Almost always yes. Because water drives most Cincinnati foundation failure, controlling it is what makes the structural repair last. Doing the drainage work alongside the piers or wall stabilization is more efficient and prevents recurrence. We coordinate the two so the foundation fix actually holds.
More detail
Pairing drainage and waterproofing with the structural repair is one of the most important decisions a homeowner makes, and the answer is usually yes for a simple reason: in Greater Cincinnati, water is the number one cause of foundation movement, so a repair that addresses the structure but not the water leaves the root cause in place. There are also practical efficiencies to doing both together. When the crew is already excavating along a foundation wall to install exterior piers, that is the natural time to address exterior drainage, footing drains, and waterproofing membrane, because the wall is exposed and the access is already paid for. When a bowing wall is being stabilized, relieving the hydrostatic pressure with an interior drainage system and a sump, plus regrading and downspout extensions outside, is what keeps the wall from continuing to take the same load that bowed it. Sequencing and coordinating the structural and water-control scopes together avoids doing the same digging twice and ensures the two systems are designed to work as one. The specific water measures that commonly accompany foundation repair include extending downspouts well away from the foundation, regrading the soil to slope away from the house, installing or restoring footing drains, adding an interior perimeter drain and sump pump where appropriate, and applying exterior waterproofing where walls are excavated. We assess the water sources during the inspection and, when the situation calls for dedicated drainage and waterproofing work, we scope it alongside the structural repair so the whole problem is solved once. A homeowner comparing proposals should weigh a slightly higher quote that includes water control as likely the more durable, better-value repair than a cheaper structural-only quote that ignores the cause.