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Licensed & Insured Independent Pros
Excavation work carries real risk, so calls go to independent contractors with liability coverage and licensing where required. Confirm they carry coverage for heavy equipment.
Answering Calls Around the Clock
Exterior Basement Waterproofing in McKinney, TX
For finished basements you don't want torn apart, exterior waterproofing keeps water off the wall entirely. One call connects you with a licensed, insured independent contractor in McKinney who does it right.
Call +1-866-476-1348Free referral, 24/7
- Excavation to the footing with utility locates
- A complete outside barrier and drain
- Written price before the excavator shows up
- No-cost referral
- Licensed and insured independent pros
- Written quotes before work
- Open around the clock
The Problem
Why Some Basements Need Exterior Waterproofing
Interior drainage handles water once it reaches the foundation. Exterior waterproofing makes sure it never gets that far. For a finished basement with drywall, built-ins and flooring you just paid for, that difference matters. Tearing out the bottom of every wall to install interior drain tile can cost almost as much in restoration as the waterproofing itself.
It's also the right call when the outside of the wall needs repair anyway. Old block foundations with crumbling mortar, poured walls with honeycombing or stone foundations that let water through every joint all benefit from being exposed, repaired and sealed from the outside. Once the wall is open, the contractor can fix cracks, parge the surface and replace a collapsed or missing footing drain at the same time.
The trade-off is disruption. Exterior waterproofing means excavating a trench along the foundation, sometimes six to nine feet deep. Landscaping, walkways and decks near the wall have to be removed or worked around. The contractors we connect you with in McKinney plan for that up front and include restoration in the quote.
- Finished interiors worth protecting
- Deteriorating block, stone or poured walls
- Failed original drain tile
- Persistent seepage on one or two walls
The Part of the Job Nobody Sees
Homeowners tend to focus on the membrane, but the footing drain is what keeps the whole system working. Water that reaches the wall runs down the drainage board to the footing. If nothing carries it away, it pools there and builds pressure, the same pressure that caused the leak in the first place.
A proper footing drain is perforated pipe laid with a slight, consistent slope, bedded in clean stone and wrapped in filter fabric so silt can't clog it. It has to discharge somewhere reliable: to daylight on a sloped lot, or into a sump pit that pumps the water well away from the house. Many older homes either never had one or have one that collapsed or filled with clay decades ago.
Before work starts, ask where the drain outlets and how its slope will be set. Laser levels make this precise. A cleanout access point is also worth asking about, since it lets the drain be flushed in the future without digging.
Get photos of the drain and drainage board before backfill. Once the trench is filled, the only way to check the work is to dig it up again.
Why Choose Us
Why Homeowners Call Us for Exterior Basement Waterproofing in McKinney, TX
Exterior jobs involve heavy equipment, deep trenches and a lot of planning.
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Upfront Flat-Rate Pricing
Each phase of the job is priced separately in writing, from excavation to final grading.
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Fast Local Dispatch
Local contractors in McKinney can inspect quickly and schedule excavation around weather and utility locate requirements.
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Specialized Tools & Equipment
Mini excavators, trench shoring or boxes for deep cuts, pressure washers for wall prep, spray rigs for membranes and laser levels for drain pitch.
Solutions
Exterior Waterproofing Services in McKinney
Every stage, from digging to final grade, affects how long the system lasts.
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Excavation and Utility Locates
Before any digging, buried utilities are marked through the local call-before-you-dig service. The trench is then dug down to the footing, with shoring or sloped sides for deeper cuts so the crew can work safely.
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Foundation Surface Prep
The exposed wall is scraped, pressure washed and inspected. Cracks are sealed, block walls are parged, and loose mortar is repointed so the membrane has a clean, solid surface to bond to.
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Waterproofing Membrane Application
A continuous rubberized or sheet membrane covers the wall from footing to grade, applied at the specified thickness.
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Drainage Board and Footing Drain
Dimpled drainage board protects the membrane and channels water down to a new perforated footing drain bedded in gravel and wrapped in filter fabric, which carries water to a sump or to daylight.
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Free-Draining Backfill
The trench is filled with free-draining stone near the wall and compacted soil above, then graded to pitch away from the foundation.
