Why does my Moncton basement leak only in spring?

We found no public source that explains why a particular Moncton basement leaks only in spring, so the cause has to be judged on site by a contractor who can see the lot. The pattern, leaking in spring but not in summer or fall, is worth telling any contractor you call.

What to have checked

Ask whether the ground around the house slopes toward the foundation rather than away from it, and whether the weeping tile beside the footing is still carrying water away. Weeping tile can be crushed, silted up or disconnected, and the only way to know is to have it looked at.

The excavation fix, if one is needed, is to expose the exterior of the foundation wall, clean and waterproof it, replace or add weeping tile, and regrade the surface so water sheds away. That is a dig job. Depending on depth, wall length and what the contractor finds, machine time runs $150 to $250 per hour for a standard excavator with operator, or $65 to $150 per hour for a mini excavator, and the total cost builds from those hours plus trucking and backfill material.

Moncton permits and locates.

Before any machine touches the ground, the contractor is required under WorkSafeNB's General Regulation 91-191 to determine the location of underground utilities before beginning the excavation. That means two separate locate requests: one through Info-Excavation (Click Before You Dig), submitted at least three working days ahead, and a separate request to NB Power at least five business days ahead. NB Power's locate covers only NB Power-owned underground power lines and is valid for 60 days from the date on the locate form. Any private lines, such as wiring run to a garage or shed, are the owner's to find and mark before the machine arrives. Ask the contractor to show you both locate tickets before work starts.

If the job involves digging out the foundation in Moncton, check with the City of Moncton building department on whether a building and development permit is needed for the scope of work you are doing. If the work is within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, a provincial Watercourse and Wetland Alteration permit is required before any digging, clearing or machine work begins.

What to ask before hiring.

Ask the contractor how they price rock if they hit it (hydraulic breaking runs $200 to $300 per hour), where the spoil goes and whether trucking is included, what waterproofing product they use on the wall, and how the backfill will be staged around the footing inspection if a permit applies. Ask for a WorkSafeNB clearance certificate, and hold back 10% of the contract price as required under the Construction Remedies Act until 60 days after substantial performance.

The request form on this site sends your job details to local excavation contractors listed in the New Brunswick Construction Network directory, and those contractors can reply with quotes.