to renovate that has a conventional foundation w/ FWIW on the topic of basements, the last house I bought had a 13x13 basement w/ a sump pump. Unfortunately, it was a foreclosure and the power had been off about a year. 2' of standing water! After pumping it out and getting the sump pump back online it remained damp. I ended up having a contractor put in a perimeter French drain that fed the sump pump - and no more moisture problems.