Perimeter drainage – also called weeping tile or foundation drainage – is the perforated pipe buried at the base of your footing that captures groundwater before it pushes through the foundation wall. BC has required it on every new residential build since the 1973 BC Building Code revision, but the type of pipe installed has changed three times since.

Pre-1960 East Vancouver houses on Commercial Drive, Knight, Victoria Drive, and Hastings-Sunrise often have NO perimeter drain at all – just gravel against the footing, or porous clay tile that’s now collapsed. Houses built between 1960 and 1985 typically have unperforated clay tile or vitrified clay pipe that’s brittle, cracked, and root-infested. Houses built between 1985 and 2005 have 4-inch black corrugated polyethylene that crushes under settling soil and sediments up within 20 years. Anything 2005 to today is 4-inch rigid PVC or HDPE, the only material we’ll install today.

When perimeter drainage fails you’ll see one of four things, in order of severity: efflorescence (white powder) on interior basement walls, damp musty smell after the first big October rainstorm, visible water tracking down the wall at corners, or standing water in the basement during atmospheric river events. By the time you see standing water the system has been failing for at least two winters.

**Hydro Flushing & Cleaning** – High-pressure flush of the entire perimeter drain loop. Camera before and after. We do quarterly maintenance contracts for strata properties in Brentwood, Metrotown, and the downtown core.

**Camera Inspection** – HD scope of the perimeter line via the existing cleanouts, with written report and MP4 video file. Required before any quote on tile work and before any home purchase older than 20 years.

**Spot Repair / Section Replacement** – Targeted excavation and repair where the camera shows a defined failure. PVC replacement, drain rock, filter fabric, cleanout addition if missing.

**Full Perimeter Drainage Replacement** – Complete system: 4-inch PVC, drain rock envelope, filter fabric, foundation waterproofing, dimple board, corner cleanouts, daylight or storm tie-in. Permit drawn under Mamba’s City of Vancouver plumbing licence.

**Sump Pit + Pump Installation** – When the perimeter loop cannot be daylighted (most of South Vancouver, parts of Marpole and Riley Park), we install a sealed sump pit and primary + battery-backup pump system tied into the perimeter loop. See our [sump pump page](https://mambadrainageservices.com/drainage-service/sump-pump/).

**Catch Basin Tie-Ins** – Where downspouts and yard drains feed into the perimeter system (a code violation in most cases – they should separate to storm), we re-route to dedicated catch basins. See [catch basin installation](https://mambadrainageservices.com/drainage-service/catch-basin-installation/).

Pricing varies with access, depth of footing, and what the camera shows. Most common ranges from recent Vancouver jobs:

**Camera inspection only:** $389-$489 with MP4 and written report.

**Hydro flush (full perimeter loop):** $850-$1,650 including pre- and post-camera footage.

**Spot repair, under 8 feet of pipe:** $4,500-$8,500 depending on depth, landscaping, and whether the foundation needs re-waterproofing locally.

**Two-side perimeter replacement (typical East Van bungalow):** $12,000-$22,000 including drain rock, fabric, dimple board, permit.

**Full four-side replacement (Vancouver Special, 2,000+ sq ft footprint):** $28,000-$55,000 with permit, inspection, and 5-year warranty.

**Sump pit + dual-pump installation tied to perimeter loop:** $4,500-$7,800 for primary + battery backup with high-water alarm.

We quote firm prices in writing after the camera inspection. No surprises when the truck and excavator arrive – if conditions don’t match the scope, we stop and re-quote before work continues.

**How much does perimeter drainage replacement cost in Vancouver?**
Two-side replacement on a typical East Van bungalow runs $12,000-$22,000. Full four-side replacement on a 2,000 sq ft Vancouver Special runs $28,000-$55,000. Includes permit, materials, foundation waterproofing, dimple board, drain rock, filter fabric, cleanouts, and 5-year workmanship warranty.

**Do I need a permit to replace perimeter drainage in Vancouver?**
Yes – City of Vancouver Plumbing and Gas requires a permit for any work involving foundation drainage, including full replacements and spot repairs over 10 feet. Mamba pulls the permit under our plumbing licence and you get the final inspection signoff from the City inspector.

**Can perimeter drainage be repaired without digging?**
Sometimes. If the failure is purely sediment or root infiltration in structurally-sound tile, hydro flushing at 4,000 PSI restores flow without excavation ($850-$1,650). If the pipe itself is collapsed, cracked, or offset, dig is unavoidable. Camera inspection determines which.

**How long does perimeter drainage last in Vancouver?**
Modern PVC with drain rock and filter fabric: 50+ years. Pre-2005 corrugated black plastic: 15-25 years before crushing. Pre-1985 clay tile: 30-60 years before root intrusion forces replacement. Pre-1960 unperforated tile or no system at all: should be assumed failed.

**My basement is wet. Is it the perimeter drain?**
Probably, but not always. Wet basements in Vancouver come from four sources: failed perimeter drainage (60%), failed foundation waterproofing (20%), interior plumbing leak (15%), or condensation (5%). Camera inspection of the perimeter plus a visual on the foundation tells you which.

**Do you offer financing?**
Yes – we partner with Financeit for 0% interest options up to 24 months on jobs over $5,000. Application is online and takes about 90 seconds.

**Will my landscaping survive?**
Plan on losing whatever sits within 4 feet of the foundation on the affected sides. We cut, set aside, and replant cedar hedges, lawn, and small ornamentals at no extra charge. Mature trees, hardscape, and irrigation systems are excluded – we’ll discuss those during the quote walk-through.

**Do you serve Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, and Delta?**
Yes – all of Greater Vancouver. Same pricing structure across the region with response times stretching to about 90 minutes in the outer cities. We service Metrotown, Brentwood, New Westminster, and all Vancouver neighborhoods.

**What about strata buildings?**
Yes. Perimeter drainage replacement on multi-unit strata buildings is roughly a third of our annual work. We work with property managers and councils, attend AGMs to present scopes, and provide certificates of service for insurance and reserve fund audits.