A flooded basement can be a very stressful and overwhelming situation for a homeowner. It can cause significant damage to your property and can be expensive to repair. In addition to the financial burden, it can also be emotionally draining to deal with the aftermath of a flood. Ripping out wet carpet, hauling away wet furniture, and rushing to find a wet vac at the hardware store are all tasks you wish you could avoid ever happening again. If you’re like many homeowners, you may have heard of basement waterproofing but thought your basement would be fine and waterproofing wasn’t a good investment.
The reality is that most basements in the Midwest older than 10 years will eventually get water seepage sooner rather than later. That’s because of several factors, including cracks in the walls, bowing walls, shearing and hydrostatic pressure that builds up in the soil around your home’s foundation, putting pressure on your foundation walls.
If you find yourself needing basement waterproofing, you should do your research for a professional basement waterproofing company, and learn how to avoid scams. Unfortunately, while professional basement waterproofing is a very legitimate industry that helps thousands of homeowners prevent water in their basement, there are also some companies trying to get the most money out of false repairs. Basement waterproofing is one of the most important investments you will have to make in your home, and you don’t want to do it twice. Make sure it’s done right the first time.
Today, we’re going to go over some red flags to look out for and some tips for how to avoid getting scammed.
If You Can’t Find Any Information About Them
If you’re a homeowner, you do research before hiring any service provider. If you look up a company and they don’t have a website, that’s a red flag. Any reputable basement waterproofing company is going to have a website. It’s part of doing business these days. Try looking up the owner’s name. You may find that they have done business under another name, and that company went out of business because they scammed people. Check their website, social media and read their reviews. Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints and make sure they are an accredited business.
They’re Not a Licensed Company
Basement waterproofing is a major home improvement, and anyone performing it is required to be licensed and insured. We’re not talking about slapping a coat of sealant on the walls – we’re talking about installing an interior waterproofing drain system with one or more sump pumps to manage the water when it seeps through the foundation. Any contractor should be able to provide you with their license number when asked.
They are a Brand-New Business
If the company is a start-up, that can be a red flag, but not necessarily a deal-breaker. Do your research on who owns the company. Do they have years of experience in basement waterproofing and have decided to start their own business? That MIGHT be OK if they have the cash flow to have an inventory of equipment and have real employees rather than subcontractors. If the company is just one man and a truck or an office with some staff, steer clear, and go with a company with a proven reputation. We have seen many companies come and go over the years. We have also seen these companies take a slew of homeowners for an unfortunate ride leaving them not so high and dry and without a warranty because they renamed or just plain went out of business.
Use a locally Founded and Owned Company
Hiring a locally founded and owned company can provide several benefits, including local knowledge, community support, personalized service, quick response times, knowledge of local regulations and code, and flexibility in services. Hiring a locally founded and owned company can be a great choice for your needs when seeking basement waterproofing services for your home.
Recommending More Work Than You Actually Need
This is probably an easy one to imagine, but there are many contractors out there who will go to great lengths to dramatically upsell their services. They often try to convince you to make dramatic modifications to your home, and that this is the only way that you could solve the issue of a wet basement, once and for all.
In some cases, fraudulent contractors will suggest that you sign on for more work than you need. It is not uncommon for unreputable companies to recommend digging out the entire foundation of a home and waterproofing the whole perimeter of it to fix a problem that could be fixed with less expensive work.
Professional basement contractors know that the likely culprit for a damp basement could be easily identified and fixed, without the need to tear it all apart and rebuild it again, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of work.
Are there any Warranties with the work?
Some waterproofing companies may offer a warranty. A good tip for those of you who are looking for a reputable waterproofing company, investigate the fine print on contracts and information. Ask for references, check their website and social media pages for references and reviews.
Stories from our clients
We had a client call in for an estimate, thinking they needed piering due to another company telling them they needed $30,000 of work done to fix their home. The other company told them they checked to see if the home was level, and it was sinking. The customer was smart to call other basement foundation companies to look also. When BAM went out with lasers, found their home was level and not sinking. Showed the client how level their house was, they were shocked to say the least. The foundation walls ended up having a very common shrinkage crack in the foundation that was going to cost $1500 to fix. BAM ended up saving the client $28,500 plus thousands in landscaping cost and let’s not forget the stress of having their entire yard ripped apart.
Check out our Questions to ask basement waterproofing company
Schedule Your FREE Basement Estimate
When you’re in a Jam call BAM! At BAM Basements and Masons of Des Moines, we value your home and we value our business reputation. That’s why for more than 10 years, we’ve provided honest and thorough basement estimates followed up with well-researched, fact-based basement waterproofing solutions for homeowners throughout Des Moines, Iowa.
We can help you avoid costly and stressful waterproofing mistakes, by giving you a customized solution that’s going to work for you and your home long term and keep the water out of your basement. BAM Basements and Masons of Des Moines is a professional and locally founded, locally owned and operated licensed contractor. We offer affordable honest upfront pricing, no hidden costs, offer free estimates and limited lifetime warranties. We use new methods and materials in all jobs.
We would welcome the opportunity to help you reclaim your basement. We offer basement waterproofing solutions to homeowners throughout Des Moines Iowa. Schedule a free basement inspection by filling out the contact form or call us at 515-963-0226.