This will not keep a leaky or wet basement dry on its own, for that, any do-it-yourselfer will need to make sure anything that can be done to prevent water or sewer seepages has already been done so, before applying EPOXYShield Basement Floor Coating, because this stuff is not cheap for the environment or the wallet.

Epoxy resins in general are one of the best adhesives around, one of the few that can be used on metals, as protective coatings they are much more reliable, and are now used widely in electronic circuit boards, as well as patching holes in concrete or pavement, like wet basements.

This stuff is even used in plywood shipbuilding, like Arthur Pivers Trimarin designs (nothing holds a plywood marine craft together better than epoxy); but its a Petroleum based product and thisstuff will take at the very least 10 generations (200 years) to compost in a landfill, so use it wisely please!

Everyone dreams about turning their basement into a living space or working space, and EPOXYShield Basement Floor Kit was designed to do exactly that, as long as it is used properly and safely as the very fumes of this stuff can cause serious health risks if not applied correctly, so read the safety sheet that comes with any epoxies you may aquire.

EPOXYShield Basement Floor Kit comes with two-part water-based epoxy coating, decorative chips, detailed instructions and a stir stick, its tintable to 32 different colors, with a satin finish (gray (product # 203007) and tan (product # 203008) are made ready by Rust-Oleum) and the finished coat should always be cleaned with soap and water.

EPOXYShield can use multiple coats, but it will not prolong the life of service, it is applicable over fiberglass and reinforced concrete, but fibers should be burned cautiously without sanding and if used outside, the epoxy may chalk, fade or lose gloss when exposed to UV light, so if you have a saltwater aquarium, find a way to protect your basement floor from those reef lights.

Weighing 13 pounds and covering approximately 250 square feet, EPOXYShield Basement Floor Kit is an excellent way to leave a dry satin finish that resists stain and wear, generation after generation for a more durable and hopefully, sustainable, tomorrow.

Roger German is a general contractor with over 100 basement-remodeling projects completed and teaches at Nebraska Community College.

Remodeling a Basement will help you achieve more living space in the home, for any kind of room you choose it to be, especially if you have seven foot high ceilings, in which case you could opt for another living room, bedroom, rec-room or just a really comfortable laundry room that gives a cleaner and more hygienic feeling.

Tips on the dirty work andphysically demanding finishing touches are all included with superb photos of Roger German himself in every step of the remodeling process, with bold letters that are easy to read with support text in the kind of language that neighbors use to give each other advice and inspire.

This softcover of 176 pages was first published in April of 2004 and most recently by Taunton in 2006, measuring only 9-3/16 x 10-7/8 inches and shipping at 2.2 lbs.

As self-sufficiency and sustainability become more and more in demand, it gets ever more clear to us Americans how really important it is to at least understand what goes into living more healthy lives and a healthy basement that is actually part of the house can completely change things for the better in any home.

Wet and leaky basements, electricity, plumbing, insulation, wall frames, dry-walling, window spaces, doors, lighting, ventilation, thermal heating and a lot of creative imagination, all go into developing the perfect basement remodeling concept and its all here in Remodeling a Basement by Roger German.

Ronald K. Gay has been a licensed contractor, who has seen all manner of leaky basements since 1985, from seriously dangerous conditions to even the most common of problems, to non at all, and has contained all his knowledge and experience into this one instructional guide that is easily accessible to the average homeowner.

Gay reduces keeping a basement dry down to 5 critical steps from top to bottom that include; step one: describing the problem, step two: inspecting your home, step three: correcting roof run-off (if there is any need), step four: correcting landscaping (if need) and step five: correcting sumps, drains and cracks.

These are the basic tips that every homeowner should know in order to keep their basement and/or crawlspaces dry throughout the years.

Done in this order, instead of just going at it and fixing cracks first can save you both money and time, as water has a natural tendency to find its way back into the ground, the best thing to do, is help water in its natural tendency; away from your basement.

Ninety-two photos, photo index, glossary, eight appendixes, index and written in easy to understand language that turns mounds of technical details into cobblestones for quick digestion.

