Drainage Contractors in Vancouver
If your Vancouver home has water at the basement floor joint or a perimeter drain that has silted up or collapsed, you are dealing with the most common drainage problem in the city. Most of the older homes in Kitsilano, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, Point Grey, and East Vancouver still have their original clay-tile or "Big O" perimeter drains — systems that are decades past their service life. We inspect first, then tell you whether a targeted repair will hold or a full replacement is needed.
Why drainage problems are common in older Vancouver homes
The original perimeter drains in pre-1980s Vancouver homes were typically clay tile or early corrugated plastic, installed without the filter fabric and clean gravel used today. Over decades, fine soil migrates into the gravel and pipe, roots enter through the joints, and the pipe either silts solid or collapses. The result is groundwater building up against the foundation with nowhere to go — and in a city with prolonged winter rain, that means a wet basement sooner or later.
Redevelopment adds another layer. When an older house is lifted, renovated, or replaced, the existing drainage is often disturbed or found to be non-existent by current standards, and a new system is needed as part of the work.
Neighbourhoods we work in
We work across Vancouver, from the older character-home neighbourhoods of the west side and East Vancouver to the infill and laneway development areas. The drainage issues vary by era of construction more than by neighbourhood — a 1920s Kitsilano home and a 1960s East Vancouver ranch have different construction but often the same underlying problem: a perimeter drain that has reached the end of its life.
What we do first
Before recommending anything, we inspect. For a basement water problem, that means a camera inspection of the perimeter drain to see whether it is collapsed, silted, or still functioning. For a yard drainage problem, it means walking the property to understand the grading and where the water is coming from. We show you what we find and explain the options before quoting any work.
Basement waterproofing, wet basement repairs & drain inspections in Vancouver
Water in a basement is rarely just one problem. It can be a failed perimeter drain letting groundwater in at the footing, a crack in the foundation wall, or a waterproofing membrane that has broken down over decades. We start with a drain camera inspection to see what is happening inside the pipe, then determine whether the fix is a wet basement repair, basement waterproofing with an exterior membrane and drainage board, or damp proofing of the foundation wall to stop moisture wicking through the concrete. For older Vancouver homes with original drainage, the answer is often a combination of drain repair and waterproofing — and we show you the camera footage before recommending anything.
How a drainage system protects your Vancouver home
Most people never think about their drainage system until it stops working. Here is what a complete system looks like — and where water goes when everything is doing its job.
Rain on roof
Gutters collect it
Downspout
Carries it down
Membrane
Protects the wall
Drain rock
Filters the water
Perimeter drain
Collects groundwater
To sump/storm
Discharged safely
A working drainage system moves water off the roof, away from the foundation wall, and out to a safe discharge point — before it can build up against your foundation.
Before & after — Vancouver drainage work
The kind of results we get on the jobs we do every week across Vancouver.
Before
AfterA wet basement with water at the floor joint — the original perimeter drain had collapsed. We replaced the system and it's been dry through every storm since.
Before
AfterA soggy yard where the downspout dumped onto the lawn. We tied the downspout underground, ran a French drain along the foundation, and the yard dried out within a week.
Drainage services in Vancouver
These are the services we are most often called for in Vancouver. Each links to a page with more detail on what is involved.
Perimeter Drainage
Learn morePerimeter Drain Replacement
Learn moreWet Basement Repairs
Learn moreBasement Waterproofing
Learn moreFoundation Drainage
Learn moreDrain Camera Inspection
Learn moreSump Pumps
Learn moreVancouver drainage services — detailed pages
For each of the services below, we have a dedicated Vancouver page covering what the work involves, what the local conditions mean for that service, and answers to common questions from homeowners in Vancouver.
Drain Tile Repair in Vancouver
Read moreDrain Tile Replacement in Vancouver
Read moreDrain Tile Cleaning in Vancouver
Read moreDrain Inspection in Vancouver
Read moreWet Basement Repair in Vancouver
Read moreFoundation Waterproofing in Vancouver
Read moreBasement Leak Repair in Vancouver
Read moreVancouver drainage FAQs
My Vancouver home is 80 years old. Do I need a full perimeter drain replacement?
Not necessarily. An inspection tells us whether the existing system has failed throughout or whether one section is the problem. Many older Vancouver homes do need replacement because the original materials have reached end of life, but we confirm that with a camera before recommending it.
I am renovating my basement. Should I check the drainage first?
Yes. Finishing a basement over a failed or failing perimeter drain is one of the most common and expensive mistakes we see. A camera inspection before the renovation tells you whether the drainage will protect the finished space.
Areas we serve around Vancouver
Request Drainage Service
Tell us what is happening and where. We will call you back the same business day to discuss the problem and arrange an inspection if needed.