1) Hydraulic cement may work. Or if this is an active water source, you 'll have better luck with a polyurethane or epoxy injection repair. These are the preferred systems used by many new home builders. 2) Watertite by Zinsser can be tinted, so you don't need to paint twice.

I live in a '50's house that had a severe leak this summer with our 14 plus inches of rain. I learned lots because I had to. 1. If we just seal the cracks, what happens to future rains that fall on clay soil with homes so close together? >>>>>>>>>>>Sealing your cracks will do nothing to stop your problem. (been there, done that). 2. Do we attack the outside and put in a drainage system only (fixing the grade on 2 sides as well)? >>>>>>>If you get estimates from people who install sump pumps, they will tell you that this is the only way to go. It MAY fix your problem, but it is not going to fix what is causing the problem (water coming in from the outside). If you get estimates from landscaping companies, they should give you a detailed estimate explaining how/why what they do will work. In general, you have a problem on the outside that needs to be fixed. Re-grading should do the trick. 3. Do we add exterior drainage and improve grade AND seal from the inside?>>.>>>No. 4. Do we need to pour new concrete in the basement? Can we get by with just patching the cracks? If new concrete is needed, how do we deal with the transition from unfinished to finished floor? Yes, new drywall walls are in place. No. I discovered by talking to a contractor that I trust with my life, that when these older homes were built, the walls of the basement were put in first, then the flooring was poured. Companies that built them, probably used watered down sealer, and it is now worthless with time. You also have a crack around the edge of your basement where the floor and wall meet, that's where your water is coming from. 5. What kinds of companies deal with this? Now that it's Dec. 1 and we're in the Chicago area, do we deal with this now weather-wise or do we wait til spring? I would get three estimates from a landscaping company and three from a company that installs sump pumps, just to get started on educating yourself. Sump pump companies will try to scare you into getting one of these things, but they are not in my opinion what you need. Don't be pressured into signing a contract or anything. Also, research the subject to death. You may also have improper gutters and down spouts (that I discovered are just as important as gutters. My house had both that were to narrow for the roof. Additionally, if you have very large bushes, trees, etc. planted along your house, the roots dig into the ground, and when it rains, the water follows the loose soil along the roots. A landscaping company should tell you what to do with all of this. Don't say anything, just ask them how they intend to fix the problem. Good luck! SG

Did you have any sort of written agreement with this character? You didn't ask about this but...I don't know the exact laws in your state regarding late payment penalties but in Texas, where there is no agreement regarding interest on unpaid bills, the maximum rate that can be charged is 6% per year and that can only begin to be applied 30 days after the debt becomes due. So, even if you did actually owe him the amount he is claiming (which I doubt), absent a written agreement to a higher interest rate, I'd suspect that if he tries to assess a 15% late payment penalty for every day that an alleged bill goes unpaid, he would be in violation of your state's usury laws. Next, each state has very specific laws regarding mechanic's liens and the time limits in which they MUST be filed. You should probably do a little research or talk to a lawyer in your state regarding mechanic's lien laws. Once the time limit for filing a lien (which can be as short as 30 days) has passed, check your county records to see if a lien has been filed against your property. If not, you can rest easy about that. If he has filed a lien, then you'll need the attorney to help you deal with him. Assuming everything you've said is true, my suspicion is that this guy won't really file a lien. He sounds like the kind of shoddy workman who deliberately low-balls bids and then, once he has the job, attempts to hijack more money from his customers. Chances are, if you start checking, you'll find he has a long history of doing the same thing to other customers. The last thing he wants is an actual court battle where you could allege "fraud in the inducement" regarding the contract and start delving into his prior business practices to show that he has made a pattern and practice of doing the same sorts of things to others. Also, you'll want to keep watch on your credit reports so that if he files anything with a credit bureau, you can dispute it so it doesn't negatively affect your credit score. And BTW, once the deadline for him filing a lien against your property has passed, do report him to the BBB. Unless you complain so that other homebuilders have at least some chance of finding out about what he did to you, he'll be free to keep on screwing other people around. Good luck.

Dish water in the basement is better than toilet water in the basement. :] The heating element burned out on my old DW not long after I finished a modest remodel on the kitchen. I did dishes by hand, while I considered replacing it, or turning the empty space into a drying cabinet. After a month or so I decided to replace the DW, but if you have an injury that makes standing painful, I think repair or replacement asap makes more sense. You can get an idea of repair cost--it might be minor, such as replacing or tightening the supply line or drain hose. If repair is more expensive, how do you feel about a used DW from Craigslist or a Restore? As for the toilet, is the leak from the stool or from the tank? if you have someone strong enough to move the toilet, replacing a wax ring or other seal is fairly easy. I just went through that ordeal, too, and thank goodness for my strong son-in-law. I replaced the old wax ring with a Sani-seal, which is more expensive (ap $12.00), but more error-proof for an amateur. Replacing a fill valve is even easier and you don't need to move the toilet. The gasket failed on the fill valve, which is what caused the flooring underlayment to swell and break the seal on the wax ring. Asking friends or neighbors to recommend a plumber is a good idea, but a competent 'handy man' should be able to handle the toilet issue(s), and might be able to tell you what's causing the DW leak. Good luck!