Your Dependable Grand Traverse County, MI Concrete Lifting & Foundation Crack Repair Professionals

Mike S. had a crawl space that needed some help in order to stay completely dry. After doing some searching on the internet Mike found Ayers Basement Systems. 

Mike called and our office staff immediately set him up with Nino Lira to complete the job. In order to get the job started, drainage matting is put down to channel the water out. On top of that is the CleanSpace Crawl Space Vapor Barrier. The CleanSpace protects from mold and rot, and never supports mildew. Mike made sure he wanted his crawl space totally dry and added the SaniDry dehumidifier. This energy efficient system can remove up to 109 pints of water per day while using a powerful fan that keeps dry air circulating all over the space. 

Mike was very satisfied with the work Ayers Basement Systems did. His crawl space is guaranteed to be totally dry for years to come!

Joan had water leaking into her home. Ayers Basement Systems was able to help waterproof her basement.

First, Ayers safely excavated all the water in her home. Then, a SuperSump pump system with cast iron pump, liner, airtight lid was installed along with an airtight floor drain. After that, a WaterWatch alarm system was prepared along with IceGuard to prevent floods from a frozen discharge line. At the end of the discharge line, a LawnScape outlet was placed to allow water to safely drain outside. Lastly, Ayers installed a WaterGuard inspection port for access to the system and a sub-floor drainage system.

Altogether, Joan was provided with a full waterproof system that would function efficiently and keep her basement dry.

When Randy and Codie of Grawn, MI first called us out to their home last June, they were already battling against a sinking foundation on one side of the home. Our system design specialist designed and quoted a piering job that he thought would save the foundation. However, Randy and Codie weren’t sure if they were ready to commit just yet, but they could definitely see the potential benefit. They were already dealing with the negative fallout from the settling foundation like uneven floors, doors sticking closed, and a toilet that had even started to turn in place. After a year passed and their problem continued to grow worse, Randy and Codie gave us a call for another inspection and an installation.

When our system design specialist completed his inspection of the home, it was clear that the problem had worsened. Repairing the sinking foundation would require more piers than the original plan had called for. In total, the crew installed eight different helical piers under Randy and Codie’s home, with six on the back side of the home and two more on the right. To install the piers, the crew first had to excavate the soil and gain access to the foundation. Once the soil was gone, the crew drove the piers deep into harder packed and more stable soil and then attached the foundation to the top of the piers. The idea is that the foundation sank because the soil it rested on wasn’t strong enough to support the house, but the deeper soil will be stronger and capable of handling more weight. After the piers were in place, the crew backfilled the soil around the foundation and cleaned up.

Though it was an extensive process, we think Randy and Codie would agree that the project was worth never having to worry about a sinking foundation again.

Don and Yvonne of Traverse City, MI had plans to sell their home within the next year. They were all set to move forward with the process, but they weren’t sure what role their out building - and more importantly the bowing walls inside of it - would play. Don and Yvonne noticed the problem after seeing multiple cracks in the building. They saw large stair step cracks, which is typically reason enough to suspect a bowing foundation, but the cracks in cement foundation on the outside also helped to convince them. The building was built into the side of a hill 30 years ago. When our system design specialist came out, he discovered that the walls had bowed about 6 full inches inwards since then. Foundations bow when the soil adjacent to them begin to expand and push against the walls. In this case, it was the soil in the hill that the building was built in. The crew wanted to do their best to guarantee that those walls wouldn’t crumble or affect the sale of the home. So, they used one of our most effective solutions against bowing walls – GeoLock Wall Anchors.

The Geo-Lock Anchor system works by attaching wall plates inside the building to Earth anchors in dependable soil. Using steel rods as tie backs, the system will halt the inward motion of the walls. The hill had taken quite a toll on Dave and Yvonne’s building, so much so that the crew had to use 10 different wall plates and anchors. Even though it was a tall order, the Geo-Lock System was able to put a stop to the bowing, and in time, may even return the walls to their original position.

Good Luck with the sale Don and Yvonne! 

We first heard from this customer in spring of 2015 - first they had replaced a sticking door, then they saw that a toilet in one of the bathrooms seemed to have tilted so much that it turned in place. They knew their house was settling.

Sure enough, we performed an inspection and found that an entire side of the house was sinking. They were not ready to have work performed, though.

We heard from them again this spring - the house was still settling and they wanted another inspection. The problem was the same, but it had spread; where they once needed seven helical piers to stabilize the foundation, they now needed eight. These problems only get worse.

This time they were ready, and we installed the helical piers along the sinking side of their home to raise the house to its previous position and stabilize it against further sinking.

Leslie was getting ready to sell her home when she noticed a large amount of standing water in the crawl space. There were about 4 inches of water in the crawl space, and it wasn’t helping with the sale. Luckily, there was no mold, mildew, or rotten wood from the moisture. But without a sump pump system in the crawl space, the water wasn’t going anywhere, either. Leslie needed a solution that would get the water out and soon.

