# Sump pump installation costs?



## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

The finished portion of my basement was built in 1916. There are some obvious crack repairs in the slab and the water under the house has finally found a way in, bubbling through around the repairs.

I'm going to take this easy, first repairing the cracks and then probably installing a sump. The City of Toronto will pay 80% of the cost of a sump, but I'm curious as to what it will cost up front.

Anybody have any actual prices for a recent installation of a sump pump?


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

How much else has to be done?

Pumped water has to go somewhere that it is not just flowing back into basement. Usually the best solution is to hook the pump into the storm sewer which will probably require excavation. But less expensive alternatives may be available.

Approved outlet to supply power to pump.

Cutting out part of the basement floor to create a sump collection area.

The pump may be the cheapest part of the installation.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

True there is much work involved in setting up a sump system, most municipalities I have dealt with have you discharge it as far away from the foundation outside as you can, preferably not in the storm sewer/floor drain and definitely not into the sewage drain. The floor is costly to tear up and repour, the wiring could be costly depending on where the panel is, I agree the pump could be the cheapest piece of the puzzle.


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## Niagaramark (Jul 20, 2007)

I had a whole internal waterproofing system installed in my 1940's house two years ago for $13,000. Looking back at it now, I could have probably gone with a sump pump to start with as it seems like this is the most effective part of the system. Just a guess, but based on the two days of work for my project the sump pit, piping and installation was probably about 1/3 of the project. Check out this website for some ballpark figures Renovation and Building Costs


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

Storm sewer will depend on local codes and usually whether or not the SS system is also having problems during heavy rains. More often than not on properties that have a drainage issue, simply pumping outside may not reduce the water coming in and may even cause problems for neighbours which could come back on you in the form of a lawsuit. Otherwise it most likely ends up going down the storm sewer any way. 

I doubt that any municipalities would allow hooking into the main sewer as enough of these could easily overload sewage treatment facilities.

Every situation is more or less unique and this job is probably best handled by a company that does a lot of these. In certain situations I can even see the city insisting that an Engineer sign off on the design. Especially if they are paying for the lion's share of the cost.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

The city will pay up to $1,800 as long as the system doesn't place the water back into the wastewater system--so this means piping it away from the house into the backyard.

On the other hand I can handle a jackhammer and installing a pre-fab sump pit doesn't look too daunting. If your guess is correct, Niagaramark, I might do better installing it myself and just feeding it into the wastewater system.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

eMacMan said:


> Storm sewer will depend on local codes and usually whether or not the SS system is also having problems during heavy rains. More often than not on properties that have a drainage issue, simply pumping outside may not reduce the water coming in and may even cause problems for neighbours which could come back on you in the form of a lawsuit. Otherwise it most likely ends up going down the storm sewer any way.
> 
> I doubt that any municipalities would allow hooking into the main sewer as enough of these could easily overload sewage treatment facilities.
> 
> Every situation is more or less unique and this job is probably best handled by a company that does a lot of these. In certain situations I can even see the city insisting that an Engineer sign off on the design. Especially if they are paying for the lion's share of the cost.


agreed, it will depend on the locality and their codes, suburban or rural.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

eMacMan said:


> Every situation is more or less unique and this job is probably best handled by a company that does a lot of these. In certain situations I can even see the city insisting that an Engineer sign off on the design. Especially if they are paying for the lion's share of the cost.


A licensed plumber needs to demonstrate that the installation will take a burden off the municipal system.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

Macfury said:


> The city will pay up to $1,800 as long as the system doesn't place the water back into the wastewater system--so this means piping it away from the house into the backyard.
> 
> On the other hand I can handle a jackhammer and installing a pre-fab sump pit doesn't look too daunting. If your guess is correct, Niagaramark, I might do better installing it myself and just feeding it into the wastewater system.


if your are referring to the waste water as in toilet waste, it could come back to haunt you, too much water and the system backs up into.....


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

kelman said:


> if your are referring to the waste water as in toilet waste, it could come back to haunt you, too much water and the system backs up into.....[/QUOTE
> 
> No, not sewage--just the city drains.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

I would still consult those who know your area as to where it should drain, yours may be an area where the storms could be overwhelmed during a storm and could back flow through your plumbing


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## groovetube (Jan 2, 2003)

afaik, city drains are a no here in Toronto, though some installers will do it. And Kelman is right, it could haunt you if you overload things. If I recall correctly for weeping tiles, if they're already hooked it's ok. But I'm not sure on that one.

I'm currently getting quotes for the outside dig down and waterproofing. Todays rain really woke things up. No cheap on a detached.


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## vancouverdave (Dec 14, 2008)

More recent city lines are deep enough that we were able to remove our sump and drain directly to the city a few years ago. It involved digging a new trench to the front of the lot. This can be done by hand, or rent a mini backhoe. 

For those who care, we divert roof runoff to the back yard and patio runoff to a rock pit buried in the back.


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

I had a Toronto house from about the same period and the roof run-off went down the gutter and straight into a drain in the back of the house and under neath the house to the city drain/sewer out front. Problem was that it was an original 4" clay pipe. Over the years it got clogged up with sediment and silt and constricted to half its size where it didn't break apart under the concrete. 

So after the basement mini flood, I got to digging and found that they didn't pour concrete like today either. There were areas where the concrete was only about an inch thick.

Mucho dineros later, I had new PVC drains and the rain water was diverted well into the back yard. No sump.

So I'd be doing some investigating (and checking) before I'd tie into the city system.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

some even divert roof runoff and underground sump pits to rain barrels to water lawns and gardens during dry times
again as I mentioned earlier many divert it outside as far from the foundation as possible, as long as they don't cause issues with neighbours.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

Varies quite a bit, depending on the job. We've had to do a few as part of larger waterproofing jobs, so I don't recall the cost of the sump alone, but from what I'm thinking it couldn't be more than a couple grand, and probably less.

But it was by far the least expensive part of the waterproofing work.


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## vancouverdave (Dec 14, 2008)

Rain barrels are good in climates where you get regular 'spring' showers all year. 

In Vancouver, the barrels are constantly overflowing (requiring traditional drainage anyway) or empty all summer. 

Now, a mechanism for treating grey water from the house for yard use is appealing.


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## vancouverdave (Dec 14, 2008)

Oops, getting off topic.


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## kelman (Sep 25, 2010)

vancouverdave said:


> Rain barrels are good in climates where you get regular 'spring' showers all year.
> 
> In Vancouver, the barrels are constantly overflowing (requiring traditional drainage anyway) or empty all summer.
> 
> Now, a mechanism for treating grey water from the house for yard use is appealing.


too bad you can't bury a storage tank somewhere with a small pump
and
depending on the cleaners and soaps used it could go straight to the gardens I'm told.
and yep, we're getting off topic


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Grey water is great for flushing toilets and lawn watering.


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