Water is coming in right now: same-day masonry response in Scranton
An emergency water intrusion visit in Scranton costs $250 to $450, credited in full against the repair if you go ahead with it, and we get there the same day when water is actively coming through a foundation wall, a cracked stoop, or a failed window well. The first hour is about stopping the flow: hydraulic cement in the active joint or crack, a temporary diverter at the slab seam, and a pump if the floor is holding water. Then we find where it is coming from, because in the Lackawanna Valley a basement that floods during a storm is usually a downspout dumping against a stone wall, a window well with a clogged drain, or a sump that quit. Once the water is stopped and the source is found, you get a written price from the same table on our cost page, and no pressure to decide that night.
Part of the Anthracite Masonry Waterproofing service list for Scranton. Full ranges on the cost guide.
What you are probably seeing
- ■Water pouring or spraying from a crack or joint during a storm
- ■A basement floor filling faster than a shop vac can keep up
- ■A window well full to the sill and rising
- ■Water backing up through a floor drain or the sump pit
- ■A first-time leak in a basement that was dry for years
- ■Water arriving at the slab seam in a line along one wall
What we do in the first hour
Stop the flow first. Active cracks and joints in stone or block get packed with fast-setting hydraulic cement, which cures under running water. A wet slab seam gets a temporary channel to the nearest drain. If the floor is holding more than an inch, a pump goes in and discharges outside away from the wall. Then we walk the outside of the house in the rain, because that is when the source is obvious: the downspout with no extension, the grade sloping toward the wall, the window well without a drain, the sump discharge that froze.
Valley storms since Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 have taught most people here to respect the river, but far more basement floods come from a single downspout than from the Lackawanna. Fixing the spout is often the cheapest part of the visit.
From temporary stop to permanent repair
Hydraulic cement is a patch, not a waterproofing system, and we say so on the invoice. Once the storm passes we come back to price the real fix: crack injection for a poured wall, repointing and coating for stone, drain tile and a sump when water was coming up under the slab. The emergency fee comes off that quote.
For landlords with a tenant in a flooded unit in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre, we can coordinate directly with the tenant for access and send photos and the write-up to you the same evening.
How the job runs
- 1
Call and describe the flow
Where the water is coming in and how fast. If it is safe, a photo by text helps us bring the right materials.
- 2
Stop and pump
Hydraulic cement in the active path, a diverter at the seam, and a pump if the floor is holding water.
- 3
Find the source
Outside walk during or right after the storm to identify the spout, grade, well or sump problem feeding the wall.
- 4
Written repair price
The permanent fix priced from the published table, with the visit fee credited against it.
What this work costs in Scranton
| Job type | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Interior drain tile with sump pit and pump | $4,500 to $12,000per basement ($60 to $120 per linear ft) | Perimeter length, slab thickness, battery backup pump, discharge distance to daylight or a storm connection |
| Foundation crack injection (poured concrete walls) | $450 to $900per crack | Crack length, active water flow at the time of injection, polyurethane versus epoxy, number of cracks done in one visit |
| Emergency water intrusion visit (same day when water is coming in) | $250 to $450per visit, credited to the repair | Time of day, distance from Scranton, whether pumping or temporary sealing is needed on the spot |
Every job type with what moves it is on the cost guide.
Questions about emergency water intrusion
- How fast can you get to a basement that is flooding?
- Same day inside Scranton, Dunmore, Taylor, Old Forge and the Mid Valley, usually within a few hours during a storm event. Wilkes-Barre and Carbondale are same day when the schedule allows and next morning at the latest.
- What does an emergency visit cost?
- $250 to $450 depending on time of day and distance from Scranton, and the full amount is credited to the repair if you go ahead with it.
- Can you stop water coming through a stone wall while it is raining?
- Yes. Hydraulic cement sets in minutes under running water and holds the active joint until the storm passes. It is a temporary measure and the joint needs proper repointing afterward.
- Should I call a plumber or a mason for water in the basement?
- If the water is clean and arriving at the wall, floor seam, or a crack, that is masonry. If it is coming up through a floor drain or has a sewer smell, call a plumber first. If you are not sure, send a photo and we will tell you which.
Get a written price
Address first, then what you see. We call back with the range and a time for the hose test. Or call (570) 909-2820.