1. Record what you're seeing
Note the visible symptoms, limit further damage if it's safe to do so yourself, and gather whatever history applies -- a past leak, a humid summer, prior repairs.
2. Look past the surface
Surface staining is rarely the full extent of it in an older Piedmont-clay foundation. A sound plan traces where water is actually entering, checks humidity levels, assesses how far the material damage runs, sets up containment, and includes a check once work wraps up.
3. Put it in writing
Spell out prep steps, what gets protected, materials used, how the crew accesses the space, any permits, post-work testing, cleanup, finish restoration, exclusions, and change-order handling.
4. Look past the bottom line
Check credentials and pay attention to why each provider is proposing what they are and where their scope stops -- not just which number is lowest.
5. Confirm the job is actually done
Make sure post-work testing, cleanup, paperwork, any warranty, and ongoing maintenance responsibilities are all settled before calling the project finished.