Lead basement waterproofing installer job description
A lead basement waterproofing installer runs the crew on each job, from sizing up the basement or crawl space to the final pump test. They take the hardest parts themselves, coach newer installers, and talk the homeowner through anything the estimate missed.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, structure and exterior contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $36,290, middle half $39,480 to $57,420, 90th percentile $73,090. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Field supervisor or production manager
Department
Operations
Schedule
Weekdays, some evenings and Saturdays · Usual hours run 8 to 5, but the lead stays through the pump test and cleanup, and wet seasons add Saturday jobs
The Lead Installer for Basement Waterproofing plays a critical role in ensuring the highest levels of customer satisfaction by delivering superior quality waterproofing services. This role involves applying advanced techniques, overseeing the work of the installation team, and ensuring that the completed work meets the highest standards of precision and quality.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead and manage the basement waterproofing installation team.
Apply advanced waterproofing techniques to ensure high-quality finishes.
Monitor and guide the team to ensure optimal performance and adherence to best practices.
Oversee and ensure the quality of work performed, ensuring it meets or exceeds company standards.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct site assessments and create plan for waterproofing installations.
Apply advanced waterproofing techniques and ensure high-standard finishes.
Mentor and guide team members on best practices and techniques.
Manage customer interactions professionally and resolve any issues promptly.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Quality Score of Completed Installations: >95%
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars
Team Productivity: Complete projects within estimated timelines.
Safety Compliance: Zero violations per quarter
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High School Diploma or equivalent.
At least 5 years of experience in basement waterproofing installations.
Advanced knowledge of waterproofing techniques.
Leadership skills and experience managing a team.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience in a lead or supervisory role in the basement waterproofing industry.
Certified Waterproofing Professional (CWP) certification.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
Ability to work in various weather conditions, and in confined spaces.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Occasional weekend and evening work may be required.
Minimal travel is required.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate: $25 - $30 per hour, depending on experience.
Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401k plan with company match.
Performance-based bonuses.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE] we foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. We believe in empowering our employees to reach their full potential and we are committed to supporting your growth within the company. We take pride in the quality of our work, and we strive for excellence in everything we do.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Once the crew sees the basement for real, the lead decides how the job gets done. Several of OSHA's safety calls fall to the person the company names as its competent person on site, and that may be the lead.
Deciding if a crawl space is a permit space
OSHA's construction rule for confined spaces can reach attics, basements and crawl spaces. Before work starts, a competent person must list each confined space the crew may enter and say which are permit-required. OSHA's fact sheet says a basement built for living in, with permanent stairs or a walk-out door, isn't a confined space. Most crawl spaces won't trigger the bulk of the rule unless they hold a hazard, such as a live wire lying exposed. A permit-required crawl space is entered only under your written permit program. Source: OSHA: Confined spaces in residential construction (fact sheet).
Digging down to the footing
Outside waterproofing means digging down beside the foundation, often past a person's waist. OSHA requires a protective system, such as sloping, shoring or a trench box, in excavations 5 feet or deeper unless they are entirely in stable rock. A shallower dig needs one too if a competent person sees signs of a cave-in. That person checks the dig each day before work and after every rain. Source: OSHA: Protective systems in excavations (29 CFR 1926.652).
Radon questions land on the lead
Homeowners often ask about radon once a crew has the slab open, and some waterproofing companies also install radon systems. EPA says a state that takes its radon grants may list only providers who hold a state credential, such as a license, or a credential from one of two national programs, NRPP or NRSB. Check with your state radon program before a lead offers to test or fix anything. Source: U.S. EPA: Find a radon test kit or measurement and mitigation professional.
Rereading the job before breaking concrete
The salesperson wrote the scope during a short visit. The lead walks it again: where water comes in, how deep the footing sits, where the discharge line can run, and what the family has stored against the walls. Any change goes to the office and the homeowner before the crew starts cutting, because concrete can't be put back.
Proof before the pour
Once new concrete covers the trench, nobody sees the pipe, gravel or slope again. The lead photographs the open trench and the set pit, runs water through the system, and then lets the crew pour. Those photos are what the office pulls up years later when a homeowner calls about a damp corner under warranty.
How much lead basement waterproofing installers make
The closest BLS group for lead basement waterproofing installers is construction laborers. Construction laborers who work for foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors earned a median of $22.63 an hour ($47,070 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $47,120 median for construction laborers in all industries. About 114,160 of the 1,096,780 construction laborers in that survey work for structure and exterior contractors.
