Groundworks

I was thoroughly impressed with these guys.  I called Basement Systems of WV because they give free estimates.  So I figured I would let them figure out why I was getting water in the basement, instead of guessing at a couple of remedies myself that may or may not work.  They sent a packet with a lot of information regarding wet basements, solutions, and an introductory letter that included a picture of the engineer they would be sending to the house.   Getting the appointment took a little bit of time, I think it took about 6 weeks from when I called to get the appointment with the the engineer.  The engineer arrived and did a pretty good job of assessing the situation and coming up with a solution.    He wrote me an estimate, discussed financing options, and presented me with a written estimate for the work to be accomplished. After looking at other options, I decided to go with Basement Systems.  I called  and scheduled the work, again, it was about a month before they could begin the work.  The day they arrived the technicians were very professional.  They hung a lot of plastic curtains to try to reduce the amount of concrete dust that was going to ensue.  They got to work rapidly, I honestly can say that I have never seen two men work so hard for so long.  I thought they would have to tear out a whole section of slate tile to get to where they needed to demo, but one of them got a saw, cut the area, and removed only what he needed without damaging any of the other tile.  Impressive!  They worked hard and explained to me what they were doing as they went along.  When they were done (it took all day), they cleaned up and explained how everything worked.   The next week, as scheduled, I had another crew in to re-install the walls with metal studs and a concrete type sheetrock.  They explained that if water got behind the walls this would not allow mold or mildew to grow and the drain systems, installed the week before, would remove any water to the newly installed sump pump.  (Which is very nice,  not some open hole in the ground, rather, an enclosed pumping system, and it double as a new drain in the garage)  These guys were done in a few hours, again, very professional and informative. I think these guys are top shelf.  You have to wait a bit to get them to your home, and get them started, but I think this is because of the volume of work they have to do.  I also think they are a little pricey, but I am a believer in you pay for what you get, and when you are talking about a major investment, such as your home, pay the little extra and have the job done right.   Also the lifetime warranty is a plus.

The work was done as noted.  They were on time everyday.  The technicians were well informed and answered any questions I had while they were on the job.....and they left the job spotless.   The staff was knowledgable and courteous which is very important to me.  They never rushed me when I had questions and I am very pleased in every area from start to finish.

They were showed up just before our appointment time. They went straight to work and explained what their process would be for the day. They put protective plastic sheeting and carpet strips to catch dirt and dust. It took them about 8 hours and worked the whole time. If they even took a lunch I didn't notice. Work was constantly being done. Once completed they cleaned any trace that they were their and went over maintenance procedures. I was so happy to pay the money for it to be done in one day.

The workers were an hour late and the work took an extra two hours to complete. They called me at work a total of six times, interrupting my teaching day and helping my principal's irritation with me. They did not rebuild the steps as had been agreed in the first of the two estimates and which was discussed at both meetings with the company representative. The rep omitted the rebuilding on the second estimate and did not mention this. He ADMITTED this was bad business and unethical treatment.

They did just what they said they would do. They are not inexpensive. They cleaned up very well and made sure it looked as though they were never there. Their team of workers never stopped and worked very well together. I would recommend them to others.