This 146-page paperback is bound in 15 pt. cover stock, printed on acid-free paper, measuring 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.5, shipping at 12.8 ounces and was first published by Welkin House in April of 2005.

Understand gutters, downspouts, drains, pipes, cracks, moisture, crawl spaces and the overall art of preventing and fixing leaky basements, with 5 Steps to a Dry Basement or Crawl Spaces by Ron Gay, a man who knows how to make hard things easy.

DIY basement waterproofing is usually done when a basement is still in earlier stages of water damage. Homeowners thinking about doing it themselves should concentrate first and foremost on understanding their problem. Normally everyone does this step by going to the local library or hardware store and doing research. A do it yourselfer doesn’t want to become a professional; they just want to fix their wet basement. Waterproofing the basement yourself is easy, once you know the scale of the problem and what really needs to be taken care of. Stopping leaks, repairing cracks and holes, closing those under pressure, waterproofing patches and repairs and packing joints are all things that you can do yourself. Some do it yourselfers have a lot of enthusiasm and willpower, those people who just love using their bodies.

Those kind of people will go all out to find the source of a leak and fix it directly, even if that means digging up the foundation around the basement walls and putting in liners, resins, vinyl, and even catch systems that reroute the water pressure under the foundations corners. Others will take a go at leaking gutters or useless sewage drains and replace or repair them directly, while still the more sensible suffer from surface water infiltration will just backfill the foundation to give it a nice backward drop flowing water away from the problem. Finding the origin of the problem is easy and fixing it directly is the first step in doing it yourself basement waterproofing.

Once the problem itself has been taken care of, those annoying holes, hairline cracks and bending walls need to be repaired. This means filling them with some kind of epoxy, resin, or latex cement for mortaring. The “glue” you use can be recommended by the hardware store attendant once he knows what the problem is, plus the instructions on the bucket will have nice little drawings and pictures so you always know exactly what you are buying. You don’t need those expensive injectors for filling cracks, those are for holes, but if the hardware store guy tries to push tools you won’t need, just buy what you need, and “if” you see later you really will need something, then YOU DECIDE to buy it (salesmen always want the innocent do it yourselfer to be over-prepared for some reason). Supplies and tools in hand go to it with the mortaring. It’s better than playing with finger paints in kindergarten, but it can be just as messy, so get some old grubs (besides, once they are dirty you can reminisce the days when you fixed the basement water seepage “all by yourself!” What better way to bring pride to a house project.

Third stage is basically just like the second, but you get to play with too! Waterproofing is the last step, because once the initial problem is fixed, the walls and floors repaired, the last thing to do is make absolute sure the water never comes back. Some people do this externally others internally, It just depends on how gung-ho you are about the whole thing. A sump pump, sump ditch, pipe and sealant will finish off the process. In the case of on going problems, the sump pump system will relieve hydrostatic water pressure that is constantly building up and causing the problem (usually ground water). Just place a strategic hole in the wall exactly in the closest most subtle place in the wall (usually a corner) and mortar it well as in the second stage, dig a ditch to settle the water coming from the pipe and buy (or improvise) a water pump that just sits in the sump ditch and drains the water to another location (more pipe line YEAH!!), feel like a plumber yet? Ok, then wet the walls, cracks, floors, and everything down and pass a special waterproofing sealer in a uniform fashion to make sure that any wanna-be hairline cracks have to think twice about it.

So in the end do it yourself basement waterproofing can be an adventure and full of excitement, if we choose to see it that way, and offer and excellent opportunity to learn (if nothing else at least a little soul filling humility). Find the problem and fix it, repair all the holes and cracks, then waterproof away, and the basement has just been fully waterproofed by who else if not none other than you… yourself.

Whoever would think that it was possible to make a basement design that would turn a dark and dirty concrete basement into a beautifully finished living room? Well, who ever thought even about the very idea of living under the ground? Most people would say that living under the ground is for cavemen and primitive undeveloped cultures, but in today’s ever increasing verticalized towering urban landscapes and cities, nothing could be more efficient and modern than a good basement design and that makes proper use of all possible living space in a home.