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Surface Restoration
Topsoil, seed or sod and reset pavers finish the job. Confirm what's included and how later settling is handled.
Why Exterior Quotes Vary So Much
Exterior waterproofing is priced mainly by how much wall gets exposed and how hard it is to reach. Depth matters, since a full-height basement means a deeper trench and more soil to move and store. Access matters too. A wall with open lawn beside it is far easier than one under a deck, beside a driveway or tight to a neighbor's property line, where hand digging or smaller equipment may be needed.
Wall condition changes the price once the foundation is exposed. Clean poured concrete needs less prep than old block with failing mortar or stone that needs repointing. Then come the membrane system, the drainage board, the footing drain and its outlet, and finally backfill and restoration. A good quote prices each of those separately. That makes it easy to compare offers and to see the cost of doing one problem wall now and others later.
Timing can affect the price as well. Spring is the busiest season for exterior work, so lead times are longer, while late summer and early fall often bring drier soil and easier scheduling. If one wall is leaking badly and the others are only damp, some homeowners start with the worst wall and plan the rest for a later season, which spreads the cost without leaving the main problem unsolved.
How It Works
From First Call to Final Grade
A clear plan keeps an excavation job on time and on budget.
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Call Dispatch
Call +1-866-476-1348 and tell us which walls leak, whether the basement is finished and what's built along the outside of the house.
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Rapid Mobile Arrival
A nearby contractor sets up a site visit quickly, with priority for active leaks.
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Expert Assessment & Quote
Expect an inside-and-outside inspection, a frank talk about access and restoration, and an itemized written quote.
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Resolution & Final Walkthrough
After utilities are marked and any permits are in place, the work is completed, the yard is restored and the contractor walks you through the warranty and the drain outlet.
Before work starts: move vehicles, outdoor furniture and anything stored along the foundation, and ask the contractor how they'll protect the lawn and driveway from equipment.
Keep Water Off Your Foundation for Good
One call connects you with a local independent pro who seals foundations from the outside.
Call +1-866-476-1348Customer Stories
Dry Basements, Restored Yards
Our finished basement leaked along one wall. They excavated, sealed and drained it from outside, and we never had to touch the drywall.
Heather S., McKinney
They repointed and parged our old stone walls from outside before sealing them. Huge improvement.
Leon M., McKinney
Careful from start to finish: utility marks, proper shoring and plywood to protect the driveway.
Joan D., McKinney
They found our original footing drain had collapsed and was packed with clay. New drain, new membrane and the sump hardly runs anymore.
Raj P., McKinney
FAQ
Common Exterior Basement Waterproofing Questions
How deep do exterior waterproofing trenches go?
All the way to the footing, commonly six to nine feet for a full-height basement. Deeper trenches need shoring or sloped sides for safety.
How long does exterior waterproofing take?
A single wall often takes two to four days, and a full perimeter can take a week or more, depending on depth, access and weather. Membrane cure time and inspections can add time.
Is exterior waterproofing better than interior?
It's more thorough, since it keeps water off the wall entirely. It also costs more and disrupts the yard. For many homes, interior drainage is enough; for finished basements or failing walls, exterior is often worth it.
Can exterior waterproofing be done in winter?
Excavation is possible in many winters, but frozen ground slows digging and most membranes need temperatures above a minimum to apply properly. Many contractors schedule exterior work from spring through fall.
What happens to my landscaping?
Plants, pavers and soil along the trench line are removed and either set aside or replaced. Ask what restoration is included and whether the contractor will return to top off soil that settles.
Do I need a permit for exterior waterproofing?
Many local building departments require one, especially when drainage tie-ins or structural repairs are involved. Ask the contractor who pulls the permit and whether an inspection is required before backfill.
Service Area
Serving McKinney and Nearby Communities
We connect homeowners throughout McKinney and nearby communities with independent exterior waterproofing contractors who know the local soil and permit requirements. Block, poured and stone foundations are all covered.
Local contractors already know the soil types, groundwater levels and lot sizes around McKinney, which makes excavation planning faster and more accurate.
See the zip codes and nearby cities below, or call to confirm coverage.
