Best sump pump installation pros near Ardmore, PA

"Our basement has always been damp and, at times wet when the existing drain system silted up. With this year's high amount of rainfall it needed something better. After some research on the trusty internet and interviews and quotes from 5 different contractors, Paradigm and one other company were the only ones who really seemed to know what they were about. Both quotes were about the same in cost and scope. I went with Paradigm over the other company primarily for the sense of personal responsibility I got from Andy and Ross. As the owners, they clearly take great care and pride in the work their company does from start to finish. The job involved excavation around the perimeter of the basement, including an attached crawlspace and peculiar raised section of the floor. French drains with all the trimmings, including silt filters were installed. The existing sump was improved, a second sump added, and new pumps installed in both wells. The walls were wirebrushed to clear away the efflorescence and mildew, then spray treated. Sump drains were linked to the outgoing sewer hookup (which was a problem, more on this later!). Work was completed in about 2.5 days exactly on schedule. There were two problems that came up, both resolved satisfactorily. Firstly, the drop cloths that did a superb job keeping the house dust-free on day 1 ended up releasing the accumulated dirt and fine silt into the air on days 2 and 3 as workmen walked across them, coating the ground floor with dust. They took extra care in cleaning both before and after day 3, but I didn't identify the source of the problem until late in the 3rd day of work. In the future, I would suggest cleaning, or at least beating dust out of the drop cloths after each day's work. The foreman was responsive and properly apologetic about the problem, and they did a fine job cleaning up as best they could at the end of the job. The second problem came to light a few days later, when I was talking with my neighbor. It turns out that sewer hookups for sump pump drainage were explicitly *not* allowed in our area of New Castle County. The patchwork of municipalities, neighborhoods, towns, and the City of Wilmington makes this a non-trivial question, as some places forbid these clear water hookups, some allow them, and some even encourage them! Paradigm had initially gotten incorrect information when they inquired, but confirmed that the hookup would have to be removed to pass code in our specific location. They returned to move the discharge lines, and ran them out to grade on the exterior of the house. This ended up causing another problem: a couple days later I started hearing a loud "glugging" noise coming from the discharge line on the rear pump, which was not draining properly. We had a battery backup pump on the old sump pump, which Paradigm was happy to re-install on the new pump. However, the check valve on that 5 year old, consumer grade backup had started to fail and could not support the much larger column of water in the retrofitted discharge plumbing. Andy and Ross came out twice more to fix this problem, once to figure out what was actually happening and a second time to remove the faulty pump, and to shorten and properly pitch the discharge pipe. I was impressed by the owners' responsiveness and professionalism in addressing these problems, and have confidence they will similarly resolve any issues, however unlikely, that may arise in the years and decades to come."

"Brandon showed up early, explained what would be required, and gave me a solid estimate. Really had to work hard at accessing the tub plumbing (I live in a small condo) and cutting away the corroded metal 1970s pipes. Never thought I'd be so glad to see plastic! When he discovered rust around the tub drain, he suggested some ways I could save $$ (rather than replacing the entire tub, which would also require replacing shower tiles too). I always trust a guy who could upsell you on something but gives you options instead. Very professional, quick, and a nice guy to boot! Do yourself a favor and give A1 a call."

"5 stars! From the initial visit and estimate, to the completed job, AJ Waterproofing was professional, friendly, and honest. I had to install a French drain in my crawl space, since the existing sump pump was in the center of the floor, on a sloped foundation. No water ever made it there. They also washed the walls for mold, sealed up vents, and installed a dehumidifier. When I needed an electrician to run a line for the dehumidifier, they recommended Mike, who was also amazing. While doing the work, they placed plastic on the floors and furniture, so no dust or dirt made it through the crawl space access while they were working. They even built a ladder to gain access to the crawl space, instead of having to bring one out and set up to get down there. Highly recommend!"

"I'm not fully moved into the home yet, but I will update when I am there permanently. The crew was very professional, worked diligently, cleaned up after every day of work (three day job--french drain expansion, two additional sump pumps installed, window drains into the sump pumps, pretty extensive job)."

"Project: Install sump pump. Technician came and finished job in a timely manner. I had an issue that needed addressing, and Done Right Today was exceptionally accommodating and addressed the issue satisfactorily."

"AWS did an excellent job waterproofing my basement with a French drain and two sump pumps. They were a pleasure to work with, and I highly recommend them."

"Martini Plumbing Provides me with superior service. Technicians Rob and Dan took the time to ensure I understood what needed to be done. They went the extra mile to work with my insurance adjuster and restoration company. They made a stressful situation easier to deal with. Went the extra mile and worked late to ensure we had working plumbing and hot water."

"Valdel provided an appointment time say day. Tim arrived on time and called when he was within 30 minutes of the house. He was extremely courteous and professional. He assessed the existing sump pump and explained that it was not of great quality (contractor grade) and recommended replacing over repairing as there was no guarantee that it could be repaired. He replaced the sump pump on the same visit and then showed me all of its features and how to troubleshoot if there were any problems in the future. He cleaned the work area after he was finished and always covered his boots when walking through the house to get to the basement. The pump was operating well and flushing water out regularly and shutting off as it should. However, we noticed a thud sound each time the pump flushed water out that we had never heard before. I called Valdel back and explained the concern the next day and Tim return promptly to address the concern. He determined that it was the back flow valve that was causing the thud sound and replaced that valve with a new, and better valve at no cost to me, that closed more softly and quietly each time the pump flushed the water out. The pump has now been running perfectly for over a week and is silent. I was so impressed with Valdel's responsiveness and communication and with Tim's punctuality, professionalism, problem solving, and communication. In the end, everything is working as it should and the process from start to finish was very positive. We would definitely hire them again and would recommend them to our friends. Thanks Anne"

"Working with ValDel was simple and easy. They had a technician come out same day and was able to install replacement sump pump."

"Joe did a great job installing my new electric tankless water heater. I managed to catch him on a day that he was available. I described the problem and he accurately diagnosed it over the phone, which I could see once the old heater was out. He picked up a new one that day, installed it that afternoon and voila! New water heater expertly installed at a reasonable price. He was patient, clear, courteous, and obviously a master plumber."