Basement Waterproofing Before & After Photos

Before these Grand Rapids, MI homeowners bought their basement, there had been a septic system in the basement that connected outside. However, when the house was connected to the city line, the system and pipe were removed. The contractors who did the job tried to plug up where the pipe had been with polyurethane. Sadly, the 6-inch-wide crack seen in the before picture would still leak when it rained. To solve the problem, our Ayers crew used our FlexiSpan System. The FlexiSpan System works by using two different layers of the same polyurethane that the contractor first tried to plug the hole with. The first step was filling in the cracks with the first layer of polyurethane. After the hole was plugged again, a second layer was used to cover the entire leaky patch seen in the before. This layer will act as a drainage layer that directs water to a drain well at the foot of the wall. 

Courtney works for a property management company and was in need of a contractor that was as professional of a company as her own. Wanting to fix the cracks in her foundation, Courtney contacted Ayers and had our resident foreman Evan perform an inspection.

Evan realized the home needed a stronger draining system, so he prescribed a WaterGuard Drainage system. The system works with the home's sump pump to add an extra level of protection.

The system consists of a series of channels that diverge any excess water from the sump pump towards an outlet that takes the water far away from the home's foundation. The Channels are placed under the foundational floor, making the system invisible and unintrusive.

This window well was a real problem area for this home. Water kept getting into the basement from around the window. The homeowner had put sand bags around the well to try to keep water from getting in it. Soaked towels on the floor inside captured anything that got into the house. It was time to figure this problem out once and for all. Our crew came out and added a WaterGuard french drain system inside the basement along the wall. WaterGuard sits along the footing of the home below the concrete. As water comes in at the walls, floor, or the joint where the two meet, the moisture is directed into the drain and is carried safely to the sump pump for removal from the home. To help drain the window well properly, a window well drain was placed in the bottom of the well. As moisture enters the drain, it passes through a pvc pipe into the basement and down a channel along the wall, where it then enters the WaterGuard system to be directed a safe distance away from the home by the sump system. The window well should no longer be a problem. The proper drainage will ensure that the homeowner no longer has puddles on his basement floor and his possessions won't be ruined by moisture.

Caroline called Ayers because she wanted to add an egress window to a pre-existing small basement window. The egress window is a great choice for your basement windows as it is larger, therefore letting in more natural light and fresh air. It also adds value to your home when you renovate for a finished basement look. It includes a well and a convenient safe exit in the case of an emergency. 

She was able to transform her basement into a regular living space with a safe exit plan. Caroline is satisfied with her egress windows as they make her basement space feel larger and more inviting! 

Lee called Ayers looking for an Egress Window so he could begin the basement remodeling process and to stop the window well leaks he was currently dealing with. With the Egress Window he will no longer have to worry about leaks as this is a sturdy, waterproof window with a huge well on the exterior as well as a lid that keeps outside pests out. This window is larger which allows more natural light to shine through, making the space appear bigger and more inviting. This is also an important safety measure to consider because these windows provide a safe exit in emergency situations which is crucial for him since he wants to finish his basement. Lee was ecstatic with the new finished look the Egress Window brought to his basement!