Value Dry Waterproofing

Value Dry did the best they could. I have moisture in my basement and the moisture is still there after Value Dry installed a new sump pump. They offered a reduced rate for the sump pump since it was not the final answer and assisting me in finding the culprit of the problem. I would continue to use Value Dry even though it was not the end all. I may have a bad sewer pipe which is not covered under Value Dry. They don't have a plumber on staff.

We've had a leak in the Utility Room in our basement for years. I called two other "Angie's List" companies - one was too pushy and the other wanted two and half times the money to fix this problem. Then I tried Value Dry... Overall, Value Dry was very responsive. They learned enough about our basement leak in the first call to give a quote over the phone (good, competitive price.) We scheduled the work to be done about a week later. They sent a foreman by to see the worksite several days before the work was to be done - he confirmed what needed to be done and the work schedule. The crew showed up on time to do the work, they were courteous and professional, and the work was completed quickly and efficiently. So far, despite a few heavy rains, the problem is gone! What more could you ask for from a contractor - responsive, good price, they do what they say they're going to do, and it worked!

We were impressed by the inspector's professionalism, thoroughness, and candor. Not only did he determine our problem correctly, but when he concluded that it was not something that his company could fix, he suggested solutions that other contractors could address. His company then followed up with a phone call a couple of months later to ensure we had no further problems. Based on this experience, we will definitely go back to Value Dry, if ever we do haver a foundation leak.

Value Dry waterproofing did a remarkable job on our basement. From beginning to end, the company more than met our expectations. The initial consultation was comprehensive and clear, which gave us confidence the job would be done right. The estimate wasn't the cheapest we had received, but we felt it was more than fair and that to get the best quality work, we needed to avoid the cheapest bids. We were rewarded because the work was done in a truly timely and professional manner. More specifically, Value Dry began the project just a week after an agreement was struck and finished everything in just one day -- thanks to the use of two teams. After having consulted numerous waterproofing companies in the past few years, we couldn't have been more pleased with Value Dry. We now look forward to finishing our basement with confidence that our water issues are solved.

Very nice job, professional and respectful employees. we are very satisfied with the work done by the Value Dry team.

Their price was reasonable; it was one of the best of the estimates that we got, but not the cheapest. The job went fairly well. The only complaint if we would have would honestly be on the nitpicky side, just that their workers dropped a piece of concrete that damaged the floor a little bit but they were quick to offer money off from the job that would have been approximately about the same as what the repair would be. The finish could have been a little smoother, but I understand that concrete is what it is. Otherwise, they were very thorough, very clean and they just kind of explained everything and made sure that we knew how everything worked and that if there were any issues in the future with making sure that things were not working properly to call them and have them come back down. Overall, the quality of the work was excellent. They showed up on time, were thorough, had everything they needed, finished the job like they said they would and explained everything they needed to explain in the timeframe they promised us. I will refer them to others as well.

Their policies cost them this job.

The estimate process was great. They did a thorough evaluation and quickly identified the problem areas. The other 2 companies had multiple causes for the wetness, Value Dry was only one who knew immediately what the problem was. I received a thorough presentation that showed examples of basements with similar problems, it was very educational. The proposal was competitive with the others, however, I felt I was going to get better service with Value Dry. The installation took 2 days and the guys did great work..they were courteous, professional, clean (as much as could be expected) and very hard workers. Jim is one of the rare guys in the contractor world who truly cares about the customer and the success of the job....thank you Value Dry!

They were very professional and followed up to make sure we were still dry.

Value Dry did a fantastic job! I greatly appreciated the time they took to explain the procedure they planned to do, how every part worked and what to expect from the project long term. The rep was willing to work with us on design, and price. We are very pleased with their work, and would hire them again if needed.

