Basement Waterproofing FAQ for Atlanta, GA
Answers for basement owners in Atlanta, GA, home to about 529,000 people on high ground south of the Chattahoochee, astride the Eastern Continental Divide, and in five nearby places.
Basement Waterproofing FAQ
General information, not legal or insurance advice. Basement Waterproofing Atlanta GA refers and advertises, does no basement work and holds no plumbing license or residential or general contractor license. A contractor may pay it one flat advertising fee; homeowners pay nothing.
Who do I tell if water or sewage rises through a floor drain?
That suggests a sewer backup, not seepage. City of Atlanta addresses: ATL311, 404-546-0311, the line the City gives for "all sewer related problems". East Point, GA: Water & Sewer, (404) 474-3834 in business hours, (404) 240-2183 otherwise. Avondale Estates, Druid Hills and Candler-McAfee, GA: DeKalb's 24-Hour Emergency Line, 770-270-6243. Hapeville, GA: begin with City Hall, 404-669-2100. Any safety hazard: 911.
Who is responsible for the sewer pipe leaving my house?
No official page read for any of the six places settles it, so this site makes no claim. Report the problem to the sewer owner first and let its crew check its own pipes. Repairs to the pipe running from your house count as plumbing, done by a Georgia-licensed plumber under a permit.
What if a City sewer caused the backup, and what about my policy?
Under the City of Atlanta Law Department's rule, a written claim against the City is due within six months of the event behind it. This site has no part in it; elsewhere, ask the local government. Policies often leave out seepage, groundwater and floods and sell backup coverage as an extra, so your insurer or agent is the one to ask.
Where should sump pump water go?
Outdoors, onto the ground, well clear of the foundation and off your neighbors' land; never a floor drain, cleanout, laundry tub or sanitary sewer line. This site found no written discharge rule for any of the six places, so ask your city or county, and a licensed plumber, where yours belongs.
Is there public money for a backwater valve or sump pump?
Not that this site could find: no program from the City of Atlanta, DeKalb County or the five towns pays toward valves, pumps or other backup prevention. Be wary of any seller promising public money. A Georgia-licensed plumber can judge whether a valve suits your house.
Does Georgia license basement waterproofing?
As the Secretary of State's list currently reads, "Damp proofing and Waterproofing" is a traditional specialty trade, and contractors staying inside it don't have to hold a state residential or general contractor license. Piers, bracing and other structural repair sit off that list, so ask the contractor what Georgia license, if one applies, the work calls for, then look the contractor up yourself on the Secretary of State's online license search. Plumbers must be state-licensed.
Does foundation repair need a permit?
It turns on the job and the address; settle it with the contractor first. In the City of Atlanta, structural work generally goes to the Office of Buildings, (404) 330-6150, while plumbing permits are separate, (404) 865-8550, and go to licensed plumbers. DeKalb, Avondale Estates, East Point and Hapeville each have their own office; Avondale Estates wants a permit for repairs of $300 or more.
Do most homes in Atlanta, GA have basements?
Nobody has counted. Older intown houses on sloping lots often have full or daylight basements, while new building across the region mostly skips them: Census figures analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders put about 86% of 2024's new single-family homes in the South Atlantic division, which takes in Georgia, on slabs. Newer basements still get wet.
Can I cancel a contract I signed at home?
Possibly. A 2006 copy of Georgia's home solicitation sales law says a buyer may cancel a sale made at home until midnight on the third business day following the signature. Its current text wasn't confirmed, and whether it covers a visit you requested online is unsettled. Read what the contract says about cancelling, and send any cancellation in writing, with a copy kept.
Why doesn't this site name a contractor or call anyone licensed?
Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act bars misleading people about who sponsors, approves or certifies a service. This site checks no one. The contractor introduces itself; after that, its license status, business license, insurance certificates and recent references are yours to check.
Still Have Questions?
For anything about how the site runs, use the contact form. A question about one particular basement is for the contractor after your request goes out, or for the offices listed above. To ask for that contact, send the short estimate request.