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
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 →