My basement has been leaking on occasion for years, I had 5 different contractors in my home to offer solutions including JES, Midatlantic Waterproofing. I was told on multiple occasions that the job could be done and what the cost would be only to have actual crews show up and explain why they could not do the job. In bright contrast, Value Dry and James Ketterer came to my home as scheduled, evaluated the basement without the high pressure salesmanship previously encountered, and offered me a quality solution at a fair price. His crew showed up as scheduled, kept me informed of their progress, and finished on time and in budget. They even performed a few small details for me that were not stipulated in the contract at no extra charge. I am completely satisified with my basement water proofing and would happily recommend Value Dry again.

They did a good job. We needed to remind them to finish some of te cleanup

The sales person was very polite and seemed knowledgeable./ He felt this should solve our problem but it could require a ditch along whole wall. ( this seems to be the case as we have since flooded). The pricing seemed reasonable $5,500+ but this was our first estimate and if we signed that day they would cut price to $4300. Not nasty pressure but still pressured to sign and we did sign that day. They scheduled the work the next week and the two workers showed up the following week. They were very professional and in very hot quarters worked very hard to complete the job that day. They cleaned up the area before leaving and work seemed to be done well. Pluses - very professional staff, that left the work area clean. Explained any question I had as job was being done. Took time to explain Sump pump operation and maintenance before leaving. Two great young men. Negatives - Sales pressure of pricing to sign that day or lose a 20-25% discount. II would suggest getting other estimates before having Value Dry come in to have a work scope and price comparison. I suspect they may still get the job but you would feel better about price.The work did not solve all of our leak. and I have not had them come back to get a price on extending drainage ditch another 20-25 feet.

Jim and his crew were prompt, courteous and professional. It was a difficult job as I have an historic 100+ year old house, but they performed the job quickly and cleaned up well afterwards. I did have to call Jim back twice to correct some water issues, but he worked with me and had his crew return and correct them in a timely manner. Overall it was a positive experience and I would recommend ValueDry to friends and neighbors.

The gentleman who came for the estimate was very ontime. Which I really appreciated, because I ran home during my lunch hour! He was very knowledgeable and his estimate was very similar to others I had received. The main downside was that he refused to tie into the existing french drain system. He wanted to put in his own. So I would have another drain running alongside the exisiting one -- that would go all the way to the sumpump. This would break up all of the tile alongside the wall in my basement. I don't think he cared much that I currently have tenants living in the basement! The estimate was the same as previous ones I had received though... except I would have paid more for my handyman to redo the tile work once the waterproofers left. Always have to add the extras back in! So mainly because of the extra tile work and destruction to my basement. I chose not to use this contractor. I did mention this to him when he was there. The other thing I didn't like about him, is that he kept telling me the drain was probably just clogged and I should have a plumber come out to fix it... I already knew that wasn't the issue at all. The drain wasn't connected to the french drain - it wasn't connected to anything at all. So this was the main reason it needed fixing. I hate when contractors think they know more about my house then I do - I live there!

Matt came out to give an estimate. The first time he stopped by, only my husband was home, so he left. He came back a second time when both of us were there. I'm okay with that policy because I would have been angry if my husband signed a 10k contract without my knowledge. Matt looked at the basement and spent a lot of time talking us through the options. He was a good salesman because we were totally sold on his solution by the time he was done. The part I did not like much was where we had to sign a contract right there and then to get their best discount -- that did not give us time to really think over such a big investment. Prior to them starting work, I had to find an electrician to put in a new electrical outlet for the new sump pump. They showed up on time and finished the job in two days, as promised. They covered some area to prevent dust from spreading to the upper levels. They removed the stairs from upper to lower levels so they could put in a drain in that part of the basement. We expected them to keep the materials so we could just ask someone else to put the stairs back together afterwards. What shocked me was that they threw my stairs away! The foreman said it was rotten due to mold -- if that were true, that would save me a trip to the landfill, but I was never given a chance to look at it myself even though I was in the house the whole time. They also tore out a big chunk of drywall to put in the plastic thingies, which was expected, but we wish they would offer services to put things back together so we didn't have to spend more time looking for someone else to do it. They cleaned up pretty well afterwards. But I notice that a bucket of weatherproofing paint that was in the crawlspace missing -- maybe they threw that away along with my stairs. That paint was left by the sellers of the house, so it was no big deal as I wasn't even sure if it was empty or not. Update Aug 2012: There is a damp spot in the crawl space now where the french drain ends in a farthest corner from the sump pump. Does anyone else have problem like this with Value Dry?

