Document the condition
Note location, timing, weather relationship, changes over time, and any previous work. Photos and simple measurements can improve the first conversation.
Read the local context
Plan around the fact that most Cary homes date to the Research Triangle Park-driven growth of the past four decades, sit on slab foundations, and were graded for builder-grade drainage rather than western Wake County's slow-draining clay, so a plan that only addresses visible growth without checking grading and irrigation will likely see the problem again.
Ask what will be hidden
What's visible on the surface is the smallest part of the problem. A plan worth paying for tracks the water back to its entry point, accounts for humidity, evaluates how far the damage has spread into materials, defines containment, and specifies how the result gets verified. The written scope should explain the preparation and verification that will no longer be visible at completion.
Compare complete scopes
Look for protection, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, restoration, exclusions, warranties, and change-order rules.
What official local sources add
Cary maintains a historic-preservation program and a municipal stormwater system. Planned-neighborhood infrastructure does not remove the need to verify lot drainage, easements, local landmarks, and permits for the particular scope.
Sources were reviewed June 20, 2026. Confirm parcel-specific flood zones, historic-district status, permits, and current requirements with the relevant authority before authorizing work.