Start from site conditions, not a product catalog
Good planning traces bulk water paths, low spots that collect moisture, clearance for termite inspectors, a properly sealed and fastened liner, air sealing at the band joist, correctly sized dehumidification, and the current condition of the floor framing.
What belongs in a complete scope
- Current condition and probable cause
- Protection measures before work starts
- Material selection, compatibility, and installation method
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and site restoration
- What's excluded, warranty duration, and change-order process
Wilmington context
A high water table under sandy soil is what makes Wilmington crawl spaces behave differently from inland ones. Sand drains quickly at the surface, which can be misleading, while groundwater sits close enough beneath the house to keep the ground under a crawl space damp regardless of how well the lot sheds rain -- so a space can be persistently wet with no drainage fault above it at all. Coastal humidity supplies the second and larger route: through most of the year, warm outdoor air pulled through foundation vents condenses on cooler surfaces below the floor, wetting framing, ductwork and insulation without a leak anywhere. There is also a regulatory point specific to this coast. On a property in a mapped flood zone, an enclosure below the flood elevation is expected to allow floodwater in and out through vents, so sealing it is not simply a performance decision and the parcel's flood status has to be established first.