Veteran-built.
Flooding and water coming in
Most San Diego flooding is not a river. It is roof water and yard water with nowhere to go, ending up against the house, under doors and in crawlspaces.
What to look for
Warning signs
- Water pooling on patios or against walls
- Wet carpet or baseboards after storms
- Water stains low on walls
- Musty smell
- Damp crawlspace or garage floor
Do it yourself
- Clean gutters and add downspout extensions 5 to 10 ft long.
- Regrade soil so it slopes away from the house.
- Keep sandbags and a submersible pump ready before storms.
- Put leak sensors near doors and in the garage.
- After water gets in: extract it, dry it within 48 hours and photograph everything for insurance.
Supplies for the DIY fix
Submersible sump pump
Downspout extensions
Sandbags
Water leak sensors
Wet/dry shop vac
Dehumidifier
Tools
Shovel and rake
Wheelbarrow
Amazon links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission. Store links are for price comparison.
What this looks like on a real job
Flooded garage
Moisture meter on wet framing
Wet drywall removed to the studs
Channel drain to move water outGood, better, best contractor options
Downspouts, grading and a sump
$
Extensions, splash blocks, soil regrading and a sump pump in the low spot.
French drain or channel drain
$$
A gravel trench with perforated pipe, or a slot drain across a patio, carried to a legal outlet.
Full drainage plan
$$$
An engineer or drainage contractor designs grading, drains, a pump system and waterproofing for the foundation.
$ under about $500 · $$ about $500 to $5,000 · $$$ over about $5,000. Rough guide only; every house is different. Get three written bids from licensed contractors.
Price the job with our calculators
Get a licensed pro referral
Tell us what you are seeing. We will walk the property, tell you honestly if it is a DIY job, and refer licensed partners for the rest.
Jobs that require a contractor's license under California law are referred to CSLB-licensed contractors.
Broker, not a contractor. David Thomas Mejia is a California real estate broker (CA DRE #01448424), not a licensed contractor. Work that needs a California contractor's license should be done by a CSLB-licensed contractor; check any license at cslb.ca.gov. Cost ranges on this page are general estimates, not bids.