Thousands of years ago in what is now Turkey, the ancient Hittite civilization had constructed deep cities into the underground volcanic turf, a natural wonder in the Ihlara valley of Cappadocia (Kappadokia). Later the Greeks, and what was left of the Greek civilization in the VII’th century would protect and hide themselves from the Roman persecution of their Religion within the soft volcanic rock below the desert valley floor. How? How did they live? They lived well. They lived in peace and harmony among each other surrounded by protective volcanic rock (invisible to the eyes of invaders). The keys to their healthy life style were simple, light and ventilation. Derinkuyu is an ancient underground city with more than 13 different floors below ground and still gets excellent lighting and ventilation through vertical shafts at intersecting points throughout its complex and labyrinth structure to this day (even after millennia of wars and cave-ins).

Basement design can follow the ancient wisdom of these great civilizations. And windows are the key. A window without a shaft, also called a window well, is fine, if your time and budget will not allow anything else, but they make the difference between real and healthy underground living and just mere living. The effects of natural light on the human mind and body have been researched over and over, study after study… But who needs to be an expert to know that underground dwellings need to get at least as much natural light as the upper floors. Spacious windows are not just common sense; they are the best part of any decent basement design.

Ceiling basement design is one of the areas where people most get uneasy, but it can be simple, safe and sound, with little effort. Low hanging ceilings need to be covered with plates that come nearest to each and every surface and colored as brightly as possible. If the ceiling is not so low, then be sure and curve as much as possible around the edges, with arches that spring up from the wall.

The idea of springing up from the upper corner of a wall also should extend its design technique to the lighting as well. Make absolutely sure that light comes from about one foot or so from the top of the walls (all around the basement) and casts its ray up and out, blocking the light coming down, from the bulb. This will give the effect of space that the human eye needs to feel comfortable. Lights are traditionally put in the center of the ceiling, which is a big no-no… Whenever light bulb is stationed in the center of a room, shadows are cast on the ceiling… But it’s the ceiling that needs to be bright, the floor and walls are given priority by a center bulb, but by putting lights all around the top of the walls, not only the center and walls receive light, but also the walls and the floor as well. “Remember to throw light UP not down.”

Walls, floor, pillars, stairs, electricity and plumbing, all need to be designed in such a way as to permit more and more space. Colors should always be as bright as possible, and surfaces should be smooth with so light will bounce nicely off of them. Floors should be as warm as possible, and the walls should be filled with insulation. Interior decoration should conform to the rest of the house’s design, but inner workings like water heating, plumbing and electricity can be creatively hidden in walls and between pillars that close off spaces with false walls.

False walls and hidden closets spaces are not just for castles, in a basement design they create the illusion that this room is not a basement at all, while still making sure that it never looses its original purpose, easy internal maintenance. If a wall or a ceiling close off the access to anything that needs to be serviced later, then things can get really ugly in the new living room, and more expensive as time goes on. Expensive in the long run means the basement design was wrong and inefficient, so let the imagination go crazy with this.

Rerouting plumbing, electricity and moving the water heater, waterproofing the whole basement and digging window wells are not things you do to be fancy, they are put into the design to make remodeling the basement as cheap as possible. As strange as that may sound it is true… Basement design means being practical and practical is being prepared for the future. Make sure light comes from below and shoots UP. And finally, make sure that when planning your basement design, that you take into account as many false closets, walls, floors and even secret passages as possible to keep the uniform style with the rest of the house, without losing your basement.

Light and ventilation help create an illusion of space when remodeling a basement window. Basement windows need to be well planned to make sure that building codes are followed and that the window itself can become an escape route. The original basement window will usually be so small that it needs to be dug out deeper and wider, and then replaced with a new window and frame. Digging holes for the window are also called wells, or a window well (that which goes down to open the window size). Once the window well is big enough, it can be used as a window egress. That is a place from which a person can come and go.

