The work generally sucks but it's definitely possible to DIY. The difficulty mainly scales with access; if you've got a lot of room, it's easier to excavate (especially if you haven't used similar equipment before), store the dirt, avoid digging by hand, etc. Destroying/rebuilding decks, stairs, concrete and asphalt or digging is also a pain, though you didn't mention any obstacles. Your steps look good: locate any utilities - call in and mark anything not covered yourself excavate - rent or borrow a mini excavator clean off the wall - use a pressure washer and a wire brush patch any cracks - use hydraulic cement apply water proofing compound - fluid applied (spray or roller) and membrane (peel-and-stick) products works best, check the instructions for minimum thickness/layer count, dry times, etc and pay extra attention to cold joints which are generally the most likely to leak create a free-draining plane - once it's dry, cover the waterproofing with a dimple membrane, rigid insulation or both install weeping tile - use perforated PVC (avoid the flexible, black pipe), place it beside the footer (not on top) with the holes facing down, ensure that the top of the pipe is even with or below the top of the footer, create a burrito out of nonwoven geotextile fabric, 3/4" washed + crushed stone with the pipe in the middle (less stone below the pipe more stone above and to the side) install cleanouts - use a combo fitting or build your own using a wye + street/spigot 45 and bring pipes up to grade (placement depends on how long and complex the foundation walls are), capped with a scew-in cleanout, where necessary for future inspection and maintenance fill - backfill with more 3/4" stone until you are a foot or so from grade, then cap it with clay, sloping away from the house If you're no doing the whole foundation at once, I'd suggest doing one wall and continuing around the corner for a bit so that you can deal with the transition. It's enticing, both financially and mentally, to cut corners but you don't want to do the job twice. Do a good job cleaning off the wall and footer, follow the waterproofing compound's instructions and don't go with cheaper damp proofing materials, avoid flexible pipe wrapped in a sock and buy the proper pipe, fabric and stone, don't skip out on the drainage layer or backfill, put in a couple of cleanouts and insulate (exterior insulation is continuous and superior). Answer from DrDevin on reddit.com