Basement Detective

Had a great experience with Chris Kuper at Basement Detective! My basement flooded from non-stop storms and I needed a sump pump installed along with complete renovation of my basement. They were very competitive in pricing and outstanding in results. Chris even helped coordinate with the contractor doing my basement renovation after the sump was installed to make sure none of the drainage was disturbed by the new work being done. I have since weathered at least 3 large storms and can hear the sump working as needed. Very happy with the results!

Excellent work and customer service. Would definitely recommend this company. All waterproofing work is expensive, but they offer complete renovation services. Out project was just awful - water in the wall, then they found termites (!) and asbestos in our floor tile & mastic. Basement Detectives worked with us through every issue. They told us what needed to be done, coordinated with other contractors as needed (for our project, a plumber to remove a radiator, and a pest control company and asbestos removal). After the demolition, and the drain and pump install, they put up walls and painted and cleaned everything up. Very professional staff. All we did was get new carpet installed (although they offered to arrange for that, too). We are very pleased with their work. Many thanks to Anthony, Carlos, Jake and Chris.

We were really impressed with Basement Detective's expertise and professionalism. Great job.

Honest pricing. Great service. Well done. Basement no longer floods!

After an initial scheduling snafu, Chris was sent to come look at our basement window well trim, which was excessively moist. He was pleasant, courteous and knowledgeable. He provided helpful information and advice that did not necessarily require his company's services. When the window well trim was removed, Chris made himself available to return to our house and reassess for signs of damage or leaking. No direct payment was exchanged, which speaks to Chris and Basement Detective's interest in honest work and customer satisfaction. If we do encounter an issue within their scope of work, we will definitely contact Basement Detective and will refer others to them as well.

Services showed on time and the work was completed ahead of schedule. Offered a discount on future services if needed. Looking forward to hiring them again. 5 stars!!!

We had an interior perimeter drain put in our basement after flooding during the heavy rains of July. We also had our old window wells changed. From the foreman to everyone on the team, they were friendly, professional, honest, and answered all questions and concerns. They explained how the system worked. They were meticulous in protecting and covering everything in the basement we couldn’t remove to shield it from dust and debris. They cleaned up each day so well you wouldn’t even know they were there. The foreman Carlos was a true professional in every sense of the word and we can see why there are so many other good reviews. The owner Tony was very responsive to all our questions from our first meeting through construction and inspection process. If I could give 6 stars I would. If you have any basement issues don’t hesitate to go with Basement Detective.

It went very well. Contractor called and asked if he could come earlier than agreed upon time (which was fine). He was extremely polite and professional. He explained what he was doing, what his goal was, how long everything would take and what the next steps would be, based on test results.

Really enjoyed doing business with these guys. Chris, Carlos, and Francis did and excellent job on the project and excelled above all expectations. The company was responsive, flexible, and affordable and, while the job was only recently completed, I have zero expectation that I will experience any problems or complications and even if I do, I suspect Anthony/Chris will be extremely responsive.

The initial contract called for the installation of a sump pump with French drain, 10 ft. of outside pipe to carry away water and the installation of a speed drain outside the basement door. We also decided to use Basement Detective to replace the dry wall that was removed and do ceiling work (smoothing a textured ceiling). The latter two actions required contract amendments and lengthened the project time, but it was all well worth it. First, the sump pump team is very professional. They did their best to minimize cement dust created by the trench for the pump. The basement area is 71 linear feet around the edge and we had indications that that all of it had moisture in the walls. That work was completed within the estimated 4 days. Between the contract signing and the start of the work it became apparent to us that while we initially turned down the option to have them re-drywall the area they were indeed the best option. We opted for them to remove the old drywall floor to ceiling. We discovered that the original finish work was simply furrings over cinder blocks with no insulation between that wall and the old drywall (our house was built in 1961). B.D. replaced that with 2x4s, a vapor barrier, R13 insulation, and primer ready drywall finish. Between the sump pump install and the drywall work we coordinated with an electrician to do work that included moving a ceiling light fixture and a wall switch. B.D. agreed to replace the ceiling cut-out at no extra charge, but the crew chief pointed out that the piece would have a flat finish while the rest of the ceiling would be textured. We decided to upgrade the entire look and amended the contract again to include covering the entire ceiling in drywall mud to have a uniform smooth finish (something my wife has wanted for years). It took additional time, but the finished look is worth it. We contracted with Basement Detective and then added work twice. Through the whole process they were very accommodating and fit the added work in to the best of their ability. Roland Hook, the sales rep, gave us hassle free service even as we changed the target. Their crews, one for the sump pump and another for the finish work, were professional, pleasant, and trustworthy. The one thing I would point out to those considering this work is that there will be clean up to do after they leave. It is unavoidable given the jack hammering of concrete and the sanding of a ceiling. They do try and keep the work area sealed and/or do some clean-up, but dust gets to places and we did not have the option of clearing out everything in our basement. That said, the finished work means no more mold in the basement, a more energy saving environment, and a look that is much more in keeping with 2017 than the 1960s. And work done effectively and professionally.

