Ayers Basement Systems Before & After Photos

This home in Lansing, MI was experiencing some excess water in their basement. We went through and installed our WaterGuard system to redirect the water to the proper place and a properly working sump pump. Once the more invasive work was done it was time to restore the basement. This customer had many of our inorganic and waterproof materials installed such as EverLast wall panels and Elite Plank faux wood flooring. This made the basement look fabulous while also making sure it would last a long time. 

With two inches of standing water last Spring finding its way into the basement, this property needed to keep the basement dry to attract buyers for the following year. The WaterGuard french drain system will be used to catch the water and send it straight to the sump pump before it causes any damage. Additionally, BrightWall was installed along the walls to give the basement a clean look and lighten up the space.

This Lansing, MI homeowner gave us a call when water started pooling around his drain. The owner was concerned about possible water damage because the partially finished basement included a bedroom, full bathroom, and living area. With a sump pump and lawn discharge already in place, he wasn’t sure what more needed to be done for protection. But, our system design specialist was happy to lay out the options.

Eventually, the owner decided on an upgrade to his previous system. While the new system would include a perimeter drainage system and an additional discharge line, the big upgrade was from his previous sump to our SuperSump system. The base 1/3 horsepower of SuperSump makes it one of our more reliable and economical sump pump systems. As you can see in the after photo, the sump pump also comes with an airtight lid to prevent water from pooling over and debris from falling in and causing clogs. It’s also perfect for helping this basement maintain its partially finished look. The additional power of the SuperSump, combined with the rest of their new waterproofing system will keep this basement constantly dry. For added protection, we recommend homeowners consider our optional backup pumps to keep your basement dry even during power outages.

We got a call from this Lansing, MI homeowner when he noticed that the basement walls in his rental property were starting to crumble. Horizontal cracks running down the middle of a wall, like the one in the before picture, are one of the biggest hints to a bowing foundation. The foundation had been bowing inward for some time, and when it wasn’t addressed, things only became worse. With no sign of the walls improving on their own, the owner sought out help from the foundation experts here at Ayers.

The crew was able to save several of the walls with our Geo-Lock Wall anchors. However, the one pictured was beyond repair. To keep the foundation from completely giving in on itself, the crew excavated next to the wall and replaced the crumbling stone blocks with new ones. But before the crew could take away part of the structural integrity of the home, they had to stabilize the floor above. To do so, they used our PowerBrace system in a slightly different way than usual. PowerBrace is typically set up against bowing walls and spans from the floor to the ceiling to take pressure off of the foundation walls. In this case, it was set a few feet away from the crumbling wall, so that the floor joists remained supported while the old blocks were replaced. With all the walls stable again, the owner can go back to enjoying this property worry free.

The Before picture shows just how badly water was entering the basement when it would rain or the snow would melt. The homeowners were tired of dealing with this and were ready for a solution. Our team visited the home and got right to work installing the WaterGuard system. This sub-floor drainage system works to collect water from wall leaks and reroute it to the sump pump to be discharged from the basement. Special piping is laid on top of the footing of the foundation, instead of along, so it won’t get clogged with dirt or mud. WaterGuard ensures that all leaks are taken care of ASAP, so they don’t make their way to the rest of the basement.