does waterproofing basement add value

Trying to get the right price for your home can be a challenge and there is tonnes of advice out there about the best ways of increasing the value of your home. If you have a basement, you might be wondering whether you should contact Damp Hero and invest in waterproofing it as a way of increasing the value of your home. As with other home modifications that require you to put in some monetary investment, you need to weigh up whether the increase in value is worth the money that you put into it. Thankfully, with waterproofing your basement, there is a very good chance that it will.

Could a non-waterproofed basement lower the value of your home?

In short, yes. When your basement is not waterproofed, water can seep in through the ground and this can create patches of mould as well as pools of water and damp. A basement that is suffering from these elements can lower the value of your home by up to 25%. This could equate to a sizeable amount of money and makes waterproofing your basement something that could well be worth your time and money doing. Damage from flooding can also decrease the value of your home, and waterproofing your basement can help to prevent this.

Does basement waterproofing increase home value?

If your basement has water leakage, damp, or mould then waterproofing your basement could increase your home's value by up to 25%. But there are other ways that waterproofing your basement could help to increase your home's value.

It creates space

When your basement has been waterproofed, you will have essentially added a new room to your house. Because it is waterproofed, your basement can be used just the same way as any other room in your home. So it could become another bedroom, a games room, an office/study, and many more. For buyers, this could be a really important selling point. More space is always a good thing for home buyers, and adding an extra room to the house is going to make it much more appealing to most people. This can increase the value of your home.

It stops the rest of the house from getting damp

I'm sure we've all had that feeling of walking into a house and getting hit in the face by a damp musty smell. House buyers will definitely be put off by signs of damp in your home. It can cause the wallpaper to peel, and mould to grow on the walls, furniture, and even clothes. Damp is not something that any prospective buyer is going to want to deal with in a hurry. If water is seeping into your basement, this can cause damp and mould to grow. If left untreated, this damp and mould can start to migrate throughout the rest of your house. Waterproofing your basement will stop this from happening and will make your house a much more attractive option.

It can save energy

If the damp in your basement is left untreated, cracks can start to form in the walls. These cracks create an avenue for heat to escape from your home. So to keep it at the right temperature, you will need to have your central heating on for longer and potentially at a higher temperature, which will use a lot more energy. Waterproofing your home stops these cracks from appearing, leaving your home better insulated and your central heating system can be used more sparingly. In other words, your home will become more energy efficient. This is an important feature for house buyers and can help to increase the value of your home.

It stops your basement from flooding

Another consequence of these cracks is that they can let greater and greater levels of water into your basement. Eventually, if there is a period of really heavy rainfall, your basement could flood entirely. This is a serious and costly problem. All flood water is considered black, so if your basement floods it will need to be decontaminated and sanitised before you can go in there again. Any possessions you have stored down there will be ruined, and the electrics could get damaged. Any freshwater that is down there can turn grey, which is also hazardous to health. The moisture can seep into the wood of your house which can cause structural damage, and the damp in the walls can take months to fully dry out. The cost of cleaning up a flooded basement is quite high and if the root of the problem isn't dealt with, there is a good chance that it will happen again. Waterproofing your basement is much less time-consuming than dealing with the fallout of a flooded basement, and homebuyers can be safe in the knowledge that they won't have to deal with a flooded basement themselves.

How much does it cost to waterproof a basement?

The average cost of waterproofing a basement is around £3000. Which is definitely much less than dealing with your basement flooding on a semi-regular basis, and much less than losing 25% of the value of your home. So waterproofing your basement is a solid investment, both for your standard of living while you are in the home, and for increasing the sale value when you do come to sell. Of course, this is just an average price, and waterproofing your basement could cost up to £5000 or even could be as low as £2000. Getting some professionals in to take a look and give you an idea of what work needs to be done and the next steps to make it happen will give you a good idea of what to expect.

How much does it cost to waterproof a basement

In summary

Waterproofing your basement is definitely worth it, and can help to increase the value of your home. It stops damp and mould from forming, and damp and mould can really put off buyers. It can reduce energy costs, which is another important feature for buyers. And it helps to stop your basement from flooding, which can leave buyers more assured that they won't be dealing with any expensive cleanup and repair jobs later down the line. It also gives you a whole extra livable room to work with, which will definitely be an attractive feature for buyers.

cb
Copyright © 2025 Damphero
phone-handset