Why exactly do windows need a well? Basically the window well will provide a kind of shaft through which absurd amounts of natural lighting and ventilation come pouring into the basement. The well, is used like a kind of central ventilation chamber, when interlinked with other accesses to the subsurface, such as the stairwell, or opposing windows, thereby creating a kind of draft that reduces any kind of humidity or radon emissions that may occur from a faulty or wet basement. The basement well, must also be secure against surface water run off, which can be fixed with a French drain for example.

During window placement, remember to put a good size bead of vinyl caulking to prevent any kind of moisture from seeping in, and taking precautions to protect the window around the edges of the frame with layers of vinyl sheeting or some other material that keeps water and cold out. Window placement is easy and simple, once you know what kind of window you want, just remember to make them as wide and tall as your budget will afford, as they make all the difference in the illusion of space. Above the well, usually a safety grate is placed to make sure people don’t walk along and stumble into a kind of tiger trap. But the bigger the well, the bigger the window and usually the easier window placement will be. It might mean chipping away at the solid stone foundation as well, or cutting it with a proper blade, but in the long run it is worth it.

Getting in and out of a window, should be easy and safe, as it is suppose to be large enough to use as a fast escape route or window egress. This means putting in stairs or a ladder. In the case of a ladder, the aesthetic nature of the window well is taken into account while in the case of planters with ferns; the window egress takes on a more back to earth kind of feeling and becomes almost maintenance free. Too many plants might actually complicate the window egress, but just one or two can make the inclined staircase planters an eye attraction, even with an aluminum grate that holds tigers as well as cat-burglars out of the well space.

Making a fire escape from a small old dirty basement window, may sound like a lot work, but once it is finished, the basement becomes another room in the house, just like any other. Windows make the basement come to life, offering a vision of the moon and the stars, bringing in the summer sun and the summer breeze. The whole concept of basement window is to make sure that the illusion of space and comfort become a reality. Natural lighting and ventilation bring open a basement to the same elements as found in the upstairs floors in the house. Basement windows, bring an aesthetic appeal to a room formerly was a nuisance.

What is basement finishing? The whole concept of making a basement a useable space for living in the house, is sometimes referred to in this fashion. But that entails so many different carpentry ideas and systems that most people seem to imagine the cost will be far to exorbant (which is only true if your tastes are exorbant). Waterproofing, walls, ceilings, floors, stairwells, electricity and plumbing all go into finishing the basement, but details like the water heaters and overhangs tend to make the finishing ideas a little non-conventional, and all about cost effectiveness. Creativity is an excellent quality to have for anyone looking to do some expert basement finishing, but the most important tools are lighting and ventilation.

Window shafts are essential ideas for achieving good ventilation and natural lighting systems. Artificial lighting and ventilation can be effective, for basements that simply cannot support any kind of outside shaft structures, but never as cost effective in the long run as a natural shaft system. In fact, basement finishing is an art that revolves around how “open” the basement appears to be. The illusion of openness is the element of success in any basement finishing idea and systems that take this factor to heart are on the road to cost effectiveness.

Before going to work finishing the basement, meditate, that’s easy enough for anybody with creative prowess. If not, then just put the basic needs to be addressed down on scratch paper, sleep on it and the “strategic openness” should appear the next morning, but aside from the sensation of openness, basements also require practical solutions to practical problems like water heaters, overhangs pillars, shallow foundations and such. Basement finishing means dealing with these unexpected factors in a creative and yet efficient fashion.

The unexpected is what professional basement finishing experts deal with everyday. If a basement was built without even one window shaft on the south side, then think seriously about digging some (if not at least one), but more importantly, make sure that no down slopes or broken roof overhangs are going to cause water to flood the basement on rainy days. In fact waterproofing the basement in general is a must first step, since it would be a waste of time and effort to do something wonderful, just to have it ruined by seeping floors, leaking walls or open windows that turn into waterfalls.

Electricity and plumbing, which are usually found in the basement, should be rerouted through accessible areas of the ceiling, walls and floor, so as to make future maintenance and repair jobs far more cost effective, quick and safe. This means running things through floor boards along the corners or pillars in over hangs and even installing and creating service closets for things such as water heaters. Usually this happens when a pillar or two is/are blocking potential basement space. Either relocate the water heater, furnace, water pipes, sewer pipes, electrical wires and drains to accommodate the service closet space, or improvise all over the place in easy to hide fashion.

