Start by documenting the condition
Track where it's located, when it appeared, any weather correlation, how it has changed, and prior work done. Photos and simple measurements strengthen the first conversation.
Read the local context
Troy's housing is unusually uniform in age, and that is the useful fact for this trade: farmland until incorporation in 1955, then subdivisions through the 1960s and 70s, so the failure points repeat street to street rather than varying house to house. What a neighbor found is genuinely informative here. That era brought basements and ducted systems, where humid summers condense on cool below-grade surfaces without any leak, and a long Michigan heating season pushes indoor moisture into cold attic space above. The Rouge River corridor that once cut through the farmland still sets the water table on lots nearest it.
Ask what will be sealed away
Visible growth is only one part of the problem -- a solid plan also covers water entry, humidity, material condition, containment, and post-work verification. The written scope should spell out prep and verification steps that won't be visible once finished.
Evaluate complete proposals
Confirm protection measures, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, restoration, exclusions, warranties, and change-order terms are all addressed.
What official local sources add
The City of Troy's Engineering Department manages floodplain information, storm drains, and soil-erosion permitting, and its Streets and Drains Division investigates residential stormwater issues under Oakland County's stormwater permit program. Because Troy's housing spans several distinct construction eras built over the same slow-draining clay soils, current permitting and drainage requirements should be confirmed with the city before major exterior or crawlspace work begins.
Sources were reviewed 2026-07-26. Confirm parcel-specific flood zones, historic-district status, permits, and current requirements with the relevant authority before authorizing work.