The first visit
Moisture check and report
A meter, a tape and a camera, and a report you keep.
One of us spends a good part of a morning in your basement and outside the house. We read the walls and the slab at marked spots, note the humidity, look at the gutters and the soil, and write it up in plain language.
What the visit covers
Meter readings on the walls at three heights and on the slab
A square of plastic taped to the floor to see if moisture collects underneath
The room's humidity, and whether a dryer vent or duct adds to it
A walk outside: gutters, downspouts, grade and window wells
Photos of every reading, marked on a plan
A written report that says where the water comes from and what we'd do first
What it doesn't include
Left out of this work
Mold or radon testing
We tell you what we see. Testing is for a certified specialist.
A structural opinion
If a wall is bowing or cracked wide, we say so and name who to call.
Behind finished walls
We read what a meter can reach. Opening a wall is your call.
What changes the cost
What moves the number
We price each job from a written scope. These are the things that make one house cost more than another.
- 01
Size
A bigger basement means more places to read and more to write up.
- 02
How much is finished
Drywall and carpet hide what a meter can read, so we may ask to open a small spot.
- 03
Follow-up visits
Some houses need a second reading after rain. We say so before we book it.
- 04
Access
A cluttered basement or a locked outbuilding adds time.
How it goes
From the first visit to the last
- 01
Book
Tell us what you're seeing and when it happens.
- 02
The visit
Most of a morning. You don't need to be home the whole time.
- 03
The report
Written and sent within a few working days, with photos.
- 04
The talk
We go through it with you, on the phone or at the kitchen table.
Permits and rules
Who pulls the permit
A moisture check is a visit and a written report. It doesn't need a permit. If the report leads to drainage, plumbing or electrical work, we tell you which permits apply in your city and pull the ones for our own work.
Questions
About this work
Do I have to hire you after?
No. The report is yours to keep, whoever does the work.
Can you check a finished basement?
Yes, with limits. We read what a meter can reach and tell you what we can't see.
When is the best time to visit?
A day or two after a heavy rain shows the most, but the readings are useful in any weather.
Do you test for radon?
No. We can recommend a certified radon professional and plan the work around a system.
Want the report for your house?
Tell us what you're seeing and we'll book the visit.