Established in 2007, Foundation Systems of Michigan stands as a trusted subsidiary of Groundworks, a distinguished family of companies renowned for delivering unparalleled solutions. From foundation repair, structural reinforcement, crawl space encapsulation, basement waterproofing, and concrete lifting, we provide comprehensive services tailored to meet your needs. With our coverage spanning across the state of Michigan, we bring our local expertise closer to you. FSM proudly holds accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. Drawing from decades of collective experience, extensive industry knowledge, and ongoing specialized training, our dedicated team is poised to safeguard your residential property against water damage, concrete sinking, and foundation instability. At Foundation Systems of Michigan, we are not just builders; we are guardians of your peace of mind. Contact us today for a FREE estimate!
"A huge thank you to Bryce Edlund from Foundation Systems of Michigan (FSM)! After years of spending thousands of dollars on various contractors and basement systems companies to fix a persistent leak in my basement, I finally met Bryce. He took the time to listen to my story, asked insightful questions, conducted a thorough inspection, and identified the problem, offering a permanent solution. I was at my wit's end with nowhere else to turn when I called FSM, and they sent Bryce, who is knowledgeable, personable, helpful, and incredibly talented. I am beyond happy and relieved to have found someone who could finally solve my long-standing issue. Now, I have peace of mind and a solution that works, something the other 5 companies failed to provide. Look no further, folks—Bryce at FSM is your go-to problem solver!"
Tammy S on March 2025
Established in 2007, Foundation Systems of Michigan stands as a trusted subsidiary of Groundworks, a distinguished family of companies renowned for delivering unparalleled solutions. From foundation repair, structural reinforcement, crawl space encapsulation, basement waterproofing, and concrete lifting, we provide comprehensive services tailored to meet your needs. With our coverage spanning across the state of Michigan, we bring our local expertise closer to you. FSM proudly holds accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. Drawing from decades of collective experience, extensive industry knowledge, and ongoing specialized training, our dedicated team is poised to safeguard your residential property against water damage, concrete sinking, and foundation instability. At Foundation Systems of Michigan, we are not just builders; we are guardians of your peace of mind. Contact us today for a FREE estimate!
"A huge thank you to Bryce Edlund from Foundation Systems of Michigan (FSM)! After years of spending thousands of dollars on various contractors and basement systems companies to fix a persistent leak in my basement, I finally met Bryce. He took the time to listen to my story, asked insightful questions, conducted a thorough inspection, and identified the problem, offering a permanent solution. I was at my wit's end with nowhere else to turn when I called FSM, and they sent Bryce, who is knowledgeable, personable, helpful, and incredibly talented. I am beyond happy and relieved to have found someone who could finally solve my long-standing issue. Now, I have peace of mind and a solution that works, something the other 5 companies failed to provide. Look no further, folks—Bryce at FSM is your go-to problem solver!"
Tammy S on March 2025
At Ayers Basement Systems, we’re your partners in creating a safer, more secure home for your family. With over 40 years of experience and a team of experts, we’ve had the pleasure of helping homeowners across Michigan and Indiana with tailored solutions for basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space repair, and concrete repair. Serving areas from Lansing to Grand Rapids, Traverse City to Kalamazoo, Detroit, South Bend, and beyond, we recognize that each home comes with its own set of challenges. As a locally owned, family-operated business, we are deeply committed to providing professional, trustworthy, and affordable solutions to help you protect what matters most. Let’s take the first step in making your home safer together. Schedule your free estimate and inspection with us today!
