A substantial Davenport project: roughly 100 linear feet of basement waterproofing with a new sump pit and drainage system, plus structural work including new 6×6 support posts, new concrete footings, and temporary support of the main girder beam and stairwell during repairs. Block mortar joints, weep-hole water intrusion, and foundation cracks were repaired inside and out.

Project photos

Project overview

This Davenport, Iowa home had problems on both sides of the basement equation: water coming in, and structure that needed support. The crew handled both in one project.

Project details

On the water side, the crew installed approximately 100 linear feet of basement waterproofing, along with a new sump pit and drainage system to manage groundwater and keep the basement dry.

The structural work was significant. Multiple 6×6 support posts were replaced or newly installed, new concrete footings were constructed for them, and the home’s main girder beam and stairwell areas were properly supported while that work was done.

Additional foundation work included repairing open and deteriorated mortar joints in the block foundation, addressing water coming in through existing weep holes, repairing foundation cracking, exterior excavation and crack repair, and tuckpointing and masonry repairs where needed.

What homeowners should know

Water problems and structural problems in a basement are often treated as separate jobs by separate contractors, and sometimes they are. But they frequently feed each other. Water that sits against a block wall for years deteriorates the mortar joints; open joints let in more water; a wet basement rots wood posts at the floor and undermines the soil under footings. When a basement has several issues at once, addressing the whole system tends to be more effective than fixing one symptom at a time.

A note on weep holes: concrete block is hollow, and the cores can fill with water that has found its way into the wall. Weep holes drilled at the base let that water drain out into the interior drainage system rather than staying trapped in the block. Water coming through existing weep holes is a sign the wall is holding water, and the fix is to give that water a managed path into the drain and sump, not to plug the holes.

Support posts and footings carry the girder that carries the floor joists, so when posts are replaced, the beam has to be temporarily supported and the new posts have to bear on proper concrete footings rather than on the slab alone. Homeowners with sagging or bouncy floors above a damp basement may be looking at this same combination. After a project like this, keep the sump pump maintained and watch the mortar joints for any new deterioration.

Photo highlights

• The finished basement after roughly 100 linear feet of interior waterproofing.
• The perimeter opened up along the block wall.
• Deteriorated block and open mortar joints along the base of the wall.
• The trench along the footing before the drainage went in.
• New concrete over the drainage system.
• The floor poured back along the perimeter.
• The wall before the mortar joints were repaired.
• Standing water near the stairwell before the work.
• Drainage pipe going in along the wall.
• The repaired wall and finished floor.

Related services

• Basement Waterproofing
• Sump Pumps
• Wood and Floor Repair
• Sagging and Bouncy Floors
• Foundation Repair in Davenport
• More recent project updates