Basement Waterproofing Photo Album: Strengthening and Waterproofing of Basement Walls - Woodinville, WA

This homeowner hired an experienced contactor to finish their basement. After assessing the the space, John's was called to come out and inspect the basement. Our Design Specialist arrived, and thoroughly inspected the basement. He found one of the basement walls to be bowed, cracked and weeping, caused by the build up of hydrostatic pressure. Additionally, the floor above the basement was sagging in some areas. He explained to the homeowner and the contractor that if the integrity of the basement wall and the flooring above were allowed to further diminish, the entire structure of the home would eventually be compromised by the water damage and inadequate support. After explaining, he offered expert solutions to permanently repair the basement wall, lift the sagging floor, and prevent further water damage. Thoughtfully, he proposed the installation of SecureLock Wall Braces and SmartJacks to repair the structure. To waterproof the basement, he proposed installation of our WaterGuard System, ThermalDry Wall System, and Ground Drainage Matting, as well as pouring a new concrete floor. The homeowner looked to the contractor for his opinions on our Job Proposal. The contractor assured the homeowner that John's is the leading expert in structural and waterproofing repairs, and that they could trust in the effectiveness of our proposed solutions. Confident in the respected reputation of our company, the homeowner signed off on the Job Proposal, and we scheduled his repairs. When our crew arrived, the first step in this job was to dig out the basement floor. Along the full perimeter of the basement, we placed our WaterGuard water collection channel, which will gather all basement wall water seepage, and route it slightly downhill, to be expelled by a Sump Pump to a discharge line. To insulate the basement walls, we installed our ThermalDry Wall Coverings directly onto all of the concrete walls. Our ThermalDry Covering is a strong and flexible vapor barrier, that helps to insulate your basement and improve energy efficiency by reducing the amount of heat that's absorbed into basement walls. Additionally, the Coverings will divert wall moisture seepage down into the WaterGuard. Next, we installed 10 SecureLock Interior Wall Braces directly in front of the ThermalDry Wall Coverings. To do this, we dug out 10 small portions along the bottom of the wall, spaced evenly apart, to place the Floor Bracket of each SecureLock Brace. The top of each Brace we bolted into the overhead floor joist, firmly securing each brace, providing excellent reinforcement to hold the basement wall in place. To address the sagging floor above the basement, we installed 5 SmartJacks to lift up the flooring. SmartJacks are steel Piers that are "jacked up" until the flooring above is lifted back to its appropriate height. They remain permanently in place, and offer high future adjustability if need be. With the walls repaired and reinforced, and the flooring now properly supported, laid down our DrainMatt along the entire floor of the basement. Next, we placed rebar, in preparation to pour a new concrete floor. We poured concrete directly into the floor brackets of the SecureLock Braces, as well as tightly around the SmartJack footings, and right up against the WaterGuard trench along the walls. After pouring the new concrete floor, we gave it a beautiful broom finish. The damaged wall of this basement has now been expertly reinforced through the installation of the highest quality steel Wall Braces available. Additionally, the entire basement is now waterproofed and has a beautiful new concrete floor to boot! The experts here at John's take great pride in completing high quality work, that we are certain will withstand the tests of time. Our individually designed waterproofing and structural repairs have provided excellent support and longevity to the homes of the families who have rightfully entrusted us for over 50 years and counting!