Hourly plus performance bonuses, and the template's range for this role starts higher than the installer's. Working leads fall in the same construction laborer code as their crews, so expect a good lead to earn well above this median.
Structure and exterior contractors
$47,070$47,070 median Middle half $39,480–$57,420 10th–90th $36,290–$73,090
All industries
$47,120$47,120 median Middle half $38,620–$59,740 10th–90th $35,090–$78,090
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Structure and exterior contractors
$36,290
$39,480
$47,070
$57,420
$73,090
All industries
$35,090
$38,620
$47,120
$59,740
$78,090
BLS doesn’t publish pay for waterproofing contractors on their own. These figures cover foundation, structure and building exterior contractors, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Has run interior drain, pump and crack repair jobs start to finish, pit to final pump test
Can tell when a wall's movement needs the supervisor, not a patch
Plans the crew's day and keeps dust and debris contained in a lived-in home
Teaches by showing a task, then checking the newer installer's work
Explains a change to an upset homeowner before the work goes on
Teach these on the job
Competent person training for silica, excavation and confined spaces
Your change order steps and what the office needs in each photo set
New product lines such as wall bracing systems or crawl space liners
A trade credential, such as the Basement Health Association's waterproofing specialist exam
Your quality checklist and final walk with the homeowner
The lead works from the sold scope, a sketch of the basement and a photo log, usually on a tablet. On site they set drain slope with a level or laser, read walls with a moisture meter, and run the same breakers, saws and pumps as the crew. Tell applicants whether the lead drives the company truck and trailer.
Lead basement waterproofing installer interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Stopping shortcuts
You notice a crew member skipping the gravel bed on the last wall to save time. What do you do?
A strong answer: Stops it, has it redone, explains that the pipe needs gravel to drain and stay clear, and checks the rest of the run.
Behavioral · Developing crew members
Tell me about the skill you taught a crew member, like laying out a system or injecting cracks, that made the biggest difference in their work.
A strong answer: Names a specific skill, such as laying out a system or crack injection, how they showed it, let the person try with feedback, and how that person now works without help.
Score these per crew each quarter. After a year of callbacks and job records, set targets that fit your company.
Quality Score of Completed Installations
Use a fixed checklist: trench slope, pit set, patch level, discharge routed and site clean. The share of items passed is the score. The field supervisor rechecks a sample of jobs to confirm it.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Homeowner ratings on the jobs this lead ran, pulled from surveys and reviews every month. Comments on how changes were explained tell you whether the lead handled the homeowner well.
Team Productivity
Count jobs the crew closed within the estimated days against the jobs it opened. Log delays from buried rock, extra walls or weather on their own line.
Safety Compliance
Violations and written corrections found in site audits each quarter, plus injuries and near misses from your log. Audits should cover silica controls, respirators and daily excavation checks.
The template prefers a Certified Waterproofing Professional (CWP). Ask what the certification covers and who issues it; the Basement Health Association's Certified Waterproofing Specialist is one industry credential. BHA, a trade group for waterproofing and foundation repair contractors, offers that exam to members, along with structural repair, egress and air quality exams. A credential like this shows study, not a license to do the work.
How much does a lead basement waterproofing installer make?
Construction laborers who work for foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors earned a median of $22.63 an hour ($47,070 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $39,480 and $57,420 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Is a lead installer the same as a field supervisor?
No. The lead works on one job at a time, with tools in hand, and keeps that crew moving. The field supervisor moves between crews, checks finished work, handles bigger problems and backs up the leads. A lead who keeps jobs clean, on time and free of callbacks is the natural pick when a supervisor job opens.
When is a waterproofing installer ready to become a lead?
The ready ones are already the crew's go-to person for a tricky pit or a stubborn crack. They spot trouble in a basement before the concrete is open, and they can explain a change to a homeowner calmly. Let them run a few small jobs, like a crack repair or a pump swap, before handing them a full perimeter drain.
What paperwork does a lead installer handle?
Usually the photo log, crew hours, materials used, any change order the homeowner signs, and the warranty sheet left at the end. If the company names the lead as its competent person, they also keep the daily excavation inspections and confined space calls your program asks for. Keep the forms short, or they won't get filled out.
