ARE YOU READY FOR A BETTER CONTRACTOR? Keystone Basement Systems is the leader in basement transformations, providing personalized, guaranteed solutions for water intrusion, foundation repairs and the creation of functional, beautiful living spaces. WE WILL NEVER PRESSURE YOU! If you are looking for a solution designed by the industry experts, we can help. GUARANTEE “We Warranty Our Systems, We Guarantee Your Satisfaction!”
Business highlights
21 years of trusted experience
Family Owned & Operated
Emergency Services Offered
Services we offer
Specialize In Basement Waterproofing And Foundation Repair, Interior French Drains, Sump (Dewatering) Pumps, Battery Back-Up Auxiliary Pumps, Wall Anchors, Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Straps, Steel I-Beam Supports, Dehumidification Equipment, concrete lifting, leveling and stabilization. Wall Coatings, Painting, And Membranes As Well As Many Other Items.
Services we don't offer
Plumbing, New Foundations, Roofing, Mold Remediation or Testing, Concrete replacement.
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, Thank you so much for the review of our work. Yours was a big job, but I am so pleased that we were able to fix your issue and do it in a professional manner. Sincerely, Aaron Stull, President
John M.
09/2016
5.0
basement waterproofing
+ -1 more
Good we are very satisfied.
Description of Work: Basement waterproffing
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
3.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Thank you! I am so pleased that we were able to help you with your issue. Thank you for your business. Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
William D.
07/2016
2.0
basement waterproofing
+ -1 more
unknown
Description of Work: They are in no hurry to fix problems they created slope toward house is 4 times worse than when they started its been 8 months
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, I am sorry that we could not see eye to eye on the matter at hand. We were contracted to lex the right wall. The fact that the rear wall needs service is unfortunate, but it was neither part of the scope of work nor a warrantied area. Furthermore, we did not charge you anything to fix the rear wall. We would be happy to help you with this new issue, but it cannot be covered under the warranty for an unrelated section.
Michael M.
02/2012
5.0
basement waterproofing, wells, foundation repair
+ 1 more
It went fine. The workers managed to get everything done that was expected. There were no big suprises and no additional $$$ from our part.
Description of Work: We had some mold and mildew seeping through our basement foundation walls ever since we bought the house over 2 years ago. Nothing major, but just enough to let you know that water and moisture were getting in. And sometimes, when we would get inches of rain for several days, we would find a little puddle of water in our unfinished basement. We knew our grading in the yard did not help much either as it was graded towards the house which we eventually plan on fixing. We wanted to finish one of our basement rooms and wanted to be confident that we took care of the problem before we started. We checked Anglieslist for the A rated companies and called around. They all came in at around the same price - suggesting an interior french drain. We decided to go with Keystone because they included a every 5 year visit to clean the french drain and we liked the gentlemen who talked to us. We decided on the interior french drain along an entire side of my house (which is about 55' total), Durawall for one room (pretty much just white plastic sheets), and an integrated vapor barrier for the basement room we were to finish. This was to include a battery backup pump as well. This additional pump is for if the main sump pump fails (due to power outage or malfunction). I was sceptical at first but got talked into it for about another $900 or so dollars. It also has an alarm when it activates to let you know there is something wrong with the main pump. They use Zoeller Mighty Mate M53 sump pumps which are a good brand and have been around for awhile. These cost less than $150 on Amazon.com and parts seem to be easily available. Their backup seems to be the Basement Watch dog brand. Looks to be around $150 - 200 on Amazon.com. Keystone does a 5 year warranty on the main pump, 1 year on the backup pump, and limited lifetime on the whole system. We also made mention of our concern over how this would effect our radon mitigation system. We read some articles which raised some flags that these two systems may not play nice. We have a radon system which sucks the air under the slab to above roof level and requires proper air pressure to work. The gentlemen ensured us the system would be sealed properly and everything would be ok. The workers arrived on 2/9 as expected and on time. We walked them around the house and showed them the lay of the land. They were nice fellas and soon started jack hammering away. The job took two days total. There was very little dust as they use the dustless jackhammers which have a vacuum attached. We were expecting a dust zone and covered everything up for one, but once it was all done, you can barely tell there was any jackhammering at all. The concrete is still setting as we write this but it looks level and good worksmanship. The drain goes about 1 and a half feet from the walls. Overall, it looks like they did a good job. The radon system is still functioning properly by the looks of it ( we have a radon test we will use to make sure) and the concrete is still setting. We were a bit concerned because some of the Durawall the installed had a bubble behind it and was wavy against the floor instead of flush against the wall. We mentioned this to Aaron in an email with a picture and he got back to us right away which we appreciate greatly and they have a worker coming out, on Sunday morning non the less, to see what he can do about it. This gets them bonus points because its too easy, especially when a company already has your money, to blow you off and forget about you once they are done with their job. We would know because we had to go to court with another contractor before (Don't call Gillece!). Keystone is the kind of company to make sure their customers are satisfied and for that we will recommend them to you. One thing that would of been nice is if they would of left some manuals for the pumps. If we are expected to maintain these systems, some paper would be benefitial to customers.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, I am very pleased to have done work for you and your home. I am very thankful that you posted all of the project pictures as well. Thank you for that. On a different note, I would like to spotlight something that I believe you understood very well...and I believe is the reason you selected our firm. When I sat at your dining room table, I told you we deliver excellence. Furthermore, you understood that quality is something you wanted for your home and you understood that with quality comes a slightly higher price. At the end of the job there was one wall panel that wasn't quite right. As soon as you brought it to my attention I agreed. Because the wall panel was not 100% perfect, I sent my crew out this Sunday to fix it. I feel that this is just one of many reasons why quality is always the best way to select a company to work in the home
Ronald J.
