WATER FIRST · STRUCTURE WHEN EVIDENCE SAYS SO
Do not buy a repair before you understand the problem.
Organize symptoms, moisture paths, structural warning signs and two contractor scopes—without turning a web form into a diagnosis.
Build the evidence brief ↓Start with observations—not a contractor’s product name.
Your entries stay in this browser unless you intentionally save the summary to your private Project Board.
What can you observe?
Escalate from source control to structure.
- 01 · Observe
Date photos, weather, location, width and change.
- 02 · Remove obvious water loads
Check plumbing, gutters, downspouts, grade and paved surfaces.
- 03 · Verify drainage path
Confirm where water is collected and safely discharged.
- 04 · Independent structure gate
Use a qualified professional when movement or red flags are present.
- 05 · Compare complete repair scopes
Method, design, permits, restoration, monitoring and warranty.
A lower number is not a comparable quote when scope is missing.
Quote B
Questions created by the gaps
- Who owns “Exterior water / grading scope,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Crack preparation and repair method,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Engineer design / calculations,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Excavation and restoration,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Sump / discharge destination,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Permit and inspection responsibility,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Transferable warranty terms,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
- Who owns “Dust, debris and finish restoration,” what exact work is included, and what would trigger a change order?
Keep diagnosis, design and installation roles visible.
Evaluates movement, load path and structural significance; produces property-specific findings or design when retained for that scope.
Proposes and prices an installation method. Ask whether the diagnosis or design came from an independent licensed professional.
Determines required permits, documents and inspections for the exact address and scope.
Build the permit brief →Preserves dated evidence, compares written scope and tracks quoted versus final cost.
Open Project Board →Track change with repeatable fields.
Photo reference stores only a filename or your own label. Images are never selected, uploaded or stored by this tool.
MONITORING RECORD & EVIDENCE PACKET
Write what changed. Take the same record to every reviewer.
Monitoring is not appropriate when immediate safety or active-water risks exist. Exported files stay under your control.
PRIMARY GUIDANCE
Why the planner starts with moisture control.
These sources support the decision sequence, not a property diagnosis or price.
Important limits.
Does a crack mean the foundation is failing?
Not by itself. Location, direction, width, displacement, change over time and related movement matter. This planner cannot diagnose a structure.
Should I waterproof before finishing a basement?
EPA guidance says moisture problems should be corrected before a basement conversion or remodel proceeds.
Does HomeCostGrid recommend a repair system?
No. The tool organizes evidence, scope and questions. A qualified independent professional and the local authority must evaluate the property-specific answer.
