# Interior waterproofing vs exterior drainage (Kansas City)

> Premier Gutters KC - NDS-certified drainage contractor. (816) 469-9563. Published pricing.

**Short answer:** Opposite ends of the same problem. Interior waterproofing (slab-edge channel + sump, typically $8,000-$15,000) manages water after it's inside - the wall stays wet forever. Exterior drainage stops water arriving: buried downspouts $300-$700/line, French drains $25-$60/LF ($1,500-$3,800 typical). Most KC wet basements are a DELIVERY problem - roof and surface water fed into the clay beside the wall - fixed outside for a fraction of the cost. Interior systems earn their keep only with genuinely high water tables (water in dry spells, pit running year-round) - and we say so plainly, since that work isn't ours to sell.

Finished basement? Do the outside work AND keep a healthy sump with battery backup.
The free test: fix the outside water first, then see what's left. In most KC houses - nothing.

Full page: https://premiergutterskc.com/answers/interior-waterproofing-vs-exterior-drainage-kansas-city/