Nobody wants to buy a house that has or has ever had extensive water damage or mold growth. Mold is often a tell-tale sign of water leaks and humidity in your basement. There are other factors to look out for that can lead to mold later that buyers look for; maybe you have a leaky basement whenever there's a downpour, a musty smell, or your tools rust easily. Or there may be water leaking through the porous concrete or cracks in your foundation, and the original drainage that was designed to keep water away from your home has worn away. Not only can these problems lead to permanent damage and health issues, continuing to ignore them can affect your home's resale value.
Waterproofing your basement is a worthy measure you can take to not only keep your basement dry but to protect and even increase your home's resale value.
How Can Waterproofing My Basement Increase My House's Value?
While there are many home improvements that will have a reasonable return-on-investment (ROI) when you sell your home, the biggest ROIs are often found in improvements to the main functions and structures of the home. While an updated kitchen may look nice, a musty or leaky basement will scare potential buyers away and some realtors will not list it until the problem has been fixed. Buyers can demand a leaky basement be repaired before they buy, prolonging the buying process. Allowing water and humidity issues in the basement to fester will only add to more costly remedial projects later.
It is estimated that the homeowner can expect to get anywhere from 30% to 50% ROI depending on the scope of the problem and repairs completed. Assuming a 50% ROI, if a basement waterproofing repair costs $4,000 your home value will increase by $6,000. That's $2,000 profit that can be put towards a hot tub in your new home. This does not include the benefits of enjoying a fresh, mold-free basement while living in your home.
What is Waterproofing?
A waterproofing project can be as simple as adding professionally concealed downspouts that lead water away from your home. It could include replacing drywall or adding seals to cracks in concrete. Regrading the slope of the backyard to direct water away from the home can help with leaks and ground swelling. Any and all of these professional repairs will only increase your home's value. In the competitive Northern Virginia housing market, having the added benefit of a dry basement may increase the chances your home will be bought quickly. Investments made now will make your basement more livable and never become âuntrendy.â
Want to increase your home's value? NV Waterproofing has over 30 years of experience in professional basement waterproofing in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. When you're ready to sell, you can proudly boast your dry, mold-free basement. With an A+ rating on BBB, and the highest rating on Angie's List, we are the premier choice in the metropolitan area for wet basement solutions. Schedule your free inspection today!