Obviously it takes longer to redo all the plumbing and electricity to make a basement conform itself to a new style, but that is the whole point of basement finishing; to put the excess space to use for the inhabitants, not the other way around. It may take time to redirect these things if the kind of ceiling, walls and floor are permanent, so perhaps more serviceable walls, ceiling, and floor are better? That is a question that every basement finishing expert must answer. As long as future and comfort are taken fully into account, everything should run smoothly. Use light colors, curves when possible, and work unchangeable areas into closet spaces. Make sure there is natural light and ventilation coming from shafts on the southern most (for those in the southern hemisphere change that to “northern” most!) side of the basement, and where shafts are not possible, silent fans and soft white 40 watt neon lights.

If the basement needs remodeling and you have an excellent idea of what you want done, then you have just taken the first step to creating a design with an affordable price. These are the three main important factors in developing your basement remodeling; idea, design and price. Of course, before remodeling any basement into useful and pleasant living or work space, it has to be waterproof. Doing a ceiling that blends in with your idea and keeps to your pocket book budget is very easy. Walls with insulation, plumbing, electricity, and the proper finishing touches need to be well measured, with a little bit of carpentry skill. Stairwells and flooring are also an art in themselves, but with the proper knowledge, and willpower anything can be done well and cheaply. If looking for an expert, to do the job for you, at least make sure you know the job he will do. These tips can help.

Ideas are important in any new project, as they stimulate the creative process through which we create our dreams and expectations. Design is what brings these dreams into a kind of half way point between reality and fiction. When organizing your basement remodeling ideas, try a lot of different designs out until you find the one the resonates with you bones, and then take a look at how much it is going to cost you. Of course, you don’t need to be looking at cost every second while you are making sketches on blocks of scratch paper, but try to be at least a little reasonable with what you know you can afford. If you don’t know the price of something, just make some alternative sketches that seem to work with your main idea. Price is the last thing you go and do, but it doesn’t just mean doing a lot of research on your own, it also means asking yourself relevant questions. Do you want to do this yourself? Or do you want someone else to do the labor intensive stuff? Those choices will affect your price as much as materials. But one thing is for sure, the more you know about the whole subject and the idea as a whole, the better off you are in the long-run and the more confidence you will have.

Usually the ugliest part of a basement is the fact that most have been badly constructed, and are wet and damp areas. This is easily taken care of with a little waterproofing which can be done by oneself or by a contracted professional. But this step should at least always be addressed before starting on any remodeling that could be damaged by leaks or seepage.

Ceilings are usually the first part to be designed. Hanging ceilings, arched ceilings, tray ceilings, or any other possibilities that inspire the imagination can be excellent and well priced choices. The point of remodeling anything is “aesthetics”, so the question is basically, “does it look the way you want?” Ceilings give an impression of space, so the more architecturally beautiful, the better for the basement’s feeling.

Plumbing, electricity, insulation usually run around in the ceiling of most basements, so if the ceiling is not exactly something that you think about tearing apart later, for repairs, it might be a good idea to redirect electrical conduits and plumbing into wall tubes where everything is more readily accessible. This is one of the biggest parts of the project, accessibility. Basements have purposes in the house, and some of the biggest are plumbing and electricity, so don’t go ceiling over this stuff in your plans without thinking about the future maintenance costs involved.

Floors and stairwells also come into the picture while doing remodeling in the basement, as they may not be what you are happy with. Maybe they just don’t go with the new wall and ceiling, so take some time thinking about them until you feel they will complete the space. Wood floor boards might be used all over the house, or just carpeting, but as they need to look like an extension of the upstairs, then, unless your idea is a workspace or anything different, it could just be envisioned like another living room. Usually this is what makes people feel more comfortable with the idea of doing something with their basement in the first place, the comfort of another living or play room.

