Long travel and access
The appointment and estimate account for equipment access, material handling and the exact location of the building on the property.
Cambridge, Vermont · Lamoille County
Basement waterproofing and foundation repair in Cambridge, VT
Cambridge basement and foundation projects often require careful planning for rural access, terrain, long drainage paths, stone or mixed foundations and excavation. Those conditions are reviewed when the property is inspected. Homes in Cambridge village and on the hill farms above it often have different water problems.
Request service in CambridgeLocal conditions
What shapes basement water in Cambridge.
Cambridge sits in the Lamoille River valley with the Brewster River running through the town, combining village streets, farmland and hillside parcels. Valley-floor properties and hillside ones present quite different water conditions, so the inspection follows the site instead of the town.
Neighborhoods and places in Cambridge include Cambridge Village, Jeffersonville and Lamoille River valley.
Local conditions on record
What the public record says about Cambridge.
Cambridge's soil survey rates 79% of its natural soil very limited for basements, and 6% of its soil area floods occasionally or more often.
The nearest weather station, at Jeffersonville, records about 57.79 inches of precipitation a year. That is far more than the Champlain Valley towns get.
Radon tests reached the EPA action level in 9.7% of Cambridge homes. Elevation decides flood risk.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Precipitation per year (Jeffersonville) | 57.79 in |
| Named settlements | Morses Mill, Jeffersonville, North Cambridge, Cambridge Junction and Pleasant Valley |
| Numbered highways | VT 15, VT 104, VT 108 and VT 109 |
| Tested homes above radon action level | 9.7% above |
| Soils very limited for basements | 79% limited |
| Soil that often floods | 6% floods |
| Lamoille County: bedrock within 40 in | 48% shallow |
| Lamoille County: water table within 20 in | 17% wet |
Cambridge's 2018 Town Plan describes the 2017 Cambridge Greenway Trail Bridge replacement over the Brewster River, which fixed a low, flood-prone crossing that had been reducing flood risk to the Jeffersonville village core.
Flood hazard bylaws and buyouts in Cambridge
Cambridge has the greatest change in elevation of any Vermont town, according to its own 2018 plan. The northern edge of Mount Mansfield lies to the south, and the Lamoille River crosses the northern third of town. The plan describes agriculturally rich bottomland along the Lamoille and thin, stony soil high on Mansfield's northern slope. A basement in Cambridge Village and one on the mountain face face different water. The bylaws are old.
Cambridge's municipal development plan says development is governed by Flood Hazard Area Bylaws adopted in 1995. It limits development in flood hazard areas to agriculture, recreation and open space. Nothing else should be built there except under the bylaws.
The town supports hazard mitigation grants for owners who want to flood-proof a building. It backs buyouts of flood-prone properties too. The 2013 plan records that flooding has made the Cambridge Regional Health Center inaccessible or forced it to evacuate.
The plan calls for erosion control on any construction that disturbs soil, so nothing moves off site or into surface waters. It says bridges and culverts should meet Better Back Roads standards. It also says no waste disposal or storage of contaminants should be permitted in high water table and groundwater recharge areas.
Flood-proofing a basement can mean grading, drains and a sump. It can also mean moving the utilities up. Ask a Cambridge contractor which grants apply before starting work. FEMA's flood map service center shows the zone for a given address. Ask about grants.
Services in Cambridge
Complete basement and foundation work
Planning a project in Cambridge
What can change the work and the price
Stone and crawlspace work
Masonry, drainage, liners, insulation and supports are separated so each part of the job is clear.
Seasonal construction
Interior drainage, sump and structural work may be possible while exterior excavation or grading waits for suitable conditions.