We knew that we had foundation issues but we didn't know how bad until we removed the drywall on the front wall. The 100+ year old rubble foundation was disintegrating to the point that you could grab a fistful of sand and gravel in your hand. Initially we believed the issue only was with the front wall of the house. We met several companies at the National Home Show and brought them in to look at our project and provide an estimate. Kevin from Tall Basements was by far the most knowledgeable and the quote was reasonable and so we engaged their services. He invited us to see projects that they had underway that were similar in nature to ours. I was impressed with the workmanship on these projects and that put mind mind at ease that we had made the right decision. To save some money, I elected to undertake the demolition of the finished basement myself. In tackling the side wall of the house, you could imagine my shock when a large portion of the wall caved in. The only thing holding up the foundation was the studs and drywall. I called Kevin and he picked up right away. He advised not to do anything else and he arranged for the structural engineer to come over with our architect. The engineer relayed that he had never seen a foundation in such bad shape. It would need to be entirely replaced and structural supports would need to be added asap.
This finding obviously changed the scope of work. We looked again at various companies to quote on the project and provide their strategy for how to tackle the job. Again, it was a "no brainer" to go with Tall Basements. Kevin and his team, working closely with the Engineer devised a plan that would work, while allowing us to continue living in the house for the duration of the foundation project. I should mention at this point that we teamed up with our attached neighbours who also engaged Tall Basements to do identical work on their basement foundation at the same time.
As the project started we were introduced to the team who would be working on the foundation. Tony Bravo was our onsite lead and I just can't say enough great things about this guy. From beginning to end, great communication and attention to detail. Incredible workmanship, creative solutions all while ensuring a safe and organized work environment. Kevin and owner Tony were regularly present and updated us on the status. Owner Tony knows his stuff and lead the work on every concrete pour. When you are in a big project like this and living in the house while it's going on, the little things matter. Never were we without plumbing and water. When the weather turned cold, they showed up with half a dozen heaters which worked perfectly. Often Mr. Bravo would even come in on weekends to finish up forms, check on things and prepare for the next week of work. The work space was always kept organized and clean (or as clean as you can make it when doing a big dig!)
Ours was a very difficult project, one of the most challenging that Tall Basements has encountered according to Kevin. It required careful planning, some creative solutions, and a very high level of expertise. Each section of the foundation was formed, reinforced, insulated and poured, creating strong new foundation wall sections. The before and after is astounding and our neighbours and ourselves are so happy with the final result. The window well and the new walkout are stunning and we have a finished basement ceiling height of close to 9ft! We made the right decision to hire Tall Basements and I would recommend them in a heartbeat.
