u/TheNettleBranch

Hi all,

My wife and I are strongly considering putting an offer on our first (and hopefully only) home. We are both in our mid thirties so ownership timeline is hoping for 50-60 years, and I would like to ensure whatever home we buy is as solid as possible for that time.

The house we are considering is a 1951 build (this is in Ontario, Canada). No known foundation issues (inspection to be conducted) but the previous owner spray foam insulated the basement a few months back. There is no exterior waterproofing of the foundation.

Now I have been doing a boatload of reading and it sounds like spray foam insulating the basement (which acts as an air/vapour barrier) is a contentious topic when the exterior is not waterproofed. I have posted about this on other subreddits with mixed response.

So I thought I would come here and inquire after the consensus. Is spray foaming a bad or potentially dangerous thing in this case? Would it be worth doing a full exterior waterproof of the foundation? How much (specify CAD or USD if you like) would it generally cost to coat, dimple mat, and install a weeping tile, and how much if I do the digging element myself at the very least?

Thanks in advance!

Looking at buying my first (hopefully only) home and there's a decent looking option built in 1951 in southern Ontario, Canada. Basement was just redone before sale with R22 spray foam insulation.

This gives me pause, as I am reading numerous horror stories online particularly when it comes to older homes. Looking for advice.

Should I be looking at this house?

Are there any questions I should ask?

Just hoping to better understand before potentially committing my life to a money pit