11/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, drain pipe, foundation repair
+ 1 more
Keystone showed up as scheduled and began work. Pricing was high, but there was a lot of work involved - I don't think I could have saved any money by trying to subcontract all the work out separately. The work took about a month altogether. They stayed on schedule, with a few rain delays, and did everything from supporting the house at the start, to excavation of a trench around the sub surface areas of the foundation, to rebuilding the block wall piecemeal, installing waterproofing system and french drain, and finally filling in the excavated areas. Because of the extent of the work, and some additional requests I had added into the contract, we had to remind the workers about some of the details once in a while. Other than the fact that we had to be out of the house for over a month, we are extremely pleased with the work. The basement walls are truly straight and dry for the first time in years. Aaron was the picture of professionalism throughout the process, and made sure we were informed throughout the repair / rebuild process.
Description of Work: Address structural (bowing and shear) of basement foundation walls, and accompanying water infiltration. Rebuilding of approximately 1/3 of the basement block walls, integrating back into existing walls, and every third block bay with concrete and steel rebar. Cover exterior of 1/2 of basement walls with waterproofing system, and install new drainage system to air in rear of the house.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$20,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, It was a pleasure to work for you and help you with your foundation issues. It brings me great joy when we are nominated for a "Page of Happiness" as it tells me that we not only do good work, but we treat people fairly and the experience of dealing with our firm is one that you enjoyed. Keystone Basement Systems, Inc. takes great pride on being a better contractor. We want the experience of dealing with us to be one that is fair and honest. We understand the nature of the work we do is intrusive. We also understand that in many cases the problems that we are fixing were a surprise to the homeowner. That is why I think so many people like dealing with us because in the face of these circumstances we strive for fairness and honesty, rather than preying on someone in a tough situation. Best of luck in all that you do Member and thank you for your business and the kind words...I truly appreciate it.
John C.
11/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
I told Aaron I appreciated his honest evaluation. I recounted another vendor I had called to inspect our basement. Their schedule insisted both spouses be home for the initial inspection. That was a red flag they intended to sell a big job without even looking at the property. Needless to say, I canceled that appointment and am glad I chose Keystone Basement Systems instead.
Description of Work: Used this company via Angie's Big Deals. Aaron Stull, President, inspected my home basement and foundation walls to assess degree of any water intrusion. He was prompt, professional, articulate and well-informed. His evaluation and presentation was cogent and concise and proved very useful. I did not need any work and requested Aaron return in two years for an updated assessment.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, It was my pleasure to help. As the president of Keystone I don't have a lot of time these days. With that said, I still go out from time to time on inspections to remain sharp. I am glad I was able to help you investigate your issue. Should you ever need us please don't hesitate to call.
Angela S.
10/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
From the very beginning, this company far exceeded my expectations. First, the ease of scheduling an estimate and to have the work done was excellent. Aaron came to my home to complete an estimate and explain the work to be done. Aaron was thorough in explaining each aspect of the repair so that I fully understood what was being done and why. Aaron was responsive to questions and really took his time with me. I had no doubts that this was the right company. Having the work completed was very easy as well. Aaron scheduled the initial start date, then Tony took it from there. Tony and his crew were on time, worked quickly and made every effort to finish the job on time. Everyone that entered my home was very courteous. Tony kept me updated with each step. The dustless system is invaluable. Each day, the area was completely cleaned. Even cleaner than when they arrived! The ongoing preventative maintenance and warranty really pushes this company over the top. Seeing the work that was done already, I am completely comfortable in knowing that, not only will this system function properly for many years to come, but also that if there is any problem, this company will respond promptly and ensure any problems are alleviated. I will absolutely recommend Keystone Basement Systems to anyone who needs work done.
Description of Work: I had interior french drains installed along two basement walls and into the garage. They also replaced my main support pole in the basement.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, Because I met you personally I can truly say it was a pleasure to meet you and work for you. Furthermore, I had a great time talking to you in your home when we first met. I would also like to thank you for your appreciation of our dustless equipment. The equipment allows us to turn a dirty job into one that is pleasantly clean. The equipment slows us down a bit but I will take that any day to make clients as happy as you are. In closing, I want you to call me if you should ever need a thing. You have my cell phone number so do not be shy if you need to reach me. We are always here should you need us. Thank you again for your business. Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
Agatha A.
10/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
I met a lot of people at the home show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center but I was most comfortable with Keystone. They were the only company that actually took the time to explain all my problems that were going on and offer a couple different ways to have it taken care of. Most of the other companies hardly looked at my basement before they just threw a price at me for a fix that I did not know if it would solve my problem. With Keystone, I was sure that my problem would be fixed by the solution that they explained to me. The original inspector came back out at the beginning of the job and the end too, which I thought was really nice because he made sure that the crew was on the same page with him. My sister is in the process of getting them to fix her basement as well.
Description of Work: They installed basement french drain and they put strapping on my wall to stop the bowing from the water pressure.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$7,812
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, Thank you for the kind words. I know how many companies you had out to look at the problem and I am honored that in the end you found us to be the best choice. If you should ever need anything in the future, please do not hesitate to call us. Thank you truly for your business. Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
Stephanie S.
10/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing
+ -1 more
Overall, we are very pleased with the job that Keystone provided. Josh did a great job of explaining the process to us and the installation was on-time and professional. Would definitely recommend Keystone to anyone! Update: Upon received a bill (We are signed up for electronic payments and statements), we noticed that a high interest charge was put on our account. After numerous calls, we were told that the financing was messed up but there was nothing that GE Finance or Keystone could do to fix the issue since the 30 day grace period had lapsed. In turn, we are now paying 27% when we were told that we would be paying 0% APR. This is very disappointing. I highly recommend that all customers do NOT finance over the phone and be sure to have EVERYTHING in writing prior to signing any contract. This has now left a bad taste with us regarding this experience.
Description of Work: Very professional work, Josh was very easy to work with. The company did a great job, worked with our schedule and budget to provide us with the solution that we were looking for.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, It is our pleasure to have worked for you. If you should ever need a thing, do not hesitate to call us. Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
Robert B.
09/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, wells, foundation repair
+ 1 more
Really well. In terms on time, extremely informative, I didn't feel rushed with I had questions, very thorough.
Description of Work: Two walls installed interior french drain and included a pump. That pump has a backup battery incase power goes out.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,200
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
If you remember back to our initial meeting meeting, the first couple questions I had for you were not about the basement problem, rather they where about what you wanted to the basement to become. As an investment property owner myself, I understand that different basements and situations warrant different levels of protection. Moreover, if a company does not try to understand your unique situation...or even care, how are they going to best serve you? The answer is, they cannot. I am very proud of the fact that we listened to your concerns and understood your situation. I believe this is the principal difference between Keystone Basement Systems, Inc. and other basement companies. In the end, unless one knows what the vision for the basement is, how can they know if they are over protecting it or under protecting it? On a different note I want to wish you well with your properties. You are obviously a caring landlord and I know you will be very successful in what you do. Best of luck! Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
Sally D.
09/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing
+ -1 more
I was very impressed with them. He showed us what we could do ourselves and told us what they could do if that didn't work. He spent a lot of time with us and showed us what different things could be done and what it would cost. He was a very gracious man.
Description of Work: Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair came and checked my basement to see if I needed waterproofing work done. They told me what I could do first to prevent the water from coming into my basement without having to get any work done.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, thank you for the kind words. Even though it is not the right time for you to get the work done, I am pleased that we were able to help you in a professional manner so that you can prepare for the future. Once you are ready to move forward I want you to call me and I will handle your project personally. Thank you. Respectfully, Aaron Stull President
Zain N.
08/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, drain pipe
+ 0 more
They were really professional and really helpful. I didn't end up going with them in the end but it was a very good experience with the company. In the end it was like overkill for what the basement needed so we decided to go with somebody else. The only thing I would criticize is that they have a sales tact where you have to agree to sign within 3 business days. If we did that, they offered a 20 percent discount. I didn't feel comfortable with that and I thought they were trying to rush me to make a decision. Other than that I thought they were a really helpful company and answered a lot of questions. They were really good.
Description of Work: I got an estimate from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair to install interior French drains and basically waterproof my basement.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, I will be the first to admit that our system - and our company - is not for everyone. In fact, it is one of the aspects of my company that I am the most proud of. As a company owner there is enormous pressure to "cheapen" or "water down" ones system for landlords and property management owners. On an almost daily basis I am asked by landlords and property management companies to remove what I consider to be essential aspect of the system to "fit their budget" or just do enough to get an inspection passed. In some cases, most definitely not yours, I have been asked to remove essential items by landlords who says "it's not me living down there so I don't care." I believe a company can be many things. Beyond the obvious of doing a good job, having good people and serving your customers well, a company must define who it is trying to serve and in what way. Many years ago I thought deeply on this subject and defined exactly what our company's ethos was. Let me share it with you and I will speak further afterwards. Keystone Basement Systems, Inc. Company Ethos: "We believe that your basement has potential. With our help we can help solve your problem so it can be transformed into the place you desire. We challenge the status quo by understanding what you want your basement to become and engineer our system to protect that dream. By fully appreciating your vision, we can tailor a comprehensive interior solution, using quality products and methods, installed by quality people, to solve your foundation problem and allow you the liberty to create whatever vision you have for the space. We believe in your dream." As you see, we are not for everyone; nor do we claim to be. What we are is a company that is trying to help homeowners with foundation problems to get the most out of their home. We believe complete protection and value are of paramount importance and we understand that our customers what their basement to be safe and dry...today and into the future. From a landlord or investors perspective, I can appreciate how an item like a "battery back up pump" would be seen to be as you said "overkill." But if you ask any homeowner who just had their basement waterproofed, and then spend a sizable amount of time and money fixing the basement just how they want it, and they will tell you it would be irresponsible for us NOT to include this essential item because during the worst storm the power can go out. If the power goes out and the regular pump does not have electricity, there basement could be potentially ruined. This is why our system is designed to be the way it is...to protect our customers home and the vision they had for their basement. This is who we are, and we are proud of it. In closing, I would like to comment on our policy discount in regards to scheduling. As I am sure you can appreciate, we never know the true duration of our projects before we start. Aspects like flor thickness and material under the floor are not known until we actually start work. Some jobs are estimated to take a week and they take two. Some to be three days and they take one day. This proves difficult to schedule things seamlessly so that your employees have work everyday. This is why we ALWAYS offer discounts to those clients who will forgo having a set start date and in turn allow us to place their project, as we see fit, on our project installation board. For this obvious inconvenience of uncertainty to our client we offer a discount. This practice is invaluable because when you have good workers you must ensure they have work...or they will not be your workers for long. To this end we offer discounts to clients if they allow us to schedule their project at our discretion. Certainly it is not for everyone, and less than 50% of people exercise this option. But for those with flexibility it is mutually beneficial. This is why we always ask clients if they are interested in this potential discount. Member, I hope this answer gives more clarity to the situation. As an investor I fully admit that you are not our target customer. But someone will live in that home one day. So if we are going to fix the basement, we are going to do it the way we believe it should be done. Thank you for the opportunity and best of luck in all that you do.
Rhonda D.
07/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
The installation crew arrived on time and were very courteous. The project was completed on time and I was amazed at how clean the entire area was when they were finished. They used a dustless jackhammer and i was very impressed with how it worked. They took away all debris that was related to the project so I didn't have to worry about hiring someone to do that as well. I am a very satisfied customer and would recommend them in a heartbeat.
Description of Work: Our rental unit suffered from leaky walls and made the basement uninhabitable. This made it very hard for us to find tenants. We scheduled an appointment for one of their inspectors to meet with us and they created a solution for us that would take care of all our issues. Our inspector was very personable and sensitive to our needs. He was NOT there to just sell us something. We decided to have a system installed that covered all four walls of the basement and also had Durawall installed. The basement looked great when they were finished and we have already managed to rent it out for a very competitive rate.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,500
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Mmeber, Thank you for the kind words. I am pleased that you were impressed by our "dustless" system. We are very proud to deliver a greater experience to our clients. Thank you.
Robert M.
07/2011
1.0
foundation repair
+ -1 more
Reason for Selecting Keystone · Sales representative was very professional and knowledgeable Met with the owner who is young, professional and educated in structural repair. Described construction process in compliance with OSHA Dig will take approximately 12 feet from the front of the house with a bench or step-down to avoid earth cave ins. Will French drain and fill with 80 to 100 tons of aggregate. Will use jacks to support house and replace portions of cinder block. Entire process will take 5 to 7 days depending on weather. Lifetime guarantee of rebuild area. Competitively priced I asked the sales representative what would look different, if anything, once they completed the project. His response was with a smile, ?you?ll have a very straight wall??that?s all. Initial Start-Up Scheduled to begin Monday, June 13 according to contract. (The contract is boilerplate that is both nebulous and non-specific.) · In preparation, I was to remove shrubs, landscape lighting, plants, bulbs, etc. Worked all weekend in preparation, since the team was to start around 8:00 am. . On June 13, no one showed, so I telephoned sales rep at 9:45, he had no idea where they were. Received call that they would not be there. I was told that the delay is due to PA-One, a utility service that marks where the underground water and gas lines are, had not marked our property. · Tuesday, June 14, two men show up to remove porch and walkway pavers, then left after an hour without saying anything. The Dig · Work begins on Wednesday, June 15. I asked about digging without PA-One being here, the project manager told me they are always late and they just dig without them. So another bit of misinformation to cover the delay in starting according to the contract. · Trench dug wide enough for a worker to get into?NOT stepped down nor 12 feet wide. Project manager told me he has never dug a hole like that and that the salesman didn?t know what he was talking about. · I am expecting most of the clay and soil to be removed from my property since the excavated area will be filled with aggregate, but it?s not. The soil is piled over my front yard. · On the second day of the dig, the project manager approaches me at 11:30 telling me that he saw severe weather approaching when he checked his phone so they were stopping for the day. We didn?t get a drop of rain. · The third day of the dig, they covered the excavated soil incorrectly, according to the backhoe operator, and that night we had a rain storm, and a subsequent cave-in that required nearly an entire day to dig out. · On day 4 or 5, I was returning from a quick trip to the store and found the backhoe operator filling in the trench with the soil that he had originally removed. I told them that was not to happen because the sale representative told me that literally most of the excavated area would be filled with aggregate. We stopped the project and called the owner, who explained to me that they would never excavate in that fashion. That much aggregate would create too much pressure on the wall. I allowed them to continue. · At the conclusion of each day, I would invite the workers to share a beverage and discuss the following day?s tasks. On a Tuesday, June 21, the project manager described in detail what would occur the next day. On Wednesday morning, he called me at 8:30 in the morning to tell me that he had forgotten to say he would be on vacation for the rest of the week, so they would see us on Monday, June 25. Tools, trash, and a massive trench...and they go on vacation! Issues · According to the owner, his team is to work from roughly 8:00 or 8:30 am until 4:30 or 5:00, unless the weather impedes their ability to work. This project began on June 14 and was completed on July 7, 24 days, and they worked until 5:00 only twice. (There were no rain out days or shortened days due to bad weather). · Since soil was not removed and the project took 24 days, not 5 to 7, my landscape, lawn and flower beds were completely destroyed?even areas that they did not need to destroy. · Project manager was consistently blaming others for the delay in completing the project. · Unprofessional workers who left insulation board, trash, empty containers, tools, etc. thrown about my front yard for the entire project period. Today, July 6, I discovered hundreds of maggots in my garage from a bag of food left on the floor from before their ?extended? holiday weekend. · My home is brick-to-grade and I have no exposed cinder block. I have a sloping front yard, so where the reconstruction took place is the lower part of my property. The owner insisted that the cinder block he was replacing had to be 10? block and that it continue to the seal plate, exposing large amounts of cinder block where the brick once was. He told me to ?paint? the exposed cinder block or buy some artificial brick and attach it to the cinder block?utter lunacy! I insisted that he use 6? block and replace my brick, to which he told me that would nullify me warranty. o We compromised on the number of 10? block and minimized the amount of cinder block visible, if I agreed to pay for additional aggregate. · Owner continues to be less than truthful. o On Tuesday, June 28, the owner committed to me that he would push to have the job completed, by having his team work full days, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so on Tuesday, July 5, the project would be completed. (We were supposed to go away on Friday, July 1 for an extended week-end, but cancelled due to the work schedule given to us.) § The only full day worked was Tuesday, June 28 § Friday, July 1, they left at 1:30 § Saturday, July 2, no one showed up § Tuesday, July 5, no one showed up o On July 4, I called the company, specifically the owner and project manager, advising them we would not return from a week-end getaway until around noon on Tuesday, but to move forward since all of the work was outside. I received a call from the owner on July 5 at 9:30 a.m. telling me that he had a talk with the project manager on Saturday and the project manager told him that we didn?t want them on Tuesday since we were away. He told me that he had reassigned the men to another job and couldn?t call them back. On Wednesday, July 6, all of the Keystone employees told me that they ALWAYS have the day after the 4th off?in fact, the company is closed the day after the 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas! · All of the work related to cinder block replacement was in the garage. At all times at least one garage door was open. All cutting of cinder block took place INSIDE of the garage causing massive amounts of dust and dirt. Simply put, inexcusable. My Unnecessary Costs and Inconveniences 1. Unnecessary damage to lawn and beds. 2. Excessive time for stone, soil and debris to ruin landscape by 10 days more than project was to last. 3. Loss of mobility due to excessive amount of time beyond proposal. 4. The practice of brute force when patience and proper tools are more effective and less damaging. (examples; breaking the bottom course of block, fracturing the house bricks) 5. Vacation cancellation due to misinformation. 6. Excessive dirt and dust due to lack of concern for homeowner. 7. Misrepresentation, fabrication and blatant lying. A copy of this was given to the owner of Kwystone and reviewed in detail at the completion of the project. Update September 8, 2011 I was advised to wait 30 days from the completion of this project for the ground to settle prior to having the front porch and walkway replaced. The owner also stated NOT to have the concrete anchored to the foundation because the weight of the concrete would put excessive pressure on the foundation of the house. I had the porch and walkway installed on August 30, 5 weeks after the completion. We have had about an 1 1/2 inches of rain and now there is a 12 inch gap under the porch. The performance of this company is criminal. I telephoned the owner today and am awaiting a response.
Description of Work: My Problem I own a two-story brick home in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh. Over the past 12 years or so, the cinder block wall in my basement and garage began to bulge and, ultimately, the lower blocks sheared off the lowest course by a few inches. I used Angie’s List to identify qualified, competent companies who could assess the remedy. I contacted 5 companies to evaluate and quote the cost of my project. Four of the five explained to me that complete excavation of the front of my house and a partial replacement of cinder block was necessary. The quotes varied from $12,500.00 to $35,000.00, each with variations in the amount of replacement block, materials, etc. Excavate 50 feet of ground exterior of the front of the house. Install new waterproof system along the front of the house with membrane, gravel and pipe. Rebuild 17 feet of the garage wall with new block.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
1.0
value
3.0
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
1.0
$16,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Our company has many moving parts. We have many crews, inspectors and people that make up our firm. I am a firm believer of hiring from within when I feel that a person is ready to move up. This project was the first undertaking of a newly promoted person within the firm. I truly believed they were up to the challenge and I was in fact wrong. As the owner of Keystone it was my obligation at that point to remove the person from the job and take control to ensure that the work was completed correctly. Even though the planning and coordination of this project was distressed the work was completed and the wall that was rebuilt was done well. Because of the issues with the project I did refund monies as a measure of compensation. In the end the responsibility was mine alone for the work completed. I misjudged the fact that the person was not ready to manage the jobsite and problems did occur. But, when the problems did occur, I did not leave or quit. We got the project done and built the wall the right way. Although much went wrong with the job, we did not quite and at great expense finished the job. I am not proud of the problems that happened but I can sit here today and say that when they did happen we stuck with the work and completed it rather than quiting.
Kristen V.
07/2011
3.0
plumbing, drain pipe
+ 0 more
I wasn?t really happy with them at all. I got a quote from them and ended up hiring them. After I signed a contract I thought about it over the weekend and I apparently missed the window by less than a day where I could cancel. We decided we no longer wanted the internal French Drain system, we wanted to replace the exterior underground downspout drainage system, which we knew was bad and leaking right next to the house where the basement leak was occurring. If I cancelled, I would forfeit my deposit, but the fine print did say I could change what was in the contract for no penalty. I ended up changing what I wanted with them and they were pretty rude. They were not happy about me changing it even though it says in the contract that I had every right to do that. We got a new quote for the proposed work, which was significantly less than the original since they would not be tearing up our basement and pouring concrete. I contacted them several times in the fall to see if the work would be done, and after having a lot of difficulty getting a hold of anyone and a lot of excuses I was told I was on the schedule. They said they only needed one day. The day of I got a call and said they would not be doing the work because it was too cold but they would contact me in the Spring. In May I contacted them again to ask what was going on. It had been 6 months since I hired them and nothing had been done, and not one single call since the weather got warmer. They said that they no longer offer those services. Obviously I was very upset. That was a lot of time wasted. I asked when they no longer stopped offering those services, and they said since the beginning of that year. But it was May, 5 months into that new year, and no one had contacted me to tell me that or that my contract had been cancelled. They ended up giving my deposit back which was good because they originally said that if I or they cancelled the contract, they would keep the deposit. Their price was average. They were not good at responding. The estimate was above $2000 and below $3000. I would never consider using their services. Update: I have read the provider's response. The owner was very rude and was very heavy handed in trying to force us to adhere to the original plan or he threatened to cancel our contract and keep our deposit. I stood my ground about modifying the contract since that was in the fine print of their contract. He agreed; we still got our water problem fixed, they still got our business, and I hoped for the best. If the provider felt that they could not do the work as we described, they should have been up front with that information instead of stringing us along. The provider's response makes it sound like they decided they could not do the work very soon after we changed the contract. However there was a 6 month gap between us hiring them and us learning that our contract had been cancelled and getting our deposit back. Because of this, and the way we were treated after we decided to change the contract, I feel customer service was severely lacking in this case.
Description of Work: I got an estimate from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc in March. I had a leaky basement and they were originally going to do an internal French drain and fix the drain pipe outside the house. I changed it as I didn’t want the internal French drain and I only wanted to get the drain pipe fixed outside the house.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
2.0
punctuality
2.0
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
I would first like to say I appreciate your feedback. With that said, I must respond to a few things. The first thing is that I provided a repair plan to prevent the basement from leaking. The plan was agreed to, signed and you gave a deposit for the work. Then, after the legal rescission period, you called me and no longer wanted to have the work performed as I designed it. Rather, you wanted an exterior method of waterproofing. If you recall, I disagreed with the plan as I did not think it would work. With this in mind, I did send my machine operator and project foreman out to the job to see if they believed the exterior tactic would work. They both had reservations about that method. Therefore, we returned your deposit and canceled the contract. In the end, I just did not feel comfortable with the method you wanted to use. Moreover, even though I was contractually permitted to keep some of the deposit for the work I had already done on your account, I returned the deposit in full as I believe in treating people fair. I just did not feel the method you wanted would work. I realize that you were disappointed that I would not do it, but it is my core company philosophy to only perform methods that work and are under warranty.
Tracy G.
05/2011
5.0
structural engineer
+ -1 more
The experience was good. I liked the guy who presented the information. He was good. Everything was good but for the clean up.
Description of Work: Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair put some carbon fiber stripping up.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
We are pleased to learn that you were satisfied with the work that we did. Carbon fiber straps are a great tool to assist homeowners. One of the only issues we have is when a masonry wall is painted prior to our installation. You see, the carbon Fiber epoxy must be applied to a bare concrete surface. Therefore, if the wall is painted, we must use a grinding wheel to take off the paint which does cause some dust. Recently, we started experimenting with "dustless" grinders but we are still in the testing phase with a couple different products. In closing, thank you for the kind review. It is our pleasure to serve you.
Virginia J.
03/2011
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc. seems to be very honest with great integrity. The worksmanship was very thorough and very good. They have a lifetime warranty on their work so I have extreme confidence in them.
Description of Work: Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc. did a basement remodel for us.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Nothing in my professional life gives me as much joy as reading the words of a satisfied customer. We are in the problem solving business and we must never forget that. I am so very happy that we solved your problem for you.
Emma T.
03/2011
1.0
foundation repair
+ -1 more
I called them and they never called me back.
Description of Work: I was having foundation issues.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
1.0
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
I would first like to say that the phone number that was left on the message rang without any answering machine or ability to leave a message. Three calls were placed to the number with no ability to leave a message. At that point I instruct my team to stop calling. On a side note, I live less than two miles from this person. Our company travels the entire western half of the state for appointments. Therefore, this would have been one of the closest appointments we could have. It would be our pleasure to inspect this issue if it falls within the scope of issues we fix. I am a bit concerned that this situation warrants an "F" rating and a blemish on my company. This very well could have been one mistaken digit on a phone number and now I am somehow an "F" company in the eyes of the public in this specific case. I find the claim lacking in any real merit and quite frankly am disappointed that it was able to be posted. I would be happy to submit my phone record, which are electronic and easily able to be issued, to buttress my claim of calling. Moreover, I will be petitioning Angie's List to remove this listing as I feel it is without merit. I am sure [this member] is upset that no one called her back, but this may not even be our fault. I can be reached at 800-771-3244 to discuss this matter in more depth. Sincerely, Aaron Stull President
Ryan B.
12/2010
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
Very satisfied. The owner gave me a quote the same day I called. They were the best pricing on the quote I got for the drain/sump pump. They were able to start a few days later. Most issues needed done and they came out 7 days later to finish job. Addt'l work done was reasonably priced also. I had spoke with two similar companies and decided on Keystone & already have recommended them to two other investors.
Description of Work: Had some water in a basement apartment of a rental property. Installed french drain in basement with sump pump along part of basement wall. Also patched/mortared holes in sandstone foundation and put curtain to make water flow into drain.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,400
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, Thank you so much for the kind review. I truly want to thank you for your business and the opportunity to serve you. If you should ever need a thing please do not hesitate to call.
Dorothy G.
10/2010
5.0
basement waterproofing, foundation repair
+ 0 more
After my husband's death, I began to have water leaking down my basement walls. I had a number of estimates of what to do & initially decided on a wall with a french drain behind it. It did not help. I then had my patio dug up & had a french drain put along my outside wall, where the water was coming inside. The water leaking down the wall stopped, but I was now getting water coming in where the wall met the floor. After spending over $15,000 & still having water in my basement, someone suggested an indoor french drain. After getting 3 estimates from businesses listed in the Angie's List, I chose Keystone Basement Systems (KBS). They were not the cheapest estimate, but Aaron Stull, the owner who gave me the estimate, was so knowledgeable and seemed to be truly honest and caring. The 3 men that came out to do the indoor french drain and sump pump insulation were excellent, answered all my questions, never making me feel stupid or that I was bothering them, and cleaned up the area when they were done. I expected a lot more dust & dirt, but they kept it to a minimum. With a long extension cord, they ran the sump pump to an electrical outlet, with which I was not pleased. When I talked to Mr. Stull about this, he offered to pay 1/2 of the bill to have an electrician come in & put an electrical outlet next to the pump. About a month after the installation & a heavy rain, I observed a trickle of water on the floor in the corner. After one call to Mr. Stull, a worker came & made a minor adjustment that fixed it. They indoor french drain & sump pump stopped the water from coming in. I just wish I had done this first instead of all the outside work & money I wasted. To show you what an honest & wonderful company Keyston Basement Systems is, please let me share with you what happen in July of 2010. I had just accepted an offer to sell my house, when we had an extremely bad storm & I noticed water coming down a side wall & onto the floor, where I did not have the indoor french drain. I called Mr Stull to see how much it would cost to extend the french drain. He came out & decided the problem could be easily fixed without extending the drain & since I had not taken him up on his previous offer regarding the electritian's bill, he had it fixed without charging me. He could have easily ripped me off & extended the indoor french drain, but he did not! I would totally trust him & his company to do future work in my new home, if a water problem arose. I highly recommend Keystone Basement Systems to all Angie's List customers!
Description of Work: Keystone Basement Systems put an indoor French Drain with a sump pump along the back of my house in the basement & garage, about 50 feet.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,328
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, As the primary inspector on your project I want to thank you for being a pleasure to work with. I would like to wish you the very best of luck in all your endeavors.
Steven L.
08/2010
5.0
remodeling, basement waterproofing
+ 0 more
Employees arrived on time, answered any questions I had, and completed work they were supposed to.
Description of Work: French drain along 2 walls(30' x 18') in game room, sub pump in basement, french drain added along sidewalk (64') outside
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
3.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, Thank you for your review. Should you ever need a thing pleasure don't hesitate to call. Thank you for selecting Keystone for your foundation needs.
Brian R.
06/2010
5.0
plumbing, drain pipe, foundation repair
+ 1 more
The sales guy treated us in a very straight forward way; he was upfront about what he did and didn?t do, what he product was, and how it worked. I felt that I understood what I was getting and that I wasn?t being sold a story that I would regret later. We had some initial scheduling trouble but once we got that straightened out, they showed up when they said they would, they did the job professionally, and they cleaned up when they were done. They had clearly done this job a zillion times before so they knew exactly what to do and they did it really well. We didn?t have any problems at all and I would recommend them.
Description of Work: Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair did an interior french drain.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,500
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, I am so pleased to have helped you with your issue. Furthermore, I am glad that you appreciated our straight forward talk. We will tell you everything we do, and do not do, so that you know exactly what you are getting from us.
Karen H.
03/2010
5.0
plumbing, basement waterproofing
+ 0 more
They did an excellent job. My husband and I thought the price was reasonable, and I would, and have, recommended them to others.
Description of Work: They put a sump pump in for me along with a French drain in the basement.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
Member, I am very happy that I was able to help you with this issue. Thank you for your business and we are always around if you need us.
Melissa T.
03/2010
3.0
I was not very happy with their work. They did not seem to follow procedure, and they stacked molded debris in the house instead of taking it out. They failed to remove all of the debris from the attic that they said they would. I had to call them back out twice because they had not removed all of the debris. It took that many times for the mold test results to show that the mold was gone. They did eventually get the job done, but it was frustrating that it took so many attempts and I am not likely to use them again.
Description of Work: They came out for mold remediation in our attic.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
2.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
$5,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
As the business owner I will be the first t say that I wish things always went as planned. Sadly we sometimes have problems. Problems are something that everyone has to deal with at one point or another. That said, it is how you handle problems that define you. How one acts when things do not go perfectly tells a lot about who they really are. It is true that we had an issue on this project. It is also true that we did not quit or run from our obligations. We stayed until the work was done correctly. Going forward we have learned as a company from this experience. Additionally, I am glad to have this report on file because it shows that if a problem was to happen, we are going to work until we make it right. Not a lot of companies can say that.
SHAILESH S.
09/2006
4.0
basement waterproofing
+ -1 more
THEY LEFT MY BASEMENT KIND OF DUSTY. I FEEL THEY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO KEEP THE DUST LEVEL DOWN. THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MISSED WHEN THEY CAULKED THINGS.
Description of Work: THE WATERPROOFING OF MY BASEMENT ALSO INCLUDED THE INTERIOR DRAIN AND THE SUMP PUMP.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
5.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$7,000
Response from Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc
After reading this review I am pleased to receive an A in most categories. With that, I did receive a B overall because of a dust concern by our client. As with any indoor construction project, dust can become an issue. Some common methods of dust control due exist, such as negative air pressurization machines, but these options are best served for first and second floor projects. Basements, which happen to be where our projects are, are very different due to hot water tanks and furnaces. We have to be very careful not redirect the carbon monoxide that a furnace and hot water tank give off. Therefore, for our projects, we cover items with plastic and do not redirect air flow due to the high risk of carbon monoxide issues. I will say that in reading this report I will pay closer attention to these matters as I am always interested in the needs of my customers. Aaron Stull ~ President
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.
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Service Categories
Basement Waterproofing,
Foundation Repair,
Wells and Pumps,
Drain Pipe Installation,
Structural Engineering,
Plumbing,
Concrete Pouring and Repair,
Excavating,
Basement Remodeling
FAQ
Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc is currently rated 4.4 overall out of 5.
Sunday: Open All Day
Monday: Open All Day
Tuesday: Open All Day
Wednesday: Open All Day
Thursday: Open All Day
Friday: Open All Day
Saturday: Open All Day
Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc accepts the following forms of payment: American Express,Check,Discover,Financing Available,MasterCard,PayPal,Visa
Yes, Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc offers warranties.
Keystone Basement Systems & Structural Repair Inc offers the following services: Specialize In Basement Waterproofing And Foundation Repair, Interior French Drains, Sump (Dewatering) Pumps, Battery Back-Up Auxiliary Pumps, Wall Anchors, Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Straps, Steel I-Beam Supports, Dehumidification Equipment, concrete lifting, leveling and stabilization. Wall Coatings, Painting, And Membranes As Well As Many Other Items.
Plumbing, New Foundations, Roofing, Mold Remediation or Testing, Concrete replacement.