Home Repair Decoded

Basement Waterproofing Cost in District of Columbia

$2,500 – $15,700We estimate basement waterproofing in District of Columbia at $2,500 to $15,700 for interior drainage along part or all of a basement. The national estimate is $2,450 to $15,500. District of Columbia carpenter pay is 2% above the national median, ranking 18 of 51.
Part of the jobLowHigh
Parts and materials (our assumption)$1,000$5,000
Labor hours (our assumption)2080
Billed labor rate per hour$74$134
Estimated total$2,500$15,700

Our estimate, not a quote. Billed rate is the District of Columbia median wage from BLS (2025, $29.67 an hour) times 2.5 to 4.5 to cover payroll costs, overhead, travel and profit. How we estimate

What other publishers report

National figures as published by each source, checked 2026-11-03. Their scope can differ from ours.
PublisherLowHighScope
This Old House$12,447$14,8331,000 square foot basement. Page dated March 2026.
Bob Vila$2,300$7,575Overall, citing Angi. Page dated June 2024.
Fixr$3,000$10,000Overall. Page dated February 2026.

Cities in District of Columbia

Metro areaMedian wageLowHigh
Washington, DC$29.23$2,450$15,500

Who can legally do this in District of Columbia

Home improvement contractors in DC need a business license from DLCP and a $25,000 surety bond. Contractors doing residential work must also designate and maintain a Basic Business License for at least one Home Improvement Salesperson.

Check a license with SCOUT, DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection

Compared with neighboring states

StateMedian wageLowHigh
Maryland$30.27$2,500$15,900
Virginia$26.77$2,350$14,600

Other carpenter jobs in District of Columbia

Basement Waterproofing cost in every state · District of Columbia home repair guide

Sources

General information, not professional advice. Conditions, codes and prices vary. Turn off power, gas or water before any work, and hire a licensed professional when in doubt. Cost figures are our estimates, not quotes.