"n…do not walk away. Run. Run. Run. Our unfortunate experience with Ayers Basement Systems began with an impressive sales pitch. Our sales person was Robert. He had a PowerPoint presentation and explained to us that we would not have to worry about a wet basement ever again. That was huge because we had been wanting to finish our basement for sometime. Previously, it would leak around the window just enough to keep drywall from staying dry. We were offered a discount for signing the contract that same day. Overall, the estimated cost to us was $5,600. This price did include a permit they said they would have to pull. They went ahead and scheduled us for the next week. They informed us we would need all of our furntiture and stuff moved away from where the pipe would be installed. That was a pretty huge task due to the amount of “stuff” we have in our basement. The morning of our appt, with all of our stuff moved in such a way that no one could easily access anything (home office, computer, bills, etc), they called and rescheduled. The soonest they could get us in was an entire month out. The second appt was made and once again, they rescheduled the morning of. This was extremely inconvenient, however this wasn’t even the tip of the iceburg. Over a month after signing the contract, we finally had Ayers come to our house. We were taken aback by how young the four workers from Ayers looked. We told them that we had dogs and cats. Both were put up in rooms where they couldn’t bother the workers. However, once they left for the day, our gate was left wide open. Luckily when we let our dogs out, they didn’t notice the open gate. Another issue we had is that they left the front screen door propped open. It was a very windy day in April and the wind blew our screen door off the hinge because it was left open. The workers were there for 2 whole days. In that time they jackhammered our concrete floors, installed a pipe from the leaking window all the way to where our sump pump pumps water outside. We were told by our sales person that they would jackhammer larger pieces of concrete and put them back with a very minimal seam. What we were left with was a huge trail of uneven concrete work that followed the pipe and it was a good foot wide. The concrete was so uneven that a piece of tile wouldn’t lay correctly if we tried to do so. Then we looked at the work around the window. They put holes in the concrete to the outside of the house. They was a piece of plastic blocking a larger hole that was not flush to the concrete. Even now that piece of plastic allows the most water in. To explain that absolute absurdity of what they did is a hard task. There was rag blocking a pipe to the outside. We have no idea why but it was stuck all the way in with purpose. The outside pipe isn’t even connected to the pipe that goes to the sump pump drain. Now we have new leaks that are all over the basement. They basically opened up an entire new area for the water to go. We had a plumber come and look at the pipe and he dumped over 5 gallons of water into their pipe (drains into the sump pump area) and absolutely nothing came out of the other end so the water must be draining to other areas of our basement, causing the leaks that are popping up everywhere. So, what was the purpose of this system? When the kids left, they tried to collect the full balance. They wanted payment for a system that has ruined our basement. We refused. The sales person, owner, and a few other people from Ayers contacted us. The only thing they said is that they would come back out and “fix the problem”. At this point they have drilled holes into our house, broke up concrete, and made the leaking go from one to area to the majority of our basement area. At this point we want them to never touch our house again. They were condescending in every way. We were told that they would have a really good team come to our house to fix our problem. How many times do we have to have someone come to our house before we get a good team? Shouldn’t all of your teams be GOOD TEAMS? Ayers acknowledged they messed up. They said it was their fault. They only wanted to send more people into our home to what????? Fix the huge holes and jacked up work? Why would we trust them again?? At this point we had read some other complaints about Ayers. One said to check your permit. We did. No permit was ever pulled and yes, they did charge us for one. Then, they argued with us about needing one. We had checked with Mason County building inspectors and were told that we did need one. Ayers assured us that they didn’t (after charging us for one). Come to find out, they were told they needed one and quickly pulled one. So, all of this work was UNPERMITTED. They played that down like it was no big deal. The VP of Ayers said they have an entire department dedicated to permits. So, how does an entire department miss that? Yet, the sales person knew to charge us for one. Ayers has ruined our basement. Not only did they not fix the problem, but they made it leak EVERYWHERE. The first big rain we had after they destroyed our basement, we had an inch of water standing in our entire basement. We went from a small leak that prevented us from finishing part of the basement to our entire basement being flooded. We have to have Servpro come and clean up the flood damage and mold. We had to throw away furniture. Our son had nice guitars that had flood damage. We had electrical equipment that shorted out. It is unreal. They were notified of our predicament and the Vice President was nothing but condescending. So here we are with this BS Ayers “system” that is causing our basement to flood with water….done by (apparently) the “non-good team” consisting of only kids. All work was performed UNPERMITTED which means we have to report the unpermitted work when we sell our house. The kicker is that they are using scare tactics and threatening to put a lien on our house to secure the final payment. My question to Ayers….final payment for what? For the extra water in our basement? The big holes drilled into the concrete to the outside of our house? For the furniture you caused us to have to get rid of? The mold you caused? BTW, the plumber that looked at Ayers’ crappy work (that discovered the drain leaks everywhere instead of going to where it is supposed to go) also was able to figure out the original issue. We followed the plumber’s advice and it was fixed with a total cost of $450. So, like I said before, run away from Ayers and call someone else. Possibly, call a good plumber. Check yelp reviews. Ayers pays for their bad reviews to go away on certain platforms. We sure wish we had checked yelp"
Kristen C on July 2024
At Ayers Basement Systems, we’re your partners in creating a safer, more secure home for your family. With over 40 years of experience and a team of experts, we’ve had the pleasure of helping homeowners across Michigan and Indiana with tailored solutions for basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space repair, and concrete repair. Serving areas from Lansing to Grand Rapids, Traverse City to Kalamazoo, Detroit, South Bend, and beyond, we recognize that each home comes with its own set of challenges. As a locally owned, family-operated business, we are deeply committed to providing professional, trustworthy, and affordable solutions to help you protect what matters most. Let’s take the first step in making your home safer together. Schedule your free estimate and inspection with us today!