Finally, remember that if you are looking for a professional to do this job for you and you want to keep the price reasonable for what you know you can afford, then you have to do the research. Not just to because of trust, but because of feeling. You have to “feel” that your basement is going to look the way you want, and that means doing a little dreaming and planning around whatever you dreamt of. That will give you the feeling you are looking for. Otherwise, the whole project will be done according to what your hired help thinks would be good, and two people do not always have the same taste. Remember to waterproof, design the ceiling, walls, plumbing, electricity, floors, stairs and final interior decoration, research your prices and then your basement remodeling will be exactly the way you imagine.

For those worried about their leaky basement and no not what is happening, nor where the incessant flow of water is coming from, let it be clear, that there are only three different sources. Leaking basements can be categorized into three sources; surface water, ground water and other. Surface water is that which comes from the surface, being rain runoff, melted snow, lot drainage, gutters that droop improperly… etc. Groundwater comes from underground and usually has a basic source such as a higher water table, underground river or spring. Different from the first two categories of external water sources, other water sources could be internal as well, in the case of leaking internal water pipes, internal sewer… etc.

When water comes flowing up from the bottom of the floor, or directly from the walls, most people don’t understand why, or how. But what is usually happening can be determined from careful observations. If the basement seems to leak, only after a heavy rain or snow, then the cause is probably surface water. Normally this is because the water runs in the direction of the house’s foundation and the water makes a puddle at the foundation until it seeps down into the ground. Finally upon reaching the end of the foundation, this causes hydrostatic pressure to build itself up until it causes the water to break through the lime and calcium deposits in the cinder block foundation stones.

When a basement is leaking all the time, and neither rain nor snowfall seem to have any other effect than to worsen the already vile problem; the chances of groundwater being the source of external leakage, is considerably high, and works in the same way as surface water infiltration, however, the hydrostatic pressure is built up from below rather than above the foundation. This kind of leaky basement is far worse than surface water sources, as it is a constant source, and can’t be fixed by eliminating the source of the water, without redirecting the underground river. The biggest complication with ground water infiltration is that water will hit against solid rock constantly, never stopping until finally making shaping it to its will. That is the deepest and darkest secret that must be dealt with when waterproofing any basement wall, the constant exposure to water pressure.

External water sources are not the only causes of leaky basements. In many cases, such as when a pipe line breaks out on the street and the water falls downhill both underground or above against the foundation, this too will cause hydrostatic pressure to build up and the problem repeats itself. Of course, hydrostatic pressure is not the only cause of a leaking basement; broken pipes inside the house or basement can also do damage to basements and sometimes easily be mistaken for other types of leaks. Sometimes the leak is actually inside the wall, or under the basement floor such as in the case of a backed up sewer pipe or broken sewer pipe. If a sewer line breaks outside the house, this can be an even worse problem not only for the basement but the rest of the community, nearby trees and plants that all drink from the contaminated soil. In any case that the water source is artificial, then the leaky basement can be easily fixed by just repairing the problem, given that the problem can be found easily enough.

Whether the problem is a leaky basement subject to surface water, groundwater or other water infiltrations, the solution is to identify the origin of the water so as to know exactly where to start. A leaky basement caused by surface water means dealing with an ongoing problem from the surface and can usually be solved by backfilling the foundation wall with earth so the runoff goes away from the house. When groundwater is the cause of leaks, then the basement may need to be unearthed and given external attentions. In the last case of artificial sources such as leaky pipes, then fixing the main source of the problem can do the tick. But all in all some or all of these problems may be causing a leaky basement, but knowing is already half the battle.

Wet basement repair in an unregulated industry, a world of short term gains, and unrelenting interest; the need for concern, respect, planning and an honorable word become ever more important to the homeowner who suffers from damp, moldy, cracked, wet or completely flooded basement. Any and all problems with basements and foundations can be fixed before construction even begins, the question we ask ourselves however is; Why didn’t the architect or construction company know there was going to be a problem in the first place? The answer is simple, lack of respect and short term interests. The architect may originally be interested and genuinely concerned, but without proper inspection of the construction site (on location), he might never even see or even know for that matter, where his building or buildings will go, while the engineers are thinking about getting the job done efficiently in a realistic time frame with a realistic budget. The end result is a building that has flaws and an industry that can be divided into big bucks private contractors (with licenses), private one-man contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners.

