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Basement flooding and sewer backup in Grand Rapids

Plumbers for backwater valves, sump pumps and drains.

44 pros in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids has a particular history with water. In April 2013, measurable rain fell on 14 consecutive days, and the Grand River gauge downtown reached 3.85 feet above flood stage. The City also runs a Backwater Valve/Sump Pump/Footing Drain Program that offers financial assistance for backwater valves, for disconnecting footing and roof drains from sanitary laterals, and for installing a sump pump with its discharge pipe. Eligibility depends on a sewer backup in the past ten years or on a location that contributes to downstream backup problems. Before you hire, ask any trade whether the work you are quoting matches the program's eligible work, and check the City's guidelines before work starts so you do not do something that cannot be funded. Ask for the scope in writing: valve, pump, discharge pipe or drain disconnection. Also check your homeowners policy, since sewer backup and sump pump overflow may need extra coverage.

Source: WOODTV (News 8) (source, opens in a new tab)

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What to know in Grand Rapids

Before you hire

  1. Ask which permits the job needs and who will get them; your municipal building department can tell you before work starts.

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  2. Get written quotes from at least three contractors for the same work, and check references from recent clients.

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  3. Put it in a written contract: the work, price, deposit, start and finish dates, warranty, permits and clean-up. Paying cash to skip it leaves you no recourse.

    Source: ised-isde.canada.ca (source, opens in a new tab)

Questions about hiring in Grand Rapids

Does Grand Rapids help pay for a backwater valve or sump pump?

The City runs a Backwater Valve/Sump Pump/Footing Drain Program that offers financial assistance to property owners who are retail customers in the Grand Rapids Sanitary Sewer Service Area. Eligible work includes backwater valves, disconnecting footing and roof drains, and a sump pump with discharge pipe. Confirm the details with the City before work begins. City of Grand Rapids (source, opens in a new tab)

Who qualifies for the City's basement flooding program?

A property must have had one or more sewer backups in the past ten years due to overload of a sanitary sewer, or lie in an area that contributes to downstream backup problems. The applicant must also be a user of the sewer system, and the work must meet the policy's guidelines. City of Grand Rapids (source, opens in a new tab)

Will my homeowners insurance cover a sewer backup in my basement?

It may. Michigan's insurance regulator says water damage from sewer back-up or sump pump overflow can be covered, but flood damage from rising waters is not, and many policies need extra coverage for backup. Read your policy and ask your insurer before you decide on work. Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) (source, opens in a new tab)

What should a quote for sump pump or drain work include?

Ask for a written scope that names each item: the pump, the discharge pipe, any valve or drain work, and what is excluded. It should state who pulls any permit, the start and finish timing, warranty terms, and how changes are handled. Compare quotes line by line, not just by total.

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