seepage · 3 min read
Should you find the leak before you waterproof?
Waterproofing only works if it seals the place where water gets in. Why an inspection comes first, and how it compares with a free waterproofing visit.
If you do not know where the water enters, check that before choosing a waterproofing treatment. A coating on the wrong surface can leave a pipe leak or a leak from the flat above untouched. The inspection should give you a finding you can use to judge the proposed repair.
What waterproofing fixes, and what it does not
Waterproofing fixes water coming through the surface it covers: a terrace, an outside wall, a bathroom floor. It does not fix a leaking pipe inside a wall, water arriving from the flat above, or damp rising from the ground. When the water comes from one of those, the new coating can look fine while the damp patch inside stays.
What an inspection gives you
An inspection gives you a finding before anyone sells you a fix. The inspector traces the damp to where the water most likely enters, and you receive a written report as a PDF on WhatsApp after the visit. Any repair quote is based on that report, and no repair starts unless you accept it.
Inspection first vs waterproofing first
Choose waterproofing after checking where the water enters. Waterproofing may suit a terrace that holds water, once the source is clear. If the source is unclear, compare the two approaches:
| Inspection first | Waterproofing first | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting question | Where is the water getting in? | Which surface should be sealed? |
| What you get first | A written finding with photos | A quote for waterproofing work |
| If the source is a pipe or the flat above | The report says so, and the repair targets it | The coating may not reach the cause |
| Cost | A paid visit, with the amount given on the call | Ask for the visit fee and a separate quote for the work |
| When it suits | The source is unclear, or the damp came back after an earlier repair | The source is already clear and on that surface |
Questions to ask before you pay for waterproofing
Ask how the source was found, not only what will be applied. Useful questions:
- Where exactly is the water getting in, and how do you know?
- Which surfaces will the work cover, and which will it not?
- What happens if the damp patch comes back?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and what does it exclude? Ask for it in writing.
What an inspection costs
An inspection is priced with the visit, and the amount is given on the call before you agree a time. See what a seepage inspection costs for what changes the price.
When to call an inspection
Call for an inspection before you pay for waterproofing when the source is not obvious, when an earlier repair did not hold, or when the damp is on a ceiling below someone else's flat. Seepage and leak inspection in Delhi NCR, ceiling leakage, seepage repair after the report.
If the source is unclear, request a callback about an inspection before agreeing to waterproofing.