Best sump pump installation pros near Glenside, 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."

"Replaced the sump pump with a sump pump interconnected with a battery back up additional sump pump. More expensive than expected but overall did a good job."

"Hired the Basement Gurus to install a sump pump in my basement where I been having a ton of water pouring in the corner ground level in heavy rains for years. We had so much rain the last two weeks and not a drop/ couldn?t be any more pleased"

"The task was to replace two 45 year old shower valves and install a backsplash panel to cover and waterproof holes where the old valves were. They showed up on time for both the bid appointment and job appointment. They did an excellent job and less time and for WAY less money than I would have thought possible. I have more bathrooms and more plumbing jobs in my 45 year old house and will be sure to give them a call. Or I would recommend them to any of my friends/neighbors unequivocally!"

"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."

"I definitely made the right choice with Valdel Plumbing. Steve arrived on time and was somehow able to decipher my cryptic description of what my sump pump was doing. He was personable, knowledgeable and explained my options and pricing. He skillfully completed the job, explained what he had done and what I needed to do regarding any maintenance. Steve has taken professionalism to a whole new level and I would highly recommend him. I would not hesitate to call Valdel Plumbing again."

"Steve Ault clearly explained the reason for our gurgling sinks and incomplete flushing of a toilet and then fixed them by clearing the sewer line. He cleaned up the area perfectly. He also replaced a malfunctioning sump pump with a new one with new piping. After the work was done, he explained what he did and showed us how to monitor the sump pump. He also clearly advised us about another potential problem that concerns us - a main/meter shut off valve. There was no high sales pressure. Steve seems very knowledgeable and competent and we plan to call him in the future for our plumbing problems. Without our asking, he gave us a senior discount and waived the dispatch fee."

"In December 2012 the came in and converted us from oil heat to electrical heat pump. We have been under a service contract since then but it has been great. It saved us money."

"I had a wall in my basement that was filing up with water from runoff outside. The wall started leaking into my basement. The crew jackhammered a trench along the wall in my basement and installed a drainage pipe, fill and a sump pump. They cemented over the trench and it looks like they were never here. Lots of rain since then and my basement is dry. Timely and professional- highly recommend"