Confused about basement finishing in New England...

Question

HI,

Three months ago we purchased a home with a partially finished walk out basement (unplastered drywall) and recently found mold on two walls (the only 2 that are built into the hill) Two companies have looked at the basement so far, Impressive and All Pro.

The house doesn't have gutters, so one company feels that the gutters, dehumidifier, and mold resistant (fabric "breathable" panels) will be sufficient. This company doesn't even feel it's necessary to get rid of the other 2 "good" walls. The other company feels that we should water proof the basement as a sort of "insurance" to protect the investment of finishing the basement. Although there is no evidence of there ever being water (only moisture), they want us to install a sump pump and vapor barrier with drainage system (which means they want to break into the concrete.

I'm just looking for thoughts and maybe stories of other peoples positive and negative experiences.

thank you!!

Answer 1

does the dug in side have curtian drains?

They are on the outside and require digging the

A trench and installing proper drainage.

My house in ct has these and is built into a hill and it has been fine

After 18 years.

Answer 2

Had a similar problem with my basement in CT. All I did was put an air conditioner in and it works better than any dehumidifier. My pipes in the ceiling don't get condensation on them any more. It stays dry all the time and doesn't smell either. Make sure to spray the walls with bleach to get rid of your mold. You do need to invest in gutters and make sure the down spouts are connected to underground pipes that brings the water far away from you  house. Try the AC first, I think you will like the results and it's also the cheapest way to start. Make sure you get a big enough one.