Since Leslie was planning on selling the home anyway, she asked the crew for a system that would handle the problem as efficiently as possible. The crew put in a perimeter drain and covered it with stones to allow for easy drainage. Then they gave Leslie what she had been lacking for a long time, a sump pump. The SmartSump is the perfect sump pump system for a crawl space. It's capable of pushing out 2,000 gallons of water in an hour, meaning this crawl space will be dry for whoever owns the home. That water will then be lead to a lawnscape outlet in the backyard. Good Luck with the rest of the sale, Leslie!

Bob called to have us look at a house he was interested in purchasing. The house was 100 years old and had some pretty nasty spots in the basement. This was due to groundwater seepage, which is common in older homes.

In addition to the ambient moisture putting the basement at risk for mold, the water seeping through the walls also made everything look just plain ugly. To take care of the water, we installed WaterGuard below-floor drain system in the floor under the affected area and extended the discharge line far from the house to prevent the discharged water from seeping right back in. We also put in a new sump pump and a SaniDry dehumidifier.

To spruce up the look of the basement a bit, we covered the nasty walls with CleanSpace vapor barrier. Not only will the CleanSpace give it a bright, clean look, but it will also help protect the basement from ambient moisture.

Nathaniel called us in late 2014 hoping to get a quote to fix his foundation. The beams in his crawl space had definitely seen better days and upon inspection he determined that some Smart Jacks and some supplemental beams would be necessary. Nathaniel shopped around and thought about it for a while but a year later, he called us up again. These problems only get worse. Enough was enough. It was time to deal with it. We were able to install 4 SmartJacks below some supplemental beams. When these SmartJacks are installed, we dig out a cube of soil underneath and fill it with heavily compacted stone. This helps to distribute the load deep into the ground to strong competent soil so that these jacks will be sure to work for the homeowner for years and years to come. They are also adjustable and offer a great opportunity to lift floors to their original position. Nathaniel is now glad that the work is completed once and for all and for years to come he can be confident in the support that the SmartJacks provide.

June R. of Traverse City, MI has a finished basement, but stated water was coming in through a cove under the basement stairs. This has been an ongoing issue for years and with melting snow and rain, more water than ever before was coming in and soaking her carpet. So, she gave us a call. 

Our fix? The SuperSuper premier sump pump system and the WaterGuard French drain system. The SuperSump is a sump pump specifically designed to keep your basement dry for long periods of time. Capable of pumping 2,220 gallons of water per hour, it is suitable for heavy water intrusion.

After we installed that, we moved onto the WaterGuard French drain system. WaterGuard rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting water that seeps into the basement from the walls. This water is then redirected to the sump pump to be pumped up and out of the home -- in this case, our customer favorite the SuperSump fills this role.

Water problems? That's a joke!

Sojourn Church of Traverse City, MI was having water leak into its basement from the walls. This being said, we received a call. 

Our fix? The WaterGuard French drain system. WaterGuard rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting all the water that seeps into the basement from its walls. Once this water is collected, it is redirected to the sump pump to be pumped up and out of the building. 

No more water problems with this installment, Sojourn Church!

David H. from Traverse City, MI has a home that was built in the 1940s. With this being said, the crawlspace is damp and musty, causing the home to smell. So, David gave us a call.

Our solution? The SaniDry CX crawl space dehumidifier. The SaniDry CX is self-draining and can collect up to 109 pints without its collection tray having to be emptied. This makes for a convenient way to keep your crawl space dry and keeo your home free of musty odors. 

James J. of Traverse City, MI was having moisture issues in his crawl space before he reached out to us. Having moisture reside in a crawl space can provide a great environment for mold to grow as well as cause moisture issues in the home itself. 

Our fix? The CleanSpace crawl space encapsulation system. CleanSpace is a 20mm thick plastic lining that does a great job at sealing off crawl spaces from the outer elements. no dirt, cold air, water, or moisture is able to pass through this material. And as an added bonus, CleanSpace is developed with anti-microbial properties that prevent mold growth.

Bob V. of Traverse City, MI owns a home that is over 100 years old. Due to its age and the old foundation that the home is built upon, water often leaks into the basement. Having water reside in your basement can cause serious structural and comfort issues. Water can rot away and your belongings, cause congestion, make paint start to peel, and cause door and windows to stick. This said, Bob needed our help.

The two main products we installed for this job were the WaterGuard French drain system and the SaniDry XP standing dehumidifier. We started out by installing the WaterGuard. The WaterGuard drain rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting water that seeps into the basement from the walls. This water is then directed to the sump pump to be pumped up and out of the home.

After that installment we moved onto the SaniDry XP. This dehumidifier is a master at its job -- it can take up 109 liters of water per day despite its compact size. This machine will be sure to rid the basement of any lingering moisture.

