Foundation crack repair in Ottawa: injection vs exterior waterproofing, and what each costs in 2026
Updated
When a leaking crack can be injected from inside, when the wall needs digging out and a membrane, and indicative 2026 Ottawa price ranges for both.
Start with where the water is coming from
Before choosing a repair, find the source. A single wet crack in a poured wall is a different job from a block wall that is damp along its whole length. Staining, white powdery efflorescence and water at the floor line all tell a story.
Check the outside first. Downspouts that empty at the wall and grading that slopes toward the house send water straight to the foundation. Public Safety Canada's guidance is soil about 8 cm higher at the wall than 1.5 m out. Fixing that is cheap and makes any crack repair last longer.
Then look at the wall type. Injection is built for poured concrete. Block and stone walls have hollow cores or mortar joints that injected resin cannot seal properly, so those walls usually need an exterior fix.
Finally, note the timing. A crack that only leaks during the spring thaw or after a big rain points to wet soil against the wall. A basement that is damp all year may have a drainage problem that no crack repair will solve on its own. Write down when you see water. It helps whoever comes to look.
How crack injection works
Injection is done from inside the basement. Ports are fixed along the crack, the surface is sealed, and resin is pumped in at low pressure until it fills the crack through the full thickness of the wall. Emecole, a manufacturer of injection kits, describes low pressure in the range of 20 to 40 PSI as the key to full saturation.
There are two main resins. Epoxy cures rigid and bonds the two sides of the crack. Manufacturers use it where the crack needs to be made structurally whole. Polyurethane foams and stays flexible, so it handles small seasonal movement and is the usual choice when the only problem is water.
Cure times differ. Emecole gives about 1 to 2 hours for polyurethane and 1 to 3 days for epoxy before the wall can be finished. Ask which resin is being used and why.
Injection does not fix a wall that is moving. If a crack is horizontal, stepped, shifted or getting wider, get it assessed first.
When exterior waterproofing makes more sense
Exterior work means digging down beside the wall to the footing. The wall is cleaned, cracks are repaired from outside, and a membrane goes on. Many jobs also replace the weeping tile at the footing and add clean stone and a drainage layer.
It is the better choice for block walls, for walls with many cracks, for old foundations with failing parging, and where the weeping tile is clogged or collapsed. That is common in 1970s and 1980s homes in Orléans and older parts of Nepean.
It costs more because of the digging. Decks, stairs, driveways and landscaping may have to come out. Parts of Kanata sit on shallow rock, which changes how deep and how easily a crew can dig. Access on narrow Glebe lots can also add time.
Indicative 2026 costs in Ottawa
These are indicative 2026 ranges before HST. A site visit sets the real price.
Injection of one crack in a poured wall: about $400 to $800. A typical home with two to four cracks: about $800 to $3,200.
Exterior waterproofing and membrane, priced by length: about $150 to $300 per linear foot. Full-perimeter exterior waterproofing: about $20,000 to $42,000.
Interior perimeter drainage with a sump, an option when digging outside is not practical: about $10,000 to $22,000.
Wall height, depth to footing, what has to be removed and restored, and whether an engineer is needed all move the number. Engineer fees are separate.
Questions to ask before you sign
What resin will you use, and why that one? Is the repair covered by a written warranty, for how long, and is it transferable if you sell?
For exterior work, ask what the membrane is, whether the weeping tile will be replaced, where the water will drain to, and what landscaping will be put back. Ask the contractor whether a City of Ottawa building permit is needed for the scope of work.
Ask who marks utility lines before digging and who handles restoration of walkways and beds. Get it all in writing.
A good quote explains why the repair fits your wall. If one company says injection and another says full excavation, ask each to explain the difference. The answer is usually in the wall type and the source of the water.