Basement waterproofing in Kansas City that finds where the water is coming from, then stops it. A family business since 1986.
4.7 ⭐ rating with 100+ Google reviews, BBB A+ accredited, family-owned, and backed by a lifetime transferable warranty on qualifying pier systems. Featured by TheHomeMag and BloggerLocal as one of Kansas City’s top foundation repair contractors.
A wet basement is usually a water problem, not a failing foundation. Water builds up against the walls after a storm and finds the easiest way in.
It still needs fixing. Left alone, water:
It doesn’t mean you need a full perimeter system or piers. Good waterproofing for basement problems starts with finding where the water gets in.
When it is structural: a wall bowing in, a horizontal crack, or a crack that keeps opening. Those need a structural fix plus water control.
John Murphy has 26 years in foundation repair: 21 years doing the installation and labor, then 5 in sales. He knows how water gets into Kansas City basements, and what it takes to stop it.
| Source | What you see | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters, downspouts, grading | Water on one side or corner after hard rain, often under a downspout | Clean gutters, extend or bury downspouts, regrade. See drainage solutions and gutters |
| Poured wall crack | A wet streak running down from one crack | Epoxy injection. Block or stone walls get tuckpointing. See wall crack repair |
| Cove joint | Water where the wall meets the floor, along a stretch of wall | Interior drain tile on the affected walls, running to a sump |
| Sump or discharge | Pump runs nonstop, pit overflows, or pipe ends next to the house | New pump, battery backup, or discharge moved at least 5 feet out |
| Not the foundation | Puddle by the water heater or washer, floor drain backup, walls sweating with no rain | We’ll tell you it’s not a waterproofing job and who to call |
Tip before your visit: Note when the water shows up (during rain, a day later, or with no rain) and snap a photo. Timing narrows the cause fast.
Interior drain tile: catches water at the footing. We cut a trench 12 to 16 inches from the wall and lay perforated pipe wrapped in filter fabric, bedded in gravel. Water that seeps in at the base of the wall flows to a sump pit instead of across your floor. Most jobs take 1 to 3 days.
Sump pump: moves water out and away. The pump empties the pit through a discharge line, at least 5 feet from the house.
Battery backup: keeps it running in a storm. Heavy storms are when the power is most likely to go out, and when the pump matters most.
Waterproofing membrane: added protection on the wall. It goes on the wall above the drain tile and guides seepage down into the drain instead of across the wall. It works with drain tile, not on its own, and carries a 5-year warranty.
Crack injection: for a single leaking crack. Epoxy seals it from the inside. If only one crack leaks, this may be all you need. We confirm the crack is a good fit for injection when we see it, and a 25-foot wall takes two to three hours. A crack that is horizontal, wider at one end, or keeps getting wider can mean the wall is moving, so we check that before we inject.
Waterproofing handles water. Foundation repair stops movement. Some homes need both; many need one.
System | Does | Won’t |
Gutters, downspouts, grading | Keeps water away from the walls | Seal a crack that already leaks |
Epoxy crack injection | Seals one leaking poured-wall crack | Stop a wall that’s still moving |
Drain tile and sump | Catches water at the footing and pumps it out | Straighten a bowed wall |
Holds a bowing wall in place | Keep water out | |
Supports settling footings, driven to bedrock | Manage water |
More on foundation repair.
A frozen discharge line sends water back into the pit. When a line needs to run farther out, we can tie it into buried 4-inch solid pipe that empties at a catch basin set flush with the yard.
Storms knock out power right when your pump matters most. A battery backup buys time, but it runs for a limited time and its battery needs replacing.
Your price depends on how much wall needs drain tile and whether you add a battery backup. We don’t quote a flat per-square-foot price, because one crack and a full drain tile system are different jobs. See what our warranty covers.
Service | Typical price |
Interior drain tile | $75 to $90 per foot |
Sump pump (pit, pump, lid, discharge line) | $1,800 to $2,000 |
Sump pump with battery backup | $2,400 to $2,600 |
Epoxy crack injection | $40 to $50 per foot |
Burying downspouts | $30 to $40 per foot |
Warranty: drain tile 15 years, sump pumps 5 years, waterproofing membrane 5 years. Warranties are transferable, and your bid lists the terms for each item.
Water gets into a basement differently depending on where your lot sits. These pages cover what we actually find in each city:
Ask Where the Water Is Coming From Before You Ask What It Costs
Comparing basement waterproofing near you? Ask each contractor where the water is coming from before you ask what the system costs.
40 years in Kansas City. Olson has kept basements dry here since 1986. A 15-year drain tile warranty only means something if the company is still around to honor it.
Experienced installers. Our installers know this work, and John, who bids it, spent 21 years as one of them.
A scope that fits the house. John’s years installing help him spot access and scope issues on the first visit. On one Olson job, he saw the repair could be done without relocating the water heater.
A clean, professional crew. Waterproofing means cutting concrete inside your home. We work like someone lives there, and leave the basement orderly when we’re done.
We've Simplified the Basement Waterproofing Process
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We find where the water is getting in, explain your options, and send a written bid, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Our crew cuts, installs, and cleans up. Most drain tile jobs take 1 to 3 days.
We show you how to test your sump and hand you the warranty for each item.
It depends on the fix. Our drain tile runs $75 to $90 per foot, and crack injection runs $40 to $50 per foot. A gutter or downspout fix can cost far less, so we find the source first.
Yes, when the fix matches the cause. A full system won’t help if an overflowing gutter is the real problem.
Yes. Interior drain tile and a sump catch water at the footing, and poured-wall cracks can be injected from inside.
Saturated soil and overflowing gutters push water through cracks or the cove joint. Check where your downspouts empty first.
It depends on your policy and the cause. Many policies exclude seepage, and sump or sewer backup is often an add-on, so ask your agent.
If a sump keeps your basement dry, a backup is worth it. Storms are when the power goes out, and the pump matters most.
It depends on the part. Our drain tile carries a 15-year warranty, and sump pumps 5 years. Pumps usually last about 10 to 15 years, so they’re the part you’ll replace first.
Not usually on its own. Water plus a bowing wall, a horizontal crack, or a widening crack needs a structural look.
Pick one that finds the water source before quoting a system. They should put each warranty in writing and tell you when a cheaper fix will do.
Before you pay for a system, find out where the water is actually coming from. John checks your gutters, cracks, cove joint, and sump, then tells you what needs fixing now and what can wait.
You get an itemized written bid, usually within 24 to 48 hours, with the warranty listed for each item.
Call (913) 592-3300 or request a free estimate, and let a family business that’s been here since 1986 handle your basement waterproofing in Kansas City.
Get professional basement waterproofing & foundation repair services at a
fair price with the quality of service you deserve.