Robert B. of Williamsburg, MI called us with a problem: the first step and sidewalk section at his home had settled two inches from the top front porch and had caused a tripping hazard of unequal risers for two steps. 

Our fix? Our patented PolyLevel injection foam. PolyLevel is lightweight yet durable, making this a perfect solution for providing a long-lasting solution. We begin a PolyLevel project by drilling small, penny-sized holes in the slab at hand, making access points for which the PolyLevel foam can be injected through. After we inject the foam and raise the slab, we refill the holes so they are barely noticeable. In the end, the slab can be walked on within about 15 minutes after the holes are refilled.

Tom S. of Williamsburg, MI had a crack in his basement wall that would leak water. His basement walls are poured concrete and his home was built in 1999. This combination creates an environment that could and did lead to a wall crack. This said, Tom called us to have this issue resolved before more problems occurred.

We installed our WaterGuard French drain system and used our FlexiSpan polyurethane crack sealant for this job. The WaterGuard French drain system rests below the basement floor and above the foundation footing, collecting water that seeps into the basement from the (cracked) walls. After this water is collected it is redirected to the sump pump to be pumped up and out of the house without you ever seeing it. 

The FlexiSpan foundation crack sealant provides a waterproof seal that will withstand even the natural shifting of the wall over time. 

The homeowners in Traverse City, MI had a crawl space door that was made of wood. Having a door made of wood can lead to problems for you and your crawl space. The wood could warp or crack because of weather causing you to need to replace it more frequently than you would prefer. Another problem with the wood door is that it fits loosely enough to let insects, rodents and fridgid winter air into your crawl space. The door can also let leaves, debris and water into the crawl space leaving you with a mess. 

Thankfully, Ayers Basement Systems has a solution to this problem. The Turtl crawl space access well. The product is sized to protect most crawl space doors, the Turtl Crawl Space Entry System consists of a reinforced shell made from plastic and a hinged plastic top that seals down securely and can be locked to prevent entry. The system is a permanent solution and is durable enough to withstand harsh weather environments. There is no painting or maintenance required and is a great way to keep your crawl space clean, safe and secure and your home exterior looking good.

Charles has cement block basement walls. They began to crack and he wanted to resolve this issue before it caused him bigger problems. Charles had vertical cracks in various walls in the basement. We used FlexiSpan to seal the cracks in the walls. FlexiSpan seals the cracks of and has a built-in secondary strategy in case the first one fails. This flexible material protects your basement in the case those cracks ever  begin leaking. As the wall moves over time, FlexiSpan moves with it to keep it your walls from leaking again.

Gloria decided to she wanted to encapsulate her crawl space. We began by installing our CleanSpace Liner. The CleanSpace Liner is made of a durable plastic, similar to a pool liner, that separates your crawl space from the earth.

This is an inorganic material that helps prevent mold and bacteria growth that could be detrimental to your family’s health. Additionally,  with this durable material you don’t have to worry about tearing it if you need to enter your crawl space. We then installed the Everlast entry door. This door locks smoothly and fits snugly to keep any outside air and moisture from seeping into your crawl space. The combination of moisture and organic materials is a prime environment for mold. We finished this crawl space off with the SaniDry Sedona. The SaniDry is a dehumidifier and combined with the rest of these products will keep your crawl space dry and prevent mold growth.

Our customer has a house that was built in 2004 with cement block walls. Their walls were beginning to bow. Bowing walls are a result of wall failure. This wall failure is caused by pressure that is built up in the soil and then begins exerting that pressure against your basement wall. The pressure can be from water, frost, or the expansion of clay soil.

We installed our PowerBrace System in this customer’s basement. The PowerBraces are designed to support basement walls. They allow for potential straightening over time using our patented system. The zinc coated beams create a non-toxic surface and make the entire system resistant to corrosion, reduces wear, and provides a clean -cut appearance in your basement.

 Don't let bowing walls keep you up at night, Quality 1st has the solutions and we're waiting for you to call us and schedule your FREE estimate today!

Sagging floors sometimes leave you wondering how much longer they can support the weight that is placed on them in your home. Floors above your crawl space can sag for many reasons: the existing columns are spaced too far apart, the floor joists have weakened from moisture/wood rot, or existing coumns have settled due to weak soil. No need to worry though, there is a solution to your sagging floors that will give you peace of mind. 

This apartment complex noticed not only sagging floors, but the doors were sticking and walls were beginning to crack, all signs of foundation problems. Our experts looked into this and figured out the best solution to this problem would be to install our crawl space SmartJacks. 

SmartJacks are made of steel so they won't rust from moisture. They are also very strong and can support loads of more than 60,000 pounds. You're probably wondering how they work. Before each jack is placed a 2 inch cube of soil is excavated and the hole is filled with concrete or a type of engineered fill. Then the steel column is cut to your crawl space height and the jack is assembled and tightened into place. The immediately stabilized the floor joists and lifts the floors and walls back to their original position. 

