Groundwater drainage problems create masonry repairs
Groundwater problems can cause your foundation stem walls or basement walls to deteriorate. When this happens, usually over a long period of time, you can repair the damage in most cases. Starting from the outside, the best thing to do first is to install hand excavated french drains approximately 2 feet from the foundation wall, with a compacted splash block if possible.
This cuts off the flow of the groundwater to the wall in heavy rains. Prior to the installation of the hand excavated french drains, have your mason-drainage contractor chisel out the cracks and voids in the foundation stem wall filling them on the outside and then the inside. For a completely new look at your exterior foundation wall and basement, have the foundation walls, chiseled and filled by your contractor and then skim coat the walls and follow up with a sponge trowel finnish. Nice, and functional as well. You can then have the contractor paint the walls if desired.
The work is definately heavy lifting and amounts to lots of cleaning and stripping of the old loose concrete from the surface first, so the mason-drainage contractor can bond the wall with a special mix that will hold the skim coat and strengthen the foundation wall both inside and out.
This is important to insure that a quality job will last. Plan on this work after your drainage work is completed and your downspouts are all connected properly. Get a complete drainage and masonry assessment from the contractor you choose prior to doing anything.