I do not agree with their policy. We chose another highly reviewed company to perform our work.

He gave me different options. He came quickly and spent a lot of time with me. I liked him, but he was more expensive than other companies I had spoken to. I would use their services in the future.

My wife and I are recent home buyers in Adelphi, MD. We moved in to our home last fall shortly before two tropical storms/depressions drenched the D.C. Metro area. After the storms, we noticed that water was starting to bubble and peel the paint on the back basement wall of our home. The peeling and bubbling eventually subsided, but we were concerned about future torrential downpours and the possibility of mold developing within and on the walls. We called Value Dry and their representative, Matt Houseknecht, came out to our home in a timely fashion, assessed the problems we were having, explained to us in great detail why we were having them, and finally prescribed several solutions for us to choose from based on Value Dry's experience and the rest of the waterproofing industry. We ultimately chose Matt's recommendation. I want to take a moment to address some of the other comments here on Angie's List regarding Value Dry's requirement that both spouses be present for their consultation. I personally found nothing wrong with this stipulation and if anything, it was helpful for my wife and I to receive the education regrading basement leaks so that we could make an informed decision before moving forward with the project. The work was done in a very professional manner. The crew went to great lengths to minimize the impact of the work to the rest of our home by taping plastic from floor to ceiling. The work was completed in two days as quoted. On the final day the foreman of the project discovered a crack in the cinder block seams on the support wall that had previously been covered with a piece of plywood by the former owner of our home. He called me at work and messaged the pictures to my cell phone and explained to me how Value Dry could fix it. I agreed to his solution and he sent me pictures at every step of the process as he repaired and resealed the seams since I wouldn't be able to see the work once it was covered. I was extremely impressed with this aspect of the project. I highly recommend this company and would definitely use their services again.

Didn't use them due to their policy that wifes need to be home for their presentation.

ValueDry is one of several companies we have had out to give estimates to correct a ongoing seepage issue in our basement that was not properly corrected by another company and needs to be corrected as soon as possible. The representative arrived right on time and gave a good first impression. She provided a very thorough inspection and I was impressed by her cohesive and rational solution to our problem, including providing an option to incorporate, but expand, on the existing work we have had done to work within our budget. I was quite happy with the estimate and solution strategy provided, despite the lengthiness of the calculations (I am not sure why we needed to be present for that part). However, as a family rule, we do not make any major purchase without at least sleeping on the decision. I believe anyone will agree that this is a rational and appropriate approach, especially since we are quite cautious, given our history with a previous waterproofing company. Unfortunately, ValueDry does respect this postion and may have lost a sale for this reason alone. As the night grew long (especially for a working mom who has to be up in a few hours) the friendly atmosphere changed to a high pressure sales pitch to settle on the same day, an intensity equivalent to that of a used-car-salesman. To top this off, the salesman refused to leave (or email) a copy of the quote/drawing so that I may review it the next day with a clear head. I found this quite petty. In order to compete in this tight market, well, you have to allow your company to compete with other companies. If they had just done this, they likely would have had my business, as the remainder of the inspection exceeded my expectations. So, if you don't mind a sales pitch, not getting a second opinion, or writing a check for thousands of dollars on the spot, they are are the company for you. However, to me they left quite the bitter aftertaste.

Thought I had water coming up from the basement floor...water treatment was installed back in 2010. The OWNER of Value Dry (Jim) made the service call. The house is a rental and the tenant was unaware that the water heater was leaking. Jim was very kind is helping me to determine what the problem was. If you have a damp, wet, musty basement...call this company...you will not be disappointed. They do amazing work in just a few days.