As the demand for cheap housing increases and the professional world of construction contractors is labor union intense, the quality of the final product seems to find itself in a decadent downward spiral that dances violently into the blackness of oblivion. Unethical real estate speculators making an already declining area intolerable would make the people of ancient Rome riot in outrage before the senate steps. The roman aqueducts that were built to carry water for miles and miles from the mountains to the city are still standing, even after 2000 years of war and turmoil. Empires have been won and lost in this time, countries have fallen and risen in anarchy to the drum of a tyrants rage, yet the structures of that time still survive. Why? Because even the most tortured and abused of roman slaves who built them took pride in what they were doing. In short, those architects and their foreman who drove the slaves had a respect that was inspired by their gods and their emperor, not their pocket books. Sure they saw things in terms of life or death, but should this be any different when the average citizen has to deal with wet basement repair after two years and the warranty has already ran out?!? No. When we make contracts and break them, we have disgraced our honor! Who would listen to a liar? Yet wet basements are always reappearing. One after the other and the problem is just getting worse.

Perhaps a contractor has even taken all the proper precautions and is working on a big scale project with entirely closed condominium and fortified communities with one house after the other in a popular middle class fashion. But still, months afterwards, when all the homeowners have already bought the houses and are living their, thinking of children, the basement walls start to mold over, crack and generally wet the whole place down in pools of overflowing lime?!? This is because they are not thinking about how wet basements occur. They are not planning for this. The architect may have even visited and thought it was a bad idea, but never the less, engineers only want “one” set of architectural blue prints to follow and modify as is necessary. Who is the architect to tell them what can and can’t be done? Or even the other way around? This lack of communication between all sectors of bigger companies is what allows them to “overlook” certain details that are house to house. And when money is involved shareholders are not given the “whole picture”, because it’s just to complicated, and could lead to “loss of money”, which could break somebody, and nobody wants to break, so they think of short-term profit. This thinking causes a lack of respect all along its chain, and in the end lands in the private homeowner’s lap, who ends up finally looking for wet basement repair.

The search for solutions to basements that suffer from dampness, mildew, leaky walls, and generally overall wet environments, developed in and of itself an entire industry of wet basement repair, born of an unregulated industry; itself also unregulated. There are different categories of basement and foundation repair and remodeling, some ethical others not so ethical. There are private contracting companies with licenses that will ask big bucks for their services (which can be pricey), private one-man contractors who survive off of client indication and not expensive marketing techniques (old fashioned honor system) and finally the do-it-yourself homeowner handymen and women.

The handywoman or man, is going to have the most interest in their house as it is theirs, but usually lack know-how, and after realizing how hard it is to really do-it-yourself, end up doing a halfway patch up job. This can be unfulfilling and discouraging, and will usually end up in flip through the Yellow pages. If the Yellow pages take the homeowner to a private contractor, money and price usually tend to guarantee professional job. But the price can kill. Private one-man contractors are usually guys who have been in this business of wet basements for many years and have actually fixed the problem many times. They have lived with green fungus and rust so often and specialized in it in such a way, that they have a kind of passion for what the do. They tend to do the job right if they have good recommendations, because they care. They have ethics and a concept of honor that reverberates through space and time from the days of ancient Rome when the slave placed mortar with pride and respect for the gods and the emperor.

Humankind is living at the speed of fiber optics in a world of supply and demand, but basements still keep getting wet and still need to be repaired, because people keep getting ripped off by the original house builders who either didn’t think about the problem or didn’t care, due to short-term profit expectations. This lack of respect that so utterly destroys our faith in real estate speculators is one that must be addressed at one time or another and eventually if not by the original contractor, will fall into the hands of the private homeowner. The owner has the choice of repairing the basement or foundation her or himself, paying big bucks for a private contractor or looking for a trustworthy one-man (even one-woman for that matter) professional who really loves what they do, care, respect and even depend on good honorable service to survive the coliseum lions with licenses and big marketing strategies.