The Dry Home: what it costs to keep water out
By Dan Whitlock, Home Projects Editor · Updated July 2026
Water is patient. Every year it tests the same four checkpoints on your house: the roof edge, the gutters, the ground beside your foundation, and the basement floor.
Each calculator below prices one stage of that defense, and they're cheapest in roughly the order water meets them. Well-hung gutters move rain away before it ever becomes a problem, and guards keep them working without the ladder. A french drain intercepts what the ground sends back toward your foundation. And a sump pump is the last line, the thing that saves the basement when everything upstream is overwhelmed.
- 1
- 2Gutter Guards cost
$600–$2,800
about 180 linear ft, mid-range DIY micro-mesh or basic professional install on a single-story home
- 3
- 4Sump Pump Replacement cost
$400–$1,200
submersible pump, like-for-like swap in an existing pit, professionally installed
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How these numbers are compiled
Every range is the typical installed cost most homeowners pay, cross-referenced against published 2026 cost guides and contractor databases, then pressure-tested against our own calculators. They are planning figures, not bids. Read our full methodology →