Floods and flash floods put you at risk of electrocution and this risk becomes greater if rainwater enters your basement because of damaged or no drain tiles. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission there are more than 400 electrocutions in the United States each year. Hence, the need for waterproofed basements to prevent water seepage and unwanted water damage is a matter of both safety of lives and property.
Drain tiles are usually deeply embedded in the ground and cannot be easily modified if wrongly installed. This is one more reason to hire a professional to install your drain tiles. A professional drain tile installer near you will get the job done right the first time and ensure durability. Drain tile installation requires a lot of labor and comes with inherent safety concerns.
Whether you are considering installing drain tile from the exterior, interior, or both sides of your home, it is essential to let a professional do it. However, do not hire just any drain tile installer nearby for your home project without finding answers to the following questions:
Are You a Licensed Drain Tile Installer?
Drain tile installation services are provided by a variety of specialized contractors as an added service to their primary offerings. These specialized contractors include plumbers, landscapers, sewer cleaners, septic tank repairers, excavators, builders, and drainage contractors. These professionals are expected to hold either a specialized license in their field or at least a general contractor license for home improvement works. To determine the required license for drain tile installers in your state, county or city contact the state licensing department or the local consumer protection agency.
Hence, you should request to see a copy of the professional license held by your drain tile installer. This license is evidence of competence on the part of the installer. One important reason why you must hire a licensed drain tile installer near you is to avoid the risk of being fined by regulatory authorities in your city, county, or state. It is recommended you contact the agency that licensed your drain tiler to verify its certification status.
Are You Bonded and Insured?
In 2019, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded a total of 19,700 non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses among construction laborers. In the same year, construction laborers were responsible for 1,069 out of the total 5,333 fatal occupational injuries recorded. As such, a professional drain tile installer should both be bonded and insured. These protect you and the installer from financial liabilities arising from unanticipated damages and expenses. Typically, if you are hiring a drain tile installation contractor, they should carry worker's compensation and liability insurance plans. So, if a fatality or an injury occurs during installation, you do not have to worry about paying medical bills. The insurance company will pay.
On the other hand, a bond is a guarantee that your drain tile installer will execute the job as agreed. It is a promise that you will be reimbursed if not satisfied with the installation. A surety bond also covers other expenses, such as compensating you for damages related to a drain tile installer's illegal practices. Never take a drain tile installer's word that they are insured and bonded. Always request to see proof and make sure you understand what both cover. If your installer provides copies of both certificates, make sure to verify their validity from the issuing companies before committing to hiring them.
What Kind of Work Are You Specialized In?
Drain tile installation can be done both from the interior and exterior of your home. Although both accomplish the same goal of waterproofing your basement, their installation methods are different. It is essential to hire an installer near you who is more experienced and specializes in interior drain tile installation for just that. Doing otherwise might be like placing a square peg in a round hole, and you may end up spending more than budgeted for the project. The difference between internal and external drain tile installations include:
- External drain tile installation is done on the outside perimeter of your foundation, while internal drain tiles are installed inside of your basement.
- External drain tiles seal the basement of your foundation and make it waterproof. Internal drain tile installation prevents hydrostatic pressure from building up and stops water from entering.
- External drain tile installations require digging up the outside of your foundation, while internal drain tile installations need the laying of perforated pipes under your basement floor.
Hence, make sure to ask your drain tile installer their area of specialization before hiring them.
Who Will Do the Work?
Who will do the work is an important question that you must ask your drain tile installer. The reason is that the contractor you are currently talking to may not be directly involved in the installation process after the initial review of your project. Ensure to know the number of people who will work on your project, their roles during installation, and you can use that to your advantage for negotiations. Also, make sure to find out if each of them is insured and bonded to forestall bearing unexpected expenses should they sustain injuries during installation.
Do You Offer Warranty?
If provided by your drain tile installer, a warranty serves as protection for you. It is typically a form of guarantee by your drain train installer to fix anything that goes wrong after installation, provided it is within the warranty period. Make sure to ask for one before hiring any drain tile installer near you. While most contractors may want to extend their warranties orally, it is generally advised that you obtain a drain tile installation warranty in prints. Read the warranty document and ask for clarifications on clauses you seem not to understand before hiring a drain tile installer. Ideally, a person who will execute a durable installation will be willing to give you a warranty.
Will This Job Require a Permit?
Never count on your drain tile installer's word when it comes to permits because you will be directly responsible for paying fines should something go wrong. Generally, if your home drain tile installation will not alter the flow path of runoff passing through your yard, your installer does not require a permit. Also, a permit will be needless if an underdrain will only pour water on your property. However, any drain tile installation that will discharge into public sewers will require a permit, and your drain tile installer must obtain one. As a rule of thumb, always check with the local building permit department office near you to know if your proposed drain tile installation requires a permit or not.
Will You Provide References?
One way to find out your prospective drain tile installer's competence is by asking for references. Getting honest reviews by this means may be difficult since your installer will probably provide a list of their best jobs or even friends. There is no harm in trying still. You can equally ask them to provide pictures or videos of their past projects to satisfy your curiosity and then decide whether or not to hire them.
