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Basement Waterproofing and Foundation Repair in Lexington, MA
Lexington writes sump pumps into its permit standards: where a basement sits close to seasonal high groundwater, an engineer has to size the drainage for the pump's discharge. Call (978) 800-2819 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- State registration checked first
- Lexington Center to East Village
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Basement work in Lexington
What does the basement need?
Waterproofing & Drainage
Wet walls, seepage at the floor joint and spring water in the basement, handled with interior drains, exterior work or both.
Sump Pumps
New pits, replacement pumps and battery backups, with the discharge going somewhere your town allows.
Foundation Cracks & Repair
Leaking cracks, bowing or settling walls and failing mortar in old fieldstone, with an engineer brought in when the job is structural.
Crawl Spaces & Finishing
Damp crawl spaces sealed up, and dry basements turned into finished space with the right permits.
Not sure what it needs?
(978) 800-2819Tell us roughly when the house was built and where the water comes in, and we'll help you work out the job.
Permits
Permits and rules for basement work in Lexington
Lexington's Building Office takes every permit through its OpenGov portal; the office line is 781-698-4530, inspections 781-698-4510 and plumbing and gas 781-698-4513. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 to 4:30, Tuesday 8:30 to 7 and Friday 8:30 to 1 (Building Office).
- Building Office
- 781-698-4530; inspections 781-698-4510
- Apply
- OpenGov portal
- 1–2 family alterations
- $13 per $1,000 of estimated value, $40 minimum (effective September 1, 2022)
- Plumbing
- $60 first fixture, $15 each additional
- Groundwater Relief review
- Basements or crawl spaces less than 2 ft above seasonal high groundwater
- Sewer
- No sump pumps, foundation or areaway drains; fines up to $50 a day
What needs a permit. The Building Office page doesn't name basement finishing, foundation repair, waterproofing or egress windows, so ask the office before that work begins. The town posts a rough inspection checklist alongside it (Rough Inspection Checklist).
Posted fees. The Select Board approved the current schedule on May 23, 2022, effective September 1, 2022: one- and two-family new work, alterations and additions are $13 per $1,000 of estimated value, every permit has a $40 minimum, and plumbing is $60 for the first fixture plus $15 for each additional one. There is no separate basement or foundation line (Fee Schedule).
State rules. Contractors on an existing one- to four-family owner-occupied home generally need Home Improvement Contractor registration; look them up on the state's Contractor Hub. A licensed construction supervisor or registered design professional must oversee permitted construction on a one- or two-family house (construction supervisor rules). Contracts over $1,000 must be written, and the deposit is limited to a third of the price unless special-order materials cost more (M.G.L. c.142A §2). Homes built before 1978 need a licensed lead-safe renovation contractor for work that disturbs paint (lead-safe renovation). If a foundation wall is cracking and moving, bring in a structural engineer before choosing a repair.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by May 2027. New England Basement Pros is a referral service. We don't pull permits or do the work; the contractor you hire files the permit.
Ground and water
Where the water comes from in Lexington
Groundwater Relief standards. The town's undated Review Standards for Groundwater Relief apply when basements or crawl spaces are installed less than 2 feet above estimated seasonal high groundwater. A professional engineer must enlarge the stormwater system "to account for the perimeter sump pump groundwater pumping rate discharge" unless a separate system is built, with no increase in peak runoff for 2-, 10- and 100-year storms (Groundwater Relief standards). If you're adding a perimeter drain and sump, ask the town whether these standards reach your project.
The sewer rules. Lexington's sewer regulations, adopted in 1989, bar stormwater, groundwater, roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains and areaway drains from the sanitary sewer and list sump pumps as an inflow source, with fines up to $50 per violation and each day a separate offense (Sewer Regulations). The town's 2025 water report discusses infiltration and inflow from illegal sump pump and drain connections and offers a free inspection (2025 water quality report). The town doesn't say online where a sump line may end on your lot, so ask Public Works before one is routed.
Where it floods. The town's October 2019 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update counts about 20 brooks and streams, including Vine Brook, which runs in a culvert through the Center. It describes Middle Street and Cary Avenue as "a low-lying area that ponds in heavy rains and impacts yards and basements," says Lake Street and neighboring yards historically flooded every season before drainage was upgraded, and records the spring 2010 flood disaster (March 12 to April 26, 2010) plus flood declarations in April 2004 and October 2005. Only 6% of residents who answered its survey had flood insurance (Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, 2019). FEMA's newer Middlesex County flood maps took effect July 8, 2025 (FEMA notice); check your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
Middle Street and Cary Avenue
Low-lying ground that ponds in heavy rain and reaches yards and basements, per the 2019 plan.
Lake Street
Flooded with neighboring yards every season until drainage was upgraded.
Vine Brook
One of about 20 brooks and streams, culverted through Lexington Center.
Lexington's houses
Mostly single-family, nearly half from before 1960
About 22% of Lexington's homes were built in 1939 or earlier and another 24% between 1940 and 1959, and about 82% are single-family (Housing Needs Assessment, 2025). Older basements may not have had any drainage built in, so it is worth finding out how a wall was built before choosing an interior or exterior fix.
Historic districts. Lexington has four local historic districts, Battle Green, East Village, Hancock-Clarke and Munroe Tavern, and the Historic Districts Commission reviews construction and exterior changes there that are visible from a public way (Historic Districts Commission; Historic Districts Guidelines). Its guidelines list berms and other designed topography among the yard features it reviews (Historic Districts Guidelines), so ask before regrading or adding a visible window well there. Turning Mill and Pierce-Lockwood are neighborhood conservation districts (Current NCDs).
Wetlands. The town's Wetland Protection Code needs a permit to alter land within 100 feet of a wetland, or of the 100-year storm water elevation where that is farther, and counts changes to drainage or the water table as alteration (Conservation Rules and Permits). Under the regulations amended September 13, 2021, no vegetation may be removed within 25 feet (Wetland regulations). Exterior digging also means premarking the area and notifying Dig Safe at least 72 hours ahead, excluding weekends and holidays (M.G.L. c.82 §40A).
Radon
Radon in Lexington's older basements
Lexington is in Middlesex County, where Massachusetts requires a passive radon system in new one- and two-family homes because the EPA generally rates the county among the highest for radon potential (MA EPHT residential radon). The rule applies to homes built after January 2, 2015 (Radon in the Home). For an older house, the state health department advises testing at the lowest livable level between November 1 and March 31 and mitigating at 4.0 pCi/L or above (Testing your home for radon).
FAQ
Lexington basement questions
Can my sump pump or foundation drain go into the sewer in Lexington?
No. The town's sewer regulations bar groundwater, roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains and areaway drains from the sanitary sewer and list sump pumps as an inflow source. Fines run up to $50 per violation, with each day counted separately.
Does the town check for illegal sump connections?
The town's 2025 water report discusses infiltration and inflow from illegal sump pump and drain connections and offers a free inspection to find them.
What is the Groundwater Relief review?
A set of town review standards for basements or crawl spaces installed less than 2 feet above estimated seasonal high groundwater. A professional engineer has to enlarge the stormwater system to handle the perimeter sump pump's discharge, unless a separate system is built.
How much is a building permit in Lexington?
Under the fee schedule effective September 1, 2022, alterations and additions to a one- or two-family home are $13 per $1,000 of estimated value, with a $40 minimum on all permits.
What does it cost me to use New England Basement Pros?
Nothing. Asking is free for homeowners; the contractor prices the job, and the price and contract are between you and them.
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