As you can tell from the "work performed" portion - installation of a sump pump and drainage system in the City of Alexandria is no easy task. Given my proximity to a city drain, I was required to tie the sump pump into the city's drainage system. This was a long process (adding $3,000 to the price of my project) and ValueDry, especially Jim Ketterer, was there every step of the way. Matt came out to inspect our water issue after the hurricane and rainy summer of 2011. We had water coming in on two exterior walls, one more significant than the other. While many say it is annoying that both homeowners are required to be present, I actually valued it. It's not easy to sink this kind of money into a below ground drainage system and was helpful to have Matt's thorough detail of what needed to be done. We got three estimates and ValueDry offered to match one of our other quotes. We were very comfortable with Matt and their product so we signed on the line. Our project ran into some issues with permitting with the City of Alexandria. The people in the permitting office were great, but it was a very lengthy and convoluted process (for what it's worth - it was my first time pulling a permit here). Jim Ketterer was right there every step of the way. He ALWAYS returned my calls and worked with me for several months as I navigated the increasingly costly process of permitting. Installation day came and Jim's guys were ready to go right away. The total project took 2 days and they have the process down. There were 3 - 5 guys working through the install and Jim came by to personally check on the project. The house was covered in plastic to help reduce dust and our belongings were 100% respected and cared for. Jim's guys couldn't have been more professional and easy to work with. So far my basement's been totally dry and we've had numerous days of rain already this Spring. I would recommend them to my friends and family without a doubt.

Matthew came out as I had a small patch of mold on my basement wall. After taking a look, he felt that it wasn't a basement waterproofing issue but identified a potential source outside where my hose bib was leaking and potentially some other sealing issues outside where my patio meets the house. Recommended I call a plumber to see if that solves the issue since that's a bit easier. Appreciated that he didn't try selling me at all and took his time to talk me through everything.

The planned work was to inject the external part of the crack with epoxy, then cover that with hydraulic cement, followed by layers of a bitothane (sp?) membrane, vapor barrier (plastic), and then foam board. On the inside, they suggested and we agreed to the installation of a carbon-fiber patch to stabilize the crack and prevent separation. To begin with, we had a very tight set of scheduling concerns. A few days before the job was scheduled to be done we had a problem where the foreman assigned to our job called, wanting to start early in order to keep his team working when they had another job fall through. When we could not deal with the reschedule that particular foreman at first openly expressed frustration and a bit of a temper. He did call back to apologize and we were subsequently able to work it out to our satisfaction. Value Dry, on their own, assigned a different foreman to our project and the 2nd foreman was very accommodating. My wife and I had carefully planned for the day of the install and coordinated with them so that they would have her inspect the work after each successive layer so that she could confirm each layer was applied as the estimator had described in his presentation. A couple of problems happened. The first was that my wife had to remind the team lead to install the vapor barrier. The second was that the team failed to correctly read the diagram and instructions prepared for them by their estimator. As a result, the patch was installed to a smaller area and in a different configuration than what was called for and as it was presented to us by the estimator - and for which we signed for. Only because we were such sticklers about inspecting the work between layers and before the hole was filled in did we catch these issues. On the GOOD side, once I made a call to the estimator and explained the discrepancies, he had the team lead call me immediately, that same night. He was very apologetic, explained what had happened and promised to completely correct the issues right away. The team returned, completely covered the entire area as originally planned, and went out of their way to be accommodating and to satisfy our concerns. All work on the inside was completed satisfactorily on day one, with the sheet rock installed and patch as we had agreed. So - due to the issues with us having to 1) remind the team lead to install the vapor barrier and 2) point out the incorrect installation on the exterior, I have given a (B) rating to Value Dry "Quality". Due to the initial attitude of the first foreman I've rated them with a (B) on "Professionalism". By way of balanced feedback, I must say that the responses of the second foreman and the project team lead to our concerns over the discrepancies in the more than made up for the display of attitude by the first foreman. The 2nd team really went out of their way to satisfy us, for which we were very grateful. Lastly, the quality of the materials and workmanship appears to be (A+). Overall - if Angie's List provided the option, I would give this Value Dry team no less than an (A-).