Hillsdale, MI Quality Foundation Repair & Basement Waterproofing

After purchasing their lakefront cottage in Hillsdale, MI, last June, the homeowner faced several challenges in their Michigan basement. Water was seeping in from a corner, exacerbated by an artesian well constantly flowing near the property. The basement also had a sagging floor, which needed stabilization and reinforcement.

System Design Specialist Matt B. crafted a solution to tackle these issues comprehensively. Our crew applied durable shotcrete to the block foundation walls, sealing out moisture and preventing efflorescence. A new sump pump was installed to channel water intrusion out of the home effectively. Finally, SmartJacks and an additional support beam were added to stabilize the sagging floor and restore structural integrity.

With their basement now dry and stable, the homeowner can enjoy their lakefront retreat worry-free.

Adam dealt with a cracked foundation for as long as he could remember. He tried many different methods to fix the issue, but nothing worked, so he researched his options and called Ayers for help. Our crew of experts stopped by his home to evaluate the space and provide a solution. They realized the cracks were spreading from the inside to the outside of the house, so they recommended installing helical piers. This system uses helical plates welded to the pier shaft to help pull the pier into the soil during installation. The process provides anchoring strength and shifts the weight of the foundation to the pier. Adam is relieved to have a stabilized foundation!

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. 

Laurie S. had just bought a house and every time it rained for more than an hour, the basement would leak at the cove. Standing water was a major issue for this homeowner and the problem wasn’t disclosed at the time of purchase, so a reliable and efficient fix is just what this homeowner needed.

To collect water that was entering the home we installed the WaterGuard system. For this installation we removed parts of the flooring at the base of the walls in basement to place pipes. The pipes were installed on top of the footing and placed slightly away from the wall to ensure water entering the home would be able to easily drain into the system and then directly exit into the sump pump. The excavated flooring was filled with cement to restore the floors and the homeowner no longer had to worry about standing water on the basement floor. Inspection ports were also installed to give us access if the system stops working properly.

The WaterGuard system directs intruding water to the sump pump to then be pumped out of the home. In order for that process to go smoothly, we installed the effective SuperSump sump pump system. This system has an effective pump and sturdy liner to collect and discard water efficiently. It also has an airtight lid to prevent water in the system from evaporating into the basement, which would further contribute to the moisture issues in the space. A floor drain is also located on the lid that allows water to easily enter the sump if a flood or large leak occurs.

To combat frozen discharge lines in the winter we installed the IceGuard system that ensures exiting water is able to flow out of the lines through large openings, which will prevent it from re-entering the home and causing further issues. The LawnScape outlet was installed on the end of the discharge line to carry water away from the property so it can exit without flowing back toward the house.