While it is okay to have them provide details of their previous installations, you can also check out customers' reviews online. Websites like Google, Yelp, Yahoo, and Better Business Bureau contain numerous discussions on drain tile installers near you. Alternatively, you can contact the clients in the reference list provided to inquire whether they were satisfied or not by your drain tile installer's service.
Do You Have a Business License?
Obtaining a valid business license is mandatory for small businesses in the United States. Companies that provide drain tile installation services are a part of the over 31.7 million registered small businesses in the United States. Per federal law, small businesses are required to be licensed as legal entities to operate in their locations. When you consider hiring a drain tile installer, make sure to request their business license and look it up to avoid issues resulting from illegal services. Once you determine the licensing agency, make sure to contact them and verify the validity of such a business license.
What are Common Drain Tile Installation Problems?
It is usually a big challenge when a home drain tile fails. When there is a problem with your drain tile system water begins to seep into the basement of your home and causes damages to the flooring and drywall. The common problem with a drain tile installation is clogging. Clogging can happen if mud fills up the drain tile or when it collapses under the weight of the ground above it. The roots of trees can equally clog your home drain tile system. While drain tile clogging is prevalent in older homes, your drain tile system can also develop problems as a result of defective installation. Although there are ways of resolving issues with clogged drain tile systems, the most reliable way to repair it is to replace the entire system. However, hiring a professional drain tile installer nearby will prevent this problem, and your drain tile system will last for years.
How Much Does Drain Tile Installation Cost?
The cost of installing a drain tile system depends on whether it will be installed outside your home or the interior. The installation cost of exterior drain tiles with materials per linear foot is between $20 and $30, with an average price of $25. Its average price per linear foot for internal installation is $52, while the cost ranges from $45 to $60. If you are getting a sump pump, you will spend between $8,000 and $15,000, including the cost of digging the perimeter ditch. However, you may save over $1,000 if you already have a sump pump. Drain tile systems use perforated pipes. These pipes come in different diameters, and the cost of the common diameters per linear foot is listed below:
- 2 inches - $0.70
- 3 inches - $0.75
- 4 inches - $1.04
- 6 inches - $1.80
- 8 inches - $2.36
What are the Factors that Affect the Cost of Drain Tile Installation?
Generally, the dimension and proposed location of the drain tile system in your home widely impact the total installation cost. Landscapes, utility lines, and structures can influence drain tile installation costs. Drain tile systems are known to work best on sloped areas of a home for exterior installation. For instance, see the impact of the location listed below on the cost of drain tile installation per linear foot:
These costs include the cost of materials and labor per square foot. Note, hiring a contractor near you may help reduce other associated costs like travel, marriage carriage, and logistics expenses.
What Qualifications Should a Drain Tile Installer Have?
A high school diploma or its equivalent is required for a professional drain tile installer. However, in most states, drain tile installers must obtain training through apprenticeships that last between four to five years. During the training, a drain installer gains varying draining skills and learns how to use each installation tool. A professional drain tile installer should be good at basic maths (for measurements) and have the physical strength to do the job. To further improve themselves, drain tile installers may obtain the National Inspection Testing Certification (NITC).
Do I Need a handyman or a Drain Tile Installer?
Hiring any handyman near you to fix seepage problems in your basement will not be much help. Also, you need to hire a drain tile installation expert for a fresh drain tile installation and not a handyman. Drain tile installation demands more than digging a hole and laying some pipes. It requires the experience and license that only a trained drain installer can have. Handymen do not have the requisite training to manage water that enters and leaves the house in a controlled manner. A professional drain tile installer will use industry-leading equipment and materials complying with safe building practices for installation. A handyman will rather use cheap materials and offer you a low-quality drain tile installation.
What are the Common Drain Tile Installation Repair Expenses?
The major problem with drain tile installation that calls for repair is clogging. However, the cost of fixing a clog entirely depends on the nature of the problem the drain has. Older drain tile systems can become clogged as a result of collapse caused by the ground above the drain tile. Most clogs are, however, caused by debris and tree roots. If a drain tile system is not too old, you can consider using a high-pressure water jet and a camera to repair the clogs. It is a cheap and fast way of flushing out clogs from a drain tile system but will not fix a collapsed pipe. A drain tile system that already collapsed will most likely get a replacement.
Hydro-jetting typically costs between $150 and $200 per hour. Sometimes, the sump pump in a drain tile system may also require repairs. A sump pump typically cranks up once the water level in the sump gets to a specific height and empties it into the yard. It cost between $250 and $700 to fix the issues with a faulty sump pump.
Does Homeowner Insurance Cover Drain Tile Installation Problems?
Generally, homeowner insurance protects you from sudden losses such as hail and fire damage. The seepage in your basement as a result of drain tile installation problems is not accidental. It is a maintenance issue and not covered by your homeowners' insurance. Water damage and freezing accounted for 2.05% of insurance claims between 2014 and 2018. However, your insurance company will likely reimburse you for damages caused by failed sump pumps or burst pipes if you add an endorsement to your policy to cover them. Always observe measures to prevent problems with your drain tile system before they arise. You can purchase a policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for coverage against floods.
Can I Use Digital Payment to Pay For Drain Tile Installation Services?
Before committing your drain tile installer to work, ask them if they accept digital payments. Generally, most professional drain tile installers allow digital payments for their services. You can use payment platforms such as PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and Square Cash.