings included, materials separate. Minimum order 300 zł.
Materials are paid separately: the coating, primer, insulation boards or a protective membrane. Digging, machine hire and taking away soil and rubble are a separate line as well. The handyman lists what’s included in their offer.
Rather hand the job over? More here: grouting and waterproofing in Warsaw.
Which waterproofing you need
The first question is what you’re protecting against. On sandy soil with a deep water table, damp-proofing against capillary moisture is enough. On clay, where rainwater stands against the wall, or where the water table is high, you need full waterproofing against water pressure: thicker and in several coats. The water level is usually in the geotechnical report that came with the house design. No report? Ask the neighbours whether their basements ever get water.
Vertical waterproofing runs down the outside wall from the footing to the plinth. The horizontal layer sits between the footing and the wall and stops moisture rising. Older houses often have none at all, and it’s restored differently, by injection into drilled holes. That’s a separate technique, so mention it to the handyman up front.
The finished layer gets protection: XPS boards if the basement is being insulated at the same time, or a dimpled membrane. Without it, stones in the backfill will scratch through the coating.
Safety first
A trench along the foundation deeper than a person is tall can collapse, especially in loose soil and after rain. The sides are shored or cut back to a slope, and nobody works in the trench alone. Before digging, find out where the power cable, gas and water pipe come into the house. Solvent-based coatings are flammable and smell strongly: no smoking nearby, and the basement needs airing.
How the job goes
- Inspection and photos: where the damp is, what cracks there are, whether there’s old waterproofing or drainage.
- The foundation is dug out down to the footing, a long wall in sections.
- The wall is cleaned of soil and loose coating, left to dry, and cracks and holes are filled with mortar.
- A mortar fillet goes into the corner between footing and wall so the coating doesn’t split on a sharp angle.
- Primer, then at least two coats, the second once the first is dry, carried over onto the footing.
- XPS or membrane goes on, and the trench is backfilled without big stones or building rubble.
Common mistakes
- Coating applied to a wet or dusty wall peels off in sheets within a season.
- Primer gets skipped because “the coating is sticky anyway”.
- No fillet at the footing, which is exactly where the waterproofing cracks first.
- Broken brick and rubble tipped into the trench straight onto the fresh coat.
- Only the inside of the basement gets treated, though the water pushes from outside.
- There’s no paving strip round the house, or it slopes towards the wall, so rainwater runs straight to the foundation.
What to prepare
- Photos of the basement walls inside and the plinth outside, ideally after rain.
- The house design or geotechnical report, if you still have them.
- Where water, gas and power come into the house.
- Clear access along the walls: move plant pots, firewood and garden furniture.
- A decision on who digs out the foundation and where the soil goes.
Frequently asked questions
Can a basement be waterproofed from the inside?
Yes, with mineral slurries and injection, and sometimes it’s the only option, for example when a neighbouring house stands right against the wall. But water still gets into the wall from outside, so external waterproofing works better.
When is the best time for the job?
A dry spell, above freezing: coatings don’t go onto a wet or frozen wall. Each product has its own minimum temperature, printed on the packaging.
Do I need drainage?
If water stands at the foundation after rain or the soil is clay, drainage round the house often does more than another coat. The handyman will tell you after an inspection whether you need it.
How long does it take?
It depends on the length of the walls, the soil and the weather, since each coat has to dry. The handyman gives the timing in their offer.
How to order
Describe the problem in the app: where the damp is, what kind of house, whether the foundation is dug out, and add photos. Tradespeople near you will send offers with their own price and timing. Compare them by reviews and pick one; only that person sees your address.
You pay the handyman directly and they issue the invoice. They stand behind their own work and will put it right if their coating comes away or a patch was missed. Cracks in the foundation itself, a high water table and earlier contractors’ mistakes are not on them.
Do foundation waterproofing yourself? Set up a profile and jobs from your area will come in through the app. You work for yourself and pick your own business setup. Create a tradesperson profile
Order in the app
Describe the job, add photos and the address. Tradespeople send their own prices and dates, and you pick one of the offers.
Open the app