17 year old house - I purchased 2 years ago. No reported history of water problems in the basement. Heavy snow in the Northeast this year and lots of water in the ground. I have some seepage where the basement floor meets the first course of the concerte block walls. Concentrated on two of the fours walls in the basement - somewhat localized. Walls are otherwise dry to the touch - just damp at the first inch of hieght above the floor. Also have seen some puddles appear in the middle of the floor along hairline cracks (cracks that I did not even notice since the floor and walls were painted and in excellent condition before the water problem). Had some minor efflouressence (sp) at very base of block walls in a few places but building inspector at time of home purchase (2 years ago) indicated that this was a normal and non-serious condition based on the visible evidence. I assume that the water problem is due to a dramatic rise in the water table due to the recent snow melt and run-off. Have checked gutters and downspouts and they are OK. Have reviewed all the grading and it seems OK as well. Have scheduled three contractors to visit my home for a consultation and researched the web (which led me here). The first contractor suggested an interior drainage system (both perimeter and cross lateral drainage in the main floor surface - $8000. OUCH. He never examined the exterior conditions (gutters, downspouts or grading) and just started quoting - he may be right but I did not like the experience. The second contractor actually went outside and looked at the grading and downspouts but had essentially the same diagnosis. He has offered to quote a full perimeter and a two wall solution that he suspects may be enough to releive my problem. He also indicated that if my intent was to ever refinish the space, the full system was my gaurantee against future water problems. I don't have the price yet but the experience was a little more as I expected. Considering that this is my first event and in the history of the home this seems to be a very infrequent occurance (the basement was semi-finished and without evidence of a water problem before) does this seem to be a radical (and expensive) solution? I am considering self-installation of a sump pump (near the localized seepage) but do not know if this would be effective over an area as large as my basement floor (20x40) or at a minimum the localized seepage. Would the installation of a sump at a single point in my basement provide enough "pressure relief" to eliminate what seems to be an infrequent, small scale problem? Or are the contractors correct and the only solution is to breakup the floor and install the interior drains? Your advice and experience is appreciated.

I have installed a sump pump. cleaned my gutters and I still have a small amount of seepage in a corner. It was suggested to me that I dig to the footer and apply a waterproof product to the wall. It has been a very wet winter. I can dig it myself, do you have any other prevention methods that I can do once I have that side dug up? FYI ,I have a lot of clay in my yard.