My neighbor's basement waterproofing tip cost me $600

My neighbor Bill, who's lived in his Cleveland house since the 70s, told me I just needed to paint on that Drylok sealer to fix my damp basement wall. I spent a whole weekend doing it, two coats, the whole nine yards. After the first heavy rain, the paint started bubbling up and peeling off in sheets. Turns out I had a cracked foundation that needed a real waterproofing system, and my handyman charged me $600 to fix Bill's mess. Has anyone else gotten bad advice from a well-meaning neighbor?

2 comments

2 Comments

jake98613d ago

Tbh Drylok isn't meant for active water problems, it just seals the surface. If you've got cracks or hydrostatic pressure pushing water in, that paint will fail every time. Bill meant well but that's old school thinking from back when people just covered stuff up. I've seen guys in my area try that on block walls and it's a total waste of time. Gotta fix the actual leak first, then you can paint if you want.

grace8913d ago

Drylok strikes again! Bill must be the same guy who thinks duct tape fixes everything including a leaking pipe. That paint is basically fancy primer, not a miracle cure for a cracked foundation wall. I swear people act like concrete is waterproof just because it looks solid, but water finds its way through like a toddler finding a cookie jar. At least you only lost $600 my buddy in Akron ended up paying $2,000 after following his neighbor's advice to just "patch it with hydraulic cement." Hope that handyman at least gave you a warranty with that fix.