Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Protection You Can Trust
Serving Indianapolis homeowners with proven, masonry-based waterproofing solutions that stop leaks, prevent damage, and protect your home for decades.
Keep your basement dry, safe, and structurally sound. At McGinley’s Masonry Repair, we specialize in masonry-appropriate waterproofing — meaning we fix the underlying issues, not just the symptoms. From small seepage to major water intrusion, our expert team delivers lasting protection for Indianapolis homes.
Locally owned in Irvington
Masonry experts, not handymen
Historic home specialists
Transparent, honest pricing
Basement Waterproofing Services in Indianapolis & Surrounding Areas
Protect Your Home with Interior Waterproof Parging & Brick Foundation Repair
If your basement walls feel damp, show dark patches, or shed sandy mortar, it’s a sign moisture is moving through the foundation. Many Indianapolis homes — especially older brick homes — don’t need expensive excavation or membrane systems. What they actually need is a strong interior waterproofing layer designed specifically for masonry.
At McGinley’s Masonry Repair, we specialize in interior waterproof parging, mortar repair, and moisture barrier coatings that protect aging brick foundations from seepage. Fast, effective, and affordable — without tearing up your yard.
What Causes Basement Moisture in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis and surrounding areas have many homes built in the early 1900s with brick foundations and soft mortar. Over time:
- Mortar breaks down & becomes sandy
- Brick becomes porous
- Hydrostatic pressure forces moisture through the walls
- Damp spots and flaking paint appear
- Efflorescence (white powder) forms
- Small cracks widen
Waterproof parging is often the fastest and most appropriate repair for this type of foundation.
Types of Basement Waterproofing
(and Which You Actually Need)
Exterior Membrane Waterproofing (We Do NOT Offer This)
What it is:
A full excavation around the home, application of waterproof membrane or tar, and installation of drainage board against the foundation wall.
When it’s used:
Severe exterior water intrusion
New construction
Poured concrete foundations
Situations where the issue is outside, not inside
Why we don’t offer it:
For most Indianapolis brick homes, full excavation is overkill. It’s extremely expensive, highly disruptive, and unnecessary when the problem is minor-to-moderate moisture coming through old brick or mortar.
Older brick foundations benefit more from interior mortar repair and parging, which directly addresses the cause.
Interior French Drains & Sump Pumps (We do NOT offer this)
What it is:
An interior French drain is a drainage system installed inside the basement along the edge where the wall meets the floor. A narrow trench is cut around the perimeter, a perforated pipe is placed inside, and the system directs groundwater into a sump pit. A sump pump then removes the water from the home.
Think of it as a hidden indoor gutter system + pump for basement floor water.
When it’s used:
Water sitting or pooling on the basement floor
Water entering at the floor/wall joint
Water rising up through cracks in the concrete slab
Flooding during heavy rain
High groundwater pressure beneath the home
Homes with significant floor-level moisture issues
What it does NOT do:
Does not waterproof basement walls
Does not stop moisture coming through brick or mortar
Does not prevent wall dampness, efflorescence, or flaking paint
Does not solve soft, deteriorated mortar
Does not stop seepage through porous old masonry
These problems require interior parging, not drainage.
Why we don’t offer it:
Most Indianapolis homes (especially older brick foundations) have wall moisture, not floor flooding. In these cases, an interior French drain system is unnecessary and won’t address the real issue.
Our expertise is in interior waterproof parging and mortar restoration, which stops water coming through the walls and protects historic brick foundations more effectively and affordably.
Interior Waterproof Parging
(Our Specialty)
What it is:
A protective masonry coating applied directly to basement walls that:
Seals porous brick
Fills gaps and deteriorated mortar
Creates a smooth, uniform waterproof surface
Strengthens aging masonry
Stops moisture from seeping through
Brightens and refreshes the basement
When it’s used:
Damp or discolored basement walls
Flaking or bubbling paint
Mortar that turns to sand
Efflorescence (white powder)
Thin moisture seepage
Soft, aging historic brick
Musty smells from wall moisture
Why it’s the right solution for most Indianapolis homes:
Brick foundations were built to breathe — but over 100 years, the mortar weakens and becomes porous. Parging restores the surface and adds the waterproof layer these homes need, without major excavation or disruption.
How to know which waterproofing method you need
- Water on the floor → Interior French drain + sump pump
- Water on the walls → Parging
- Damp patches or dark spots → Parging
- Sandy, crumbling mortar → Parging
- White powder on walls → Parging
- Flooding after rain → French drain + sump pump
- Exterior pooling or grading issues → Exterior drainage fix
- Older brick (100+ years) → Soft mortar repair + parging
Homeowner translation:
Floor water needs a drain.
Wall moisture needs parging.
Our Waterproof Parging Method
01
Inspect brick and mortar condition
02
Remove loose material and failed paint
03
Repair deteriorated mortar joints
04
Apply waterproof parging coat
05
Smooth and finish
06
Add secondary moisture barrier where needed
Why Indianapolis Homeowners Choose Us
- Family-owned local company
- Specialists in historic brick foundations
- Honest pricing and clear communication
- We offer a variety of services
- Fast scheduling
- Indoor winter waterproofing repairs
- Serving Indianapolis, Irvington, Warren Park, Cumberland, Beech Grove, Broad Ripple, Carmel & surrounding areas
Request a Free Basement Waterproofing Estimate
Moisture won’t fix itself — but most basement waterproofing issues don’t require massive excavation.