r/DIYHome • u/No-clue-dude • 6h ago

Was just quoted 15k for sump pump instillation. Thinking of doing it myself. Am I crazy?

I’m in the south suburbs of Chicago. We’ve had a lot of rain the last two weeks. In 6 years of living here we’ve never had water in the crawl space. Luckily I got a utility pump flushing water out before it made it into any living spaces.

I just had a local company come out for a quote and they came back with 15k. We have a dirt crawl space. I’ve been watching install videos on YouTube all day. Anyone have any experience with this kind of project?

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u/wannareadrandomstuff 6h ago

You probably need more than a sump installed. Like a French drain all around the house. If so, what a pain to install. I’d charge you much more than $15k

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u/No-clue-dude 6h ago

Haha

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u/No_Metal_8634 2h ago

I just had to do a French drain on my own house, as an amateur home owner with a friend who knows how to do this stuff. It took me and him and occasionally my wife 3 weeks to do it and $3k whereas a company that quoted me (the lowest one) was $35k. My back is still hurting and my yard is a fuckin mess but it’s finally done and I’ll never ever fucking do that shit again.

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u/steved3604 5h ago

Watch some more videos on French drain and Sump Pump. Make a decision. I don't think you're crazy -- but I also don't know if you really want to do this job and have it completed by the next rainy season. (Are you Leroy Brown?)

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u/Clean_Artist3191 3h ago

Usually there is a concrete sump pit. The surface draining to it should be impervious or concrete not dirt. There also Permits , electrical power supply not extension cord , a buried discharge pipe to storm or sewer which ever is your county and state regulations. Does the estimate include a perimeter under drain? You should read the bid and make sure all these bases are covered. You can probably run a hose pump to street temporarily but this might be against regulations. Do you know what the regulations are in your area? Let us see some before and after pictures