A: I understand your problem and I can tell you that you are headed in the right direction to fix it. I've never heard of anyone, who has the same drain system as you, have any further water problems.

Having said that, the job has to be done correctly. If it is not, you will have further problems and additional expense having someone do it correctly the second time. Before you even consider the price issue, get references on all the contractors and call the homeowners. Find out if they are satisfied, have they had any further water problems, was the contractor clean and neat, did he show up on time and finish on schedule. Most important, ask if they had any service problems and did the contractor return and address them.

If you get a bad feeling about any of them, don't consider them further. If they can't give you current references with phone numbers, forget them. You should choose the lowest price proposal that you feel comfortable with, but don't forget that feeling secure that the contractor will stand behind his work and be there to service the job is an important part of feeling comfortable. In the long run, if you choose to save a few thousand dollars and have your decoration ruined or a lot of aggravation in your life, it probably wasn't worth it.

If you want to collect a few more bids to compare, visit Home Advisor, and search for "foundation waterproofing" to be matched with some reliable contractors in your area.

This information is brought to you by Don Powell of Powell Building Corporation in Mt. Laurel, NJ.

-- Tips courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com