Basement Waterproofing in Burien, WA
Plenty of Burien, WA houses sit on ground that falls toward Puget Sound, and a basement cut into that slope often takes water on its uphill side. If yours does, fill out the request; this free referral service sends it to one independent local contractor, who contacts you, visits and prices the job in writing.
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A Local Guide for Burien, WA Basements
About 10 miles south of downtown Seattle, Burien is a King County city of 51,859 people on the Sound, just west of Sea-Tac Airport. It incorporated on February 28, 1993, and on April 1, 2010 it annexed the southern part of North Highline, adding about 14,000 residents.
Landmarks run from Olde Burien on SW 152nd Street out to Three Tree Point and Lake Burien.
Older Houses Along Burien, WA Streets
Around 8% of Burien homes were built before 1940, more than in any other suburb covered here, though the median house dates to 1966 and the 1960s are the busiest building decade (Census survey). About 57% are detached houses, and roughly 57% are owner-occupied, with a median value of $638,800.
The mix runs from prewar cottages to many 1960s houses on poured or block walls, some cut into a hillside with one side open to daylight.
- A stair-step crack in block. Mortar joints that open in a step pattern are worth having looked at soon, especially on the uphill wall.
- Seepage on one wall only. On a sloped lot, the wall facing uphill often meets groundwater first.
- Flaking paint or coatings. Bubbling paint usually means water is pushing from behind.
What Burien, WA Homeowners Ask For
A quick word on this site: it refers, and that is all. It is not a contractor, has never held an L&I contractor registration and touches no basement work. Advertisers may pay it (free during a trial period); you pay nothing and get nothing.
- Full basement waterproofing. An inside drain at the footing feeding a sump, for daylight basements where the buried walls seep.
- Crack repair. Injection for poured walls; new mortar for block.
- Leak repair. Spot fixes at a window well, a hose bib line or an old patch.
- Drainage. Grading, downspout runs and footing drains that steer hillside water around the house.
- Sump pumps. A sump moves collected water out and away; tying one into drain lines is plumbing work for a licensed plumbing contractor.
The sump pump installation and basement drainage pages say more.
Creeks, Bluffs and Rain Near Burien, WA
Miller Creek and Walker Creek cut through Burien to Puget Sound, between bluffs above the water. Dense glacial till caps many hills around the Sound over sand and clay, and groundwater can slip sideways where those layers meet, reaching a hillside basement on its uphill side.
On December 2–3, 2007, about 4 inches fell in a day at the Sea-Tac gauge next door, and December 3 became the second-wettest day on record there (UW Climate Office). On December 8, 2015, during an overnight storm, a slide on Standring Lane north of Seahurst Park destroyed one home and damaged another (local news). Waterproofing is not slope repair; bluff questions belong with the city and a geotechnical professional.
Burien, WA Permits, Monday Through Thursday
The Burien Permit Center is at 400 SW 152nd Street, Suite 300, reached at (206) 241-4647, and it is closed on Fridays. Applications go through the MyBuildingPermit portal. Drain and sump work varies by house, so the contractor checks with the city before starting, and the contract should say which party applies.
Sewer is where Burien differs. Three districts serve the city: Midway at (206) 824-4960, Southwest Suburban at (206) 244-9575 and Valley View at (206) 242-3236. Find out which one serves your street before water ever comes up a floor drain.
Basement Costs for Burien, WA Owners
No published survey covers Burien alone, so these are national figures, and wages around Seattle run high.
| Cost row | Figure | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical basement waterproofing project | about $3,000 to $10,000 (average about $5,000) | Fixr national (2026) |
| Interior perimeter drain, per linear foot | $40 to $120 | Fixr national (2026) |
| Sump pump installation | $600 to $2,500 | Fixr national (2026) |
| Epoxy crack injection, per crack | $250 to $1,000 | Fixr national (2026) |
| Waterproof paint or sealant, per sq ft | $1 to $8 | Fixr national (2026) |
A daylight basement with one buried wall may need far less drain than one sunk on all sides. Try your numbers in the cost calculator.
What You Get in Burien, WA
- One local name to deal with. The request reaches just one independent contractor working in the area.
- Clear permit answers. You can ask, in writing, who applies to the city and when.
- Your own decision. Nothing is signed until you have read the estimate and compared it.
L&I's Verify a Contractor lookup, or its help line at 1-800-647-0982, lists a company's registration status, bond, insurance and citations. Ask whether the warranty moves with the house, pay only behind finished work, and collect lien releases before the last bill.
See If Your Address Is Covered
Type in your street to see whether a contractor serves it, then let the wet basement checker suggest what is behind the water.
What Burien, WA Homeowners Ask
How do I know which sewer district serves my house?
Your sewer bill names it. If you have no bill handy, ask each one: Midway at (206) 824-4960, Southwest Suburban at (206) 244-9575 or Valley View at (206) 242-3236. Knowing in advance saves time if a floor drain ever backs up, since that is a sewer matter rather than seepage.
Our house was part of the 2010 North Highline annexation. Who handles permits?
The City of Burien does. Since the annexation took effect on April 1, 2010, permits for those streets go through the Burien Permit Center at (206) 241-4647. The contractor should confirm with the city what the job needs and spell out in the contract who applies.
Does a sloped lot near the water change anything for the basement?
Usually it just means more water on the uphill wall, which a drain and better grading often handle. Signs such as new cracks that widen, doors that start sticking or ground movement outside are worth raising with the city and a geotechnical professional, not just a waterproofing contractor.
Does homeowners insurance cover seepage in an older house?
Seepage is commonly excluded, and sewer backups are often left out unless a separate endorsement was added to the policy. Read your own policy and ask your insurer or agent before relying on it. This site plays no part in insurance questions of any kind.
Neighboring Town Pages
To compare, see the guides for Renton, WA to the east and Shoreline, WA to the north.
Ready to Dry Out Your Burien, WA Basement?
Note which wall gets wet and how steep the lot is, then submit the form. An independent contractor in the area will contact you to arrange a visit, and whether you hire anyone afterward is up to you.