Address the source, not just the stain
Extending a downspout away from the foundation, fixing a window that leaks during wind-driven rain off the confluence, or correcting negative grading solves more long-term than another round of cleanup ever will.
What a written scope should spell out
- The likely cause, not only the visible symptom
- How the work area gets protected during the job
- Material choices and why they fit the situation
- Permits, testing, and disposal specifics
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order pricing
Fort Wayne context
Fort Wayne's housing stock spans roughly two centuries, from the canal-town core built up around the Wabash and Erie Canal in the 1830s and 40s to the Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and Tudor Revival homes of the West Central and Forest Park Boulevard historic districts, and on to the postwar and modern construction that fills out the rest of the city. Humid summers, freeze-thaw winters that average roughly 30 inches of snow a year, and older neighborhoods on combined sewer systems that can back up during heavy rain all add up to steady moisture pressure on homes of every age, from a hundred-year-old crawl space to a newer finished basement.