We received a call from Lesley in Traverse City, MI stating that there was standing water in her crawlspace that went all the way up to her calves. Her entire crawlspace obviously needed to be waterproofed. For this particular project, we installed a SmartSump sump pump and our IceGuard Discharge Line System. For waterproofing crawlspaces, our SmartSump is the best option. The SmartSump is specifically designed for crawl spaces and can provide all the protection you need from leaks and floods. The SmartSump comes equipped with a cast-iron Zoeller primary pump with the option of adding an UltraSump Battery Backup Sump Pump.

In order to ensure that your sump pump discharge lines don’t freeze in the winter months, we have our patented IceGuard system. IceGuard is combined with the sump pump and is installed outside of your home ejecting water away from the foundation in the event that the sump pump discharge lines freeze or become clogged. In this scenario, IceGuard is installed with the SmartSump, but its versatility allows it to be installed with all of our sump pumps.

Despite how rough of shape Lesley’s crawlspace was in when we first arrived, it is now completely waterproofed, and she won’t have to worry about her discharge lines freezing in the winter thanks to IceGuard.

Having a dehumidifier in your basement or crawlspace is incredibly important in the fight to keep your house dry. We received a call from Jason in Traverse City saying that there was moisture seeping through the walls of his basement and mold was beginning to form. There was one major problem: he didn’t have a dehumidifier. If you are in the same situation as Jason, don’t just go out and get any dehumidifier, because nothing compares to our SaniDry Sedona. When installed in your basement or crawl space, the Sedona will help prevent all mold growth and reduce musty odors, giving you healthy air and total comfort. Although the Sedona is small in size, it is still more than powerful enough to lower humidity in the dampest of environments. The best thing about our Sedona is that unlike other dehumidifier systems, you don’t have to worry about emptying it every day. The Sedona instead has a pump that connects directly to the sump pump which takes care of emptying the dehumidifier, and it works 24/7. To ensure that your basement or crawlspace has the best appliances around it to help keep it dry, getting your hands on the SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier is a great place to start.

We got a call from Mark in Traverse City saying that he had begun to notice the walkway outside of his starting to become uneven. After going out for our free inspection, the answer was clear to us that Mark’s walkway was in need of some PolyLevel injections. PolyLevel is by far the best solution for situations like Mark’s because it has the capability to lift settled slabs and slab foundations. Our PolyLevel is extremely strong, but also very light, as it weighs only 4 lbs. per cubic ft., compared to 120 lbs. per cubic ft. for standard fill material. It’s also waterproof. Once the PolyLevel is cured, it will not wash away in the rain or snow. Speaking of curing, it has an extremely quick curing time of 15 minutes. If you have any issues with sinking or unlevel concrete slabs, then our PolyLevel injections are the way to go.

Codie, (our soon to be new friend) in Grawn, MI unknowingly began facing severe foundation issues. First a couple of doors began sticking in her historic 130-year-old home. She replaced them thinking it was just a sign of their age. Codie thought she had solved her problems until the floors started to become uneven in multiple areas of her home and several doors started sticking again. This is when it became clear that there was a larger cause to all of this.

Unsure of what direction to turn, Codie contacted her dad for help. He guided her to the proven foundation expertise of Ayers. Before long, our System Design Specialists were at our new friend’s home calculating a proposal plan to lift the unstable portions of her home back to their original position. Fully satisfied with our plan, Codie chose to go forward with the project. We revisited her home and stabilized it using a series of eight helical piers. When the soil around this home settles in the future, the foundation won’t because of the support rooted in competent soil deep below. Thanks to a team effort, Codie’s home will remain a sturdy historic icon for decades to home. If your foundation is cracking or bowing, call us for a free estimate.

Glen and Kate W., homeowners in Kingsley, MI noticed that they had multiple basement walls bowing outward. The couple’s foundation walls slowly began developing stair step cracks. As the problem continued to grow, so did the couples worry. While at church one Sunday, Kate was talking to a couple of her friends and mentioned her wall problems. One of the friends told Kate that her and Glen should call Ayers out for a free in-home inspection. Kate went home and discussed the recommendation with her husband, before we knew it our phone was ringing, and it was Glen and Kate calling for our professional guidance.

We hurried to their home and our Design Specialist created a solution proposal consisting of 11 wall anchors. Wall anchors are perfect for returning a wall back to its original position and reinforcing the entire foundation. After hearing another solution proposal, Glen and Kate confidently chose us! We carefully chose a time that fit their schedule and returned to put our solution in place. A short time after we left the couple’s home, they were already beginning to observe movement of the wall toward its original position. Wall troubles at home? Let us help you! Call us for a free estimate.