Victor Barke's Complete Basement Systems Before & After Photos

Before:

This Northfield, MN homeowner was battling water in her basement for many years. She also had structural concerns as her walls were leaning and bowing. Water was seeping in along the joints where the basement walls met the floor, causing damp conditions, efflorescence, and musty odors. On top of that, the basement walls were showing signs of inward bowing due to hydrostatic pressure, a common issue in Minnesota.

The combination of water intrusion and structural instability made the basement unusable and posed a growing threat to the home’s long-term safety.

After:

Our Complete Basement Systems team designed a full system solution tailored to address both the water issues and structural concerns.

1. WaterGuard Interior Drainage System:
   We installed WaterGuard along the perimeter of the basement floor, just above the footing. This innovative sub-floor drainage system is engineered to collect water from the wall-floor joint and direct it to a sump pump system. Its design ensures it won’t clog with soil and remains out of the “mud zone,” which maximizes long-term performance.

2. CleanSpace Vapor Barrier:
   To control wall moisture and improve the air quality, we applied CleanSpace. This is a durable 20-mil thick vapor barrier that is installed along the interior foundation walls. This liner not only prevents vapor transmission from the walls but also channels any seepage down into the WaterGuard system. CleanSpace is mold-resistant, tear-resistant, and transforms the basement into a cleaner, brighter space.

3. PowerBrace Beam System:
   To permanently stabilize the bowing foundation walls, we installed the PowerBrace system. These I-beams are anchored to the basement floor and joists above, providing immediate stabilization and the ability to tighten them over time. This gradual tightening process can potentially straighten the walls back to their original position, and all without invasive exterior excavation.

The Result:

The basement is now dry, stable, and protected from future water intrusion and structural movement. With improved indoor air quality, a safer foundation, and dry, usable basement space, this Northfield, MN homeowner can enjoy peace of mind and long-term value in their home.

A Northfield, MN homeowner had been living with basement water problems since moving into her home back in 1993. Over the years, the situation slowly got worse. Whenever it rained heavily, she could end up with a couple of inches of water on the basement floor. This made the space impossible to use and stressful to deal with every time the weather turned stormy. After putting it off for years, she finally decided it was time to get the problem fixed once and for all.

We designed a waterproofing solution to give her the peace of mind she needed. By installing WaterGuard to collect water at the perimeter, CleanSpace to keep moisture from seeping through the walls, and a SuperSump to pump water safely away, her basement is now protected from future flooding. On top of that, our lifetime transferrable warranty means she never has to worry about water damage again. Now she can confidently use her basement however she wants, knowing it will stay dry for years to come.

Our repeat customer in Burnsville, MN contacted Complete Basement Systems to waterproof the other area of their basement.  Sometimes customers don't always have the problem on all four walls and elect to only do the area that is currently experiencing an issue.  Over time, water seems to find its way into other sections of the basement and needs the system extended and finished for complete protection.

Complete Basement Systems installed a waterproofing system using WaterGuard and our CleanSpace Wall System was installed partially up the walls for this split-level style home.

Our customer in Maple Grove had a metal egress window well and wanted to get an estimate to replace it with a better quality egress window.  

Our installation team installed a RockWell Egress Window with a cover which the customers really liked to avoid the debris that got into their old window well previously without a cover. 

This Maple Grove, MN crawl space had our customer, a new home buyer concerned with moist dirt floor underneath the home.  Very interested in purchasing this home, he contacted the professionals at Complete Basement Systems for an inspection of the crawl space to provide a professional opinion of what needed to be done to ensure safety.

Our System Design Specialist, Ryan Brenner, quickly came to evaluate the situation.  He concluded that the crawl space needed a CleanSpace Liner to create a safer enviornment for the rest of the home.  With a plan set, Ben Heldt and his production team came to the home start the project.

CleanSpace Liner and CleanSpace Drainage Matting were installed to fully encapsulate the crawl space with a 20 mil thick liner along the walls and floor of the dirt crawl space.  

Having a dirt crawl space under a home is a very bad idea.  The earth has high humidity in the soil and the water vapor moves easily into the crawl space and upwards into the house enviornment.  Mold thrives in this enviornment.  With the CleanSpace System has an UltraFresh antimicrobial protection built in to prevent mold growth.  The CleanSpace System has a 25 year warranty as well.