Basement Waterproofing in Burien, WA

Basement waterproofing in Burien: what to know

A damp foundation in Burien often starts uphill. The county’s hazard plan puts a significant share of the city’s homes on or next to steep slopes. Rain soaks in above the house, moves down through the soil, and presses on the uphill wall long before water shows on the floor. Houses on flatter ground more often fail from gutters, grading, or a tired footing drain.

About two-thirds of the housing stock dates from 1969 or earlier, so many footing drains are decades old and may be clogged or missing. The surface water chapter lists foundation and footing drain water among the discharges it allows into the city’s storm system. Where that water goes is a Public Works question to settle before the dig.

Permits and rules in Burien

Burien’s grading exemptions include one for disturbing under 7,000 square feet in an isolated area and a narrower one for excavation under two feet deep and 50 cubic yards. A trench along a basement wall goes deeper than two feet, and every exemption drops out in critical areas, steep slopes, landslide hazard areas, flood hazard areas, and shoreline. We confirm with the Permit Center which rule fits your dig, and with Public Works where the drain may discharge.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Name the foundation type, then trace roof, patio, and slope water first
Read the pattern after steady rain, when uphill walls show the problem
Settle the footing drain outlet with Public Works before opening ground
Locate septic components first if your lot has a system

For the full process, see our Basement Waterproofing page.

Our basement waterproofing work, serving Burien

Examples of our work. We build basement waterproofing in Burien and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Burien homeowners

Why is my Burien basement wet only after a long rain?

Rain soaks the soil, and on a sloped lot the water moves downhill and presses on the uphill wall. A pattern that follows storms points to groundwater, grading, or gutters, not a plumbing leak. We trace the outside first.

Can my Burien footing drain connect to the city storm drain?

Possibly, but not casually. The surface water chapter lists foundation and footing drain water among allowed discharges, yet it defines a connection made without a permit as illicit. The connection and outlet go through Public Works. We find the legal outlet before any trench is dug.

Does digging along my Burien foundation need a city permit?

It can. The grading exemptions cover less than 7,000 square feet in an isolated area and excavation under two feet deep and 50 cubic yards, but they end in critical areas, steep slopes, and landslide hazard areas. We ask the city about wall-side trenches.