Job Stories

A homeowner in Ann Arbor, MI who had been living in their house that was built in the 80’s was beginning to see issues in the basement. Water had been filling the floors, leaving the carpets wet and causing damage to the walls. The source of the water remained a mystery, and despite some previous attempts at fixing the problem, their situation seemed to be worsening.   Several years back, the previous homeowner tried to address the water issue by patching some rod holes and cracks. Additionally, they installed a small interior drain in the corner of the laundry room, adjacent to the sump pump. They also encapsulated the crawlspace, hoping to mitigate moisture-related issues. For a while, these measures seemed to have done the trick, until three weeks ago when water unexpectedly flooded the finished area of the basement, ruining the carpet and drywall. This was the room where their 5-year-old son played and watched TV, raising concerns about mold growth and potential health risks for him.   Their desire was to avoid the complexities of dealing with multiple contractors and the prolonged timeframe that would entail. To make matters more pressing, the homeowner had an upcoming vacation planned, and they were keen on having the basement renovated and safeguarded before they left. This led them to research the best basement waterproofing companies in the area and they came across us and scheduled an inspection.   When our Project Manager, who had years of experience in basement waterproofing arrived, he immediately knew this homeowner would need a full waterproofing solution that involved the WaterGuard, Sanidry - Sedona and the Everlast Wall Restoration System.   The first step was to install the WaterGuard system along the perimeter of the basement floor, this would capture any water seepage and channel it towards the sump pump. Its design ensures that it remains out of sight, discreetly tucked beneath the floor but above the foundation footing to prevent cogging. Next, our crew would install the Sanidry - Sedona to address the air quality and humidity. This would improve the overall air quality within the basement and prevent mold from growing while reducing the musty smell often associated with damp basements. Finally, to address the water-damaged walls, our crew installed the Everlast Wall Restoration System. This system consists of durable, washable, and mold-resistant panels that are installed directly over the existing damaged drywall, providing a clean and polished finish while preventing any future water damage.   Upon the completion of the renovation, the homeowner was more than happy with the outcome. The basement was now a dry, safe, and welcoming space, free from any signs of water damage or potential health risks for their son. Now they could enjoy the vacation they had plans without the stress of coming back to a flooded basement.  

In the past, HomeSpec installed an interior drainage system for this customer as well as repairing crack and rod holes. We also installed an egress window and window well in the basement. Recently, she contacted us to install a Zoeller pump, high water alarm, and downspout extensions. The Zoeller pump is a secondary pump in the sump basin that can pump thousands of gallons of water out an hour. The high water alarm will alert you if water has risen past the point where the pumps should have turned on. These features are necessary for sump pumps that constantly deal with high volumes of water. 

Water was leaking into this homeowner's basement, so she contacted HomeSpec. Our team found that cracks and rod holes were the culprits, so our crew sealed them to prevent anymore leakage in the future. 

The window wells and egress windows on this Petersburg home were very old and not properly draining water. They had no cover, and water was leaking through the window into the basement after storms. The homeowners called HomeSpec to have them replaced.  Our crew removed the old wells and windows, and replaced them with ours. Our window well comes with a cover to prevent water seepage and protect from the elements. We also installed drainage in the well, so it won’t flood and leak into the basement. It looks so much better now!  

These Petersburg homeowners found something horrific when they looked inside their crawl space. They had been smelling weird smells, and hearing odd noises coming from under their home, so they decided to investigate. Not only did they find dead animals, but live ones too - a family of opossums. They had snuck in through a damaged vent, and made it their home.  After this shocking discovery, the homeowners decided they wanted their crawl space encapsulated - so they called HomeSpec. Our crew installed a vapor barrier over the dirt floor and the walls, and then covered the vents. This was done after another company removed the animals of course! As much as these critters need a home, your home needs to be protected as well. Now these homeowners can rest assured that nothing is getting into their crawl space.  

This Petersburg, Michigan basement was very humid in the summer. Humidity is not good for organic materials, like wood, which is abundant in a basement. High moisture levels lead to condensation, mold, and rot. This basement was experiencing all 3. The floor joists were beginning to rot, which endangers the structural integrity of the home. Mold was growing behind the drywall, which meant mold spores were floating around the entire home too.  Our team suggested installing one of our powerful, efficient dehumidifiers to solve this problem - the SaniDry Sedona. It removes up to 95 pints of water from the air PER DAY. And on top of that, it costs less to run than others on the market. After a few weeks with the Sedona, the homeowners felt like they had a brand new basement!  

A family in Petersburg, Mi recently purchased a new home in the area. It was a beautiful home near a good school district for their kids; they truly believed they could settle down here for the foreseeable future. The only problem was that their floor was settling before they were. The family best described the situation as the floors felt as though they were dipping. This created an understandable concern if foundation repair was needed, or if something was wrong with crawl space. They really wanted to ensure a safe long-term home for their family, so they searched for contractors specializing in foundation and crawlspace repair near Petersburg, and found HomeSpec to be the most respectable choice.   HomeSpec's Jesse Frailey drove out to discuss concerns with the family; the "dipping" floors became readily apparent to Jesse as well. His investigation commenced, taking him to an outside access for the crawl space; there wasn't any water in the area, which was a relief because it meant no crawlspace waterproofing would be needed. However, sagging joists were noted and needed to be addressed immediately.   To that end, our crew introduced the SmartJack reinforcement system to the crawlspace. The SmartJack® system is a foundation repair product that provides a permanent solution to these problems. The SmartJack® is installed by attaching steel support beams to the floor joists and a sturdy base at the floor. Once all posts are installed, they are adjusted to raise the floors to a level position. With the SmartJacks being easily adjusted at any point, if the homeowner requires it, they help ensure a permanent solution to foundation and structural problems.   This family was able to literally reclaim the sense of balance stolen from them, thanks to HomeSpec.

This customer is in charge of the upkeep of her church, and contacted HomeSpec because the concrete walkway leading to the entrance was uneven and posed a tripping hazard.  Our team solved this problem by using our PolyLevel system with our NexusPro joint sealant. The polyurethane foam expands after being injected under the concrete slabs, which lifts and levels them back into place. Then we sealed all of the joints with our UV and waterproof sealant. 

This homeowner had severe cracks in their basement walls. They kept getting worse over time, to the point that some of them extended from the floor to the ceiling. The most serious part about the problem was that the cracks were heavily leaking and causing water to pool on the basement floor.  HomeSpec repairs problems like this on a weekly basis. We repair cracks permanently with the best products and materials so they will never get worse or leak again. After sealing the cracks in this Swartz Creek basement, the homeowner reported no leaks even after a rainy spring. 

This homeowner contacted HomeSpec because water kept leaking into his basement in the same spot. Upon inspection, we discovered that the patio attached to the back of the house was sinking and sloped towards the home. This means water was pooled at the foundation wall being directed straight down to the basement.  To solve this problem, HomeSpec PolyLeveled the concrete patio. The slab was raised and leveled, then the joints between the patio and the house were sealed along with all of the other joints. This prevents water from getting under the concrete and washing away the soil - which is what leads to concrete sinking. The homeowner was happy because other companies said he would have to waterproof his entire basement, but by fixing the concrete, HomeSpec was able to prevent water from leaking into the basement again.