"n…do not walk away. Run. Run. Run. Our unfortunate experience with Ayers Basement Systems began with an impressive sales pitch. Our sales person was Robert. He had a PowerPoint presentation and explained to us that we would not have to worry about a wet basement ever again. That was huge because we had been wanting to finish our basement for sometime. Previously, it would leak around the window just enough to keep drywall from staying dry. We were offered a discount for signing the contract that same day. Overall, the estimated cost to us was $5,600. This price did include a permit they said they would have to pull. They went ahead and scheduled us for the next week. They informed us we would need all of our furntiture and stuff moved away from where the pipe would be installed. That was a pretty huge task due to the amount of “stuff” we have in our basement. The morning of our appt, with all of our stuff moved in such a way that no one could easily access anything (home office, computer, bills, etc), they called and rescheduled. The soonest they could get us in was an entire month out. The second appt was made and once again, they rescheduled the morning of. This was extremely inconvenient, however this wasn’t even the tip of the iceburg. Over a month after signing the contract, we finally had Ayers come to our house. We were taken aback by how young the four workers from Ayers looked. We told them that we had dogs and cats. Both were put up in rooms where they couldn’t bother the workers. However, once they left for the day, our gate was left wide open. Luckily when we let our dogs out, they didn’t notice the open gate. Another issue we had is that they left the front screen door propped open. It was a very windy day in April and the wind blew our screen door off the hinge because it was left open. The workers were there for 2 whole days. In that time they jackhammered our concrete floors, installed a pipe from the leaking window all the way to where our sump pump pumps water outside. We were told by our sales person that they would jackhammer larger pieces of concrete and put them back with a very minimal seam. What we were left with was a huge trail of uneven concrete work that followed the pipe and it was a good foot wide. The concrete was so uneven that a piece of tile wouldn’t lay correctly if we tried to do so. Then we looked at the work around the window. They put holes in the concrete to the outside of the house. They was a piece of plastic blocking a larger hole that was not flush to the concrete. Even now that piece of plastic allows the most water in. To explain that absolute absurdity of what they did is a hard task. There was rag blocking a pipe to the outside. We have no idea why but it was stuck all the way in with purpose. The outside pipe isn’t even connected to the pipe that goes to the sump pump drain. Now we have new leaks that are all over the basement. They basically opened up an entire new area for the water to go. We had a plumber come and look at the pipe and he dumped over 5 gallons of water into their pipe (drains into the sump pump area) and absolutely nothing came out of the other end so the water must be draining to other areas of our basement, causing the leaks that are popping up everywhere. So, what was the purpose of this system? When the kids left, they tried to collect the full balance. They wanted payment for a system that has ruined our basement. We refused. The sales person, owner, and a few other people from Ayers contacted us. The only thing they said is that they would come back out and “fix the problem”. At this point they have drilled holes into our house, broke up concrete, and made the leaking go from one to area to the majority of our basement area. At this point we want them to never touch our house again. They were condescending in every way. We were told that they would have a really good team come to our house to fix our problem. How many times do we have to have someone come to our house before we get a good team? Shouldn’t all of your teams be GOOD TEAMS? Ayers acknowledged they messed up. They said it was their fault. They only wanted to send more people into our home to what????? Fix the huge holes and jacked up work? Why would we trust them again?? At this point we had read some other complaints about Ayers. One said to check your permit. We did. No permit was ever pulled and yes, they did charge us for one. Then, they argued with us about needing one. We had checked with Mason County building inspectors and were told that we did need one. Ayers assured us that they didn’t (after charging us for one). Come to find out, they were told they needed one and quickly pulled one. So, all of this work was UNPERMITTED. They played that down like it was no big deal. The VP of Ayers said they have an entire department dedicated to permits. So, how does an entire department miss that? Yet, the sales person knew to charge us for one. Ayers has ruined our basement. Not only did they not fix the problem, but they made it leak EVERYWHERE. The first big rain we had after they destroyed our basement, we had an inch of water standing in our entire basement. We went from a small leak that prevented us from finishing part of the basement to our entire basement being flooded. We have to have Servpro come and clean up the flood damage and mold. We had to throw away furniture. Our son had nice guitars that had flood damage. We had electrical equipment that shorted out. It is unreal. They were notified of our predicament and the Vice President was nothing but condescending. So here we are with this BS Ayers “system” that is causing our basement to flood with water….done by (apparently) the “non-good team” consisting of only kids. All work was performed UNPERMITTED which means we have to report the unpermitted work when we sell our house. The kicker is that they are using scare tactics and threatening to put a lien on our house to secure the final payment. My question to Ayers….final payment for what? For the extra water in our basement? The big holes drilled into the concrete to the outside of our house? For the furniture you caused us to have to get rid of? The mold you caused? BTW, the plