Stop at the electrical and access boundary
Do not enter standing water near electrical wiring, equipment or outlets, and do not use unstable access. Avoid contact with sewage, fuel, chemicals or suspect materials. Take photographs only from a safe position and record what prevents closer observation. Urgent plumbing, electrical or flooding conditions need the appropriate emergency or qualified response rather than an online troubleshooting sequence.
Build a rainfall-versus-plumbing timeline
Record recent rain, irrigation, snowmelt and household water use before the condition appeared. Note whether water continues during dry weather or after a fixture is no longer used. Repeat the observation after a separate event if safe. The purpose is not to diagnose the source remotely; it is to give a site reviewer a clear comparison between exterior, subsurface and plumbing timing.
Mark where water first appears
Identify the lowest visible point and the first place water crosses into view. Record depth with a safe fixed reference, the nearby wall or support, and the direction of movement. A broad puddle may spread far from its entry point. Photograph the wider crawlspace context as well as the local condition so later review can connect water to grade, walls, penetrations and collection points.
Trace roof water and surface grade
From outside, record downspout outlets, overflowing gutters, low areas, hard surfaces and visible slopes near the foundation. Note where water is intended to discharge and whether that path crosses another property feature. Surface observations cannot confirm the condition of a buried perimeter system, but they can identify runoff questions that belong in the inspection and estimate rather than being treated as unrelated landscaping.
Record sump and collection behaviour
If a basin or pump is safely visible, note the water level, operating sound, alarm indication and discharge route without touching wet electrical equipment. Record whether the pump runs continuously, cycles during rain or appears inactive. A working pump manages collected water; it does not establish that the inflow source, basin capacity, backup plan or final discharge arrangement is suitable.
Locate records for hidden drainage
Collect available permit, inspection, service and renovation records for perimeter drains, sumps and discharge changes. The CVRD lists dampproofing, perimeter drains and roof-drainage rough-in among building inspection stages. Records can identify intended construction and prior work, but the current condition still requires property-specific review. Do not describe a buried drain as failed or clear without evidence.
Define the drainage estimate boundary
Ask the proposed scope to state excavation limits, collection method, sump or pump work, discharge destination, surface restoration, access, electrical dependencies, permits, exclusions and how unexpected conditions are handled. Keep plumbing, structural, contamination and insulation work as explicit inclusions or exclusions. A complete boundary makes it clear whether the quote addresses only visible water management or the larger moisture pathway.
The CVRD lists dampproofing, perimeter drains and roof-drainage rough-in among its building inspection stages. Health Canada identifies exterior infiltration, plumbing leaks, flooding and condensation as distinct possible moisture sources. Neither source diagnoses a particular property; they help define the records and questions to bring to a site review.
CVRD — Building inspections · Health Canada — Moisture and mould indoors
Sources reviewed September 22, 2026. Confirm current requirements for the exact address and proposed work.