In Michigan, basement waterproofing is licensed work. That surprises a lot of homeowners, because plenty of people will offer to fix a wet basement with a truck, a jackhammer and a phone number. Here’s what the license actually means, how to check one, and what else to ask before anybody cuts your floor.
What the license is
The state licenses residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors through LARA, and basement waterproofing is one of the specific trades on that list, along with excavation, concrete and masonry. To get licensed, a contractor has to complete 60 hours of state-approved prelicensure courses and pass a state exam.
That doesn’t guarantee good work. It does mean the contractor has been through the code, permit and business-law training, is on record with the state, and has something to lose if they walk off a job.
Plumbing is its own license
Waterproofing jobs often run into plumbing: tying a sump discharge into a storm line, installing a backwater valve on the sewer, moving a floor drain, or relocating a water line that’s in the way. That work falls under plumbing, with its own license and usually its own permit. We do waterproofing, excavation and plumbing, so the same company is responsible for all of it.
How to check a contractor
- Look the license up yourself. LARA has a free online license search. Check that the name matches the company on your estimate.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance. Liability covers your house. Workers’ comp covers the crew. A contractor without it can leave you exposed if someone gets hurt in your basement.
- Ask who pulls the permits. Many waterproofing, excavation and plumbing jobs need one, and fees vary by city. A licensed contractor can pull them for you, or you can handle them yourself.
- Get the warranty in writing, including exactly what it covers and whether it transfers when you sell.
Red flags
- Cash only, no written estimate.
- A big deposit before any work is scheduled.
- “We don’t need a permit for that” on a job that clearly involves the sewer or digging near utilities.
- A price that’s far below everyone else’s, with no explanation of what’s left out.
- Pressure to sign the same day.
About us
Mansour’s Innovations is a licensed and insured waterproofing, excavation and plumbing contractor based in Shelby Township, in business since 2014. Owner Imad “Matt” Mansour has more than 20 years in the trade. Our drain tile and membrane work carries a 25-year transferable limited warranty, written down, with what it does and doesn’t cover. We give you one price for the job, in writing, before we start.
Call (586) 345-7292 for a free estimate anywhere in Macomb, Oakland or Wayne County.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need a licensed contractor for basement waterproofing in Michigan?
Waterproofing and foundation drainage work itself does not require a specific state license in Michigan, but you want a contractor who is experienced, insured and stands behind the work. We are licensed, bonded and insured, and our waterproofing carries a 25-year transferable warranty.
2. How do I check if a contractor is legitimate?
Ask for proof of insurance, look at real reviews and completed local jobs, make sure they pull permits where required, and get the scope and price in writing before work starts. A contractor who will not put the details in writing is a red flag.
3. What should a good waterproofing quote include?
It should spell out exactly what is being done: weep holes on a block wall, filter fabric and stone around the pipe, the membrane, where the sump discharges, permits, and putting the floor or yard back. When two quotes are far apart, it is usually what is missing that explains the gap.
