Case Study: Partial Dig Out For a New Gym

A homeowner in Canton called into the Drycrete office interested in gaining more information on lowering and waterproofing his unfinished basement. Jason, one of the owners of Drycrete Waterproofing and an experienced technician was scheduled for a site assessment.

As we do on all assessments, Jason spoke with the customer to understand his plans, hopes, and dreams for the space. The plan was to finish the basement, but the homeowner faced a few obstacles:

  • The basement had water seepage and moisture issues causing pooling of water and molding in the basement.

  • The homeowners hoped to enlarge their basement windows but had difficulty finding someone to remove the materials.

  • Part of the project would be a finished gym but the height of the basement left little headspace when using equipment like treadmills and ellipticals.

How Drycrete solved these issues:

Issue: Water seepage and moisture issues causing pooling and molding in the basement

Solution: Drycrete installed a full perimeter French drain system totaling 278 linear feet of piping, two Dual Pump Battery Backup Wi-Fi Monitoring Sump Pumps, a 4-inch drain near the water heater, and a 5-inch-wide grate drain at the base of the bulkhead.

This waterproofing solution ensures optimal coverage for any water issue that may arise.

Issue: Homeowner wanted larger windows in the basement for additional light and safety but couldn’t find anyone willing to remove the materials after cutting them out.

Solution: Drycrete’s crew removed the excess material safely and hauled it away.

Issue: The height of the basement, which was 7 feet 11 inches, limited the headspace for the homeowners when they used equipment like treadmills and ellipticals.

Solution: The homeowners initial idea was to dig out and lower the enitre basement, however, when doing a full basement dig out, the structure of the house needs to be modified to handle the increased weight and ensure stability. This means reinforcing and making the foundation and walls stronger.

These modifications can be complex and may involve techniques like underpinning or adding more support beams and require an engineer. These extra steps take more time and money, making a full basement dig out a lengthier and costlier process. Our team suggested a partial lowering in the area of the basement which they intended to build out the gym. This would allow ample headspace and save the homeowner time and money.

The finished product:

The homeowners were able to finish their basement exactly how they wanted with no concerns of water damage.

“Drycrete team has been a true pleasure to work with. Always professional and no shortcuts taken. Their team is a well oiled machine and the overall efficiency was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommend if you need to protect your basement from ground water.”

– Partial Dig Out Homeowner

If you’re interested in finishing your basement and want to protect your investment from water damage, Drycrete is happy to work with you to find the best solution for your unique situation. Give us a call today to schedule your free assessment!