Of the contractors we've had to deal with as part of owning a house, Basement Detective ranks in the top three. Roland provided our estimate, and we were impressed by his depth of knowledge and by his candor. He suggested we get price estimates from other companies for the drywall before going with their service. We did that, and it turned out the price was not much different. We decided it would be more convenient to have one company supervising the whole project, and we were absolutely right. Throughout the work, a quick call or email to Roland got immediate answers. There were some of the usual hiccups with getting inspectors & subcontractors in, but it was all handled quickly by the Basement Detective staff. The work crews were friendly, hard-working, and willing to answer any questions that came up. The sump pump crew hung up plastic sheets and put down canvas to protect the floor. Surprisingly little dust carried into the upstairs. The drywall crew was also careful, and we did not have any trouble with clean-up. By the time everything was done, you'd never know the whole rec room had been torn up. They even laid the carpet back out, which was nice while we waiting for our new carpet to arrive. Basement Detective was a little more expensive than some other estimates we received, but we considered it well worth it for the quality of work, and the convenience of having one company in charge of the entire project instead of our trying to coordinate different subcontractors.

They were fast, efficient, courteous and professional. Except for some dust and rocks that we had to clean up ourselves, it went very well.

It went well. I originally wanted the ceiling grid painted, but the salesman said we could not do that, but should replace them, I signed a contract for this work. When the workman came, he suggested it would be much easier to paint the grid and the wall that touched it instead of taping. We never adjusted the contract when the work started. On the day it started, the salesman returned and said he would not raise the price to paint the grid but they did not want to paint the adjoining walls. To me, it seemed a lot easier and cheaper than our original contract that replaced the grid because now, we did not have to buy the grid. However, I was ok with the price, i did not want to delay, and if we were going to change the contract, we should have done it when the workman said to paint the grid instead of replace it. It took them three days, it was typical workers for this area, they did a good job. At the end of the job, when the salesman came for final payment, he presented me with an updated contract. I watch Judge Judy enough to know that I should have changed the contract before the work started, but reality here (where its hard to even get someone to come to your house if you don't live in Potomac) is not as easy to do as we 'should' do it. We had to do a lot of the work ourselves, we had to move everything, and in the end, we had to carry off some of the trash because the worker's car was too small to haul it off. I was glad when it was all finally finished. Then a day later, I noticed that they had disconnected my dryer duct to the outside. I sent them a picture and asked if they could come and fix it because I am not so good at moving dryers and climbing ladders. They never responded and I ended up fixing that myself. I made one more mistake, I had a $300.00 Angies List coupon that I told them about when we were doing the contract, he said he would honor it, but when I paid them, he never mentioned it again. I should have and decided not to bring it up, so I can't hold that against them.

They let me know it was not a water issue, the walls are just damp because it's a basement. They were honest and did not charge me.

It was totally professional from beginning to end. Roland came first to assess the problem and provide a proposal for work needed. He was very thorough and was able to target the problem area and provide an appropriate plan for repair. The work involved removal and haul away of all affected drywall, firing strips, etc. and prepare area and install 24 feet of french drain and a new sump pump. The replacement of drywall that was removed was not included as part of the job at my request. I hired my contractor to do the installation of the new drywall. The job was scheduled two weeks out and they arrived on time, and did a very good job. They installed plastic sheeting to contain the jackhammer dust. The job was scheduled for 3 days and was only delayed by 1 day due to a Fairfax County inspector last minute cancellation. I was very pleased with the way the entire project was handled, and would recommend this company for handling basement foundation water issues.

Great job from beginning to end. We were only aware of a leak in one corner of the basement. However, the night before work began we had a huge storm and discovered an additional leak. This made the job go from about a 2 day job to 4. Even though they had several jobs booked they worked hard to fit the additional work in as quickly as possible. The entire staff responded quickly with all of my inquiries. Would highly recommend.

Well, it's been an adventure, but I think we finally found the solution that will work for our crawlspace problem. Four years ago, we completed a two story addition. Under the new kitchen space was a crawl space about 15X35 feet. From the start, we have had moisture problems in it. The original contractor had a french drain, along with gravel, but the problems persisted. After 3 years, we encapsulated it, which kept the smell contained for a few months, but eventually the smell and moisture returned. Based on a referral, we contacted Basement Detectives in December 2015. They came by, examined the crawlspace, proposed a plan- extensive frenchdrain around its perimeter, more gravel, less encapsulation, and completed the work after about 4 days of pretty labor intensive work. They were friendly, respectful and left the place as clean as they found it. For a few months, it seemed the problem was solved. Unfortunately, the smell and moisture returned after a prolonged rainy period this spring. My wife contacted them about it and they immediately came out, examined it and proposed adding more gravel, re-encapsulating it, and adding a fan to vent the space to the outdoors. They heavily discounted this second round of work. Thomas was particularly helpful as the over all manager of the job. Clearly,, he takes a lot of pride in his work but he was also very sensitive to the concerns that we had especially since the first repair had not succeeded. It's been a couple of months since that second repair. The moisture and smell seems to have gone away for good, but if it returns or a problem comes up, I am confident that the company will stand by its work and quickly seek to fix it.

Recently we found a leak in our basement due to our water main pipe. We called Basement detectives back as they did such a great job with our remodel in 2013/2014. Roland our Project Manager we worked with during the remodel came back out. He helped us assess our situation, provided recommendations, and did not charge us a consolation fee. 

Basement Detectives is a very professional company that treats their clients with respect and fairness. Once we get our water main repaired we will call them if we require any additional work to our basement. 

I was really impressed with the head contractor and his workers. They spent a lot of time making sure that all details of this project were done right and did not cut corners to save on getting the job done faster. They were very friendly and understanding of the situation as my basement had flooded and this was were I had my bedroom set up. They treated my house with care and cleaned up any all mess that was left behind from the project.

They provided the best bid and exceptional service. Any questions that I had were answered immediately and they were very professional.

unknown

Well, first of all, the representative was on time and he did a complete inspection of my entire basement.  He came up with two options to fix the problem, one from the outside ( I decided against that option because they would have had to dig up my new patio) and an inside option that involved drain pipes that were installed under my floor and a sump pump in the basement.
The workmen showed up on time and finished the entire HUGE job in just 3 days.  The workmen seemed to work non-stop and were very polite and curious.   They cleaned up after themselves and the company gave me a warranty that I am very happy with.  If I ever move and have the same problem, I would absolutely call Basement Detectives again!

GREAT COMPANY, GREAT EXPERIENCE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Anthony and Thomas came in, reviewed the situation and provided us with a detailed explanation of what was happening and how they could fix it.  Water was leaking into the finished basement bedroom during heavy rains and then soaking the carpet.  The leak was coming in through small stress fractures in the basement wall. They provided us a detailed estimate on the repair work and said the work would take about a week to 10 days. They started on the 8th of July and finished on the 22nd.  Originally they would have to remove two walls (sheetrock and framing), jackhammer the cement basement floor at the juncture of the wall and floor, install a drainage system and sump pump, then put everything back into place.  The company does everything except the carpet work.

We had to move all the bedroom furniture out of the room, so they could work.

The crew showed up exactly on time, installed plastic sheeting to keep the dust out of the rest of the house, laid down work tarps so the carpet in the rest of the basement didn't get dirty and got to work. We went on vacation for a week right after they started.  We got detailed periodic updates from Thomas, once we got home we rarely heard them, they came and went through the basement doors and kept the noise level very low.  Nestor or the team leader let us know when they came in in the morning and when they left in the evening.  There was never a communications problem.  The crew discovered another water leak on the third wall while we were gone and Thomas immediately called and texted me with pictures and an solution.  The addition of adding a third wall didn't not add too much to the overall cost of the work but did increase the length of the project.

Basement Detectives took most of the stress out of a very stressful situation.  They were upfront about the entire project, there weren't any surprises. They stand behind their work.  I would recommend them in a heartbeat, I will only use this company in the future.

Please contact Basement Detective first if you have a problem with water in your basement.  We had water in our basement. We asked a plumber and two basement waterproofing companies to look at the problem.  The waterproofing companies wanted to dig up the basement floor and install French drains at a cost of thousands of dollars. Roland Hook, a senior inspector from Basement Detective looked at the problem and quickly inferred that the water was coming from the air conditioning unit. Based on his experience, he could tell that was the problem by the location of the leak and the type of water in the basement.  There was no charge for his inspection. Based on his recommendation, we had a plumber look at the air conditioner and he confirmed that the pipe that was supposed to drain the condensation was completely clogged, confirming the inspector's diagnosis.

The inspector (Roland) showed up exactly on time and asked few general questions about the situation.  The inspector then lifted the carpet to determine which area has been damaged, checked the interior and exterior walls for possible issues, and conducted moisture tests of the floor and the wall.  It was concluded that the leak was not coming from the foundation but instead from a different source, most likely a broken hose bib pipe near the location of the leak.
During the entire inspection the inspector was very professional and took time to fully answer my questions and explain what he was doing (as well as pointing out what would be the symptoms that he would be expecting to find in case of a foundation problems).  In the end Basement Detective only performed the free inspection, but I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.  I am very happy with the service I received, namely, I am glad that I received an inspection rather than a sales pitch or a solution to a problem I did not have (I still have to take care of the broken pipe, but at least I do not have to worry about a foundation issue).