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.
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 moreFoundation Drainage
Learn moreDrain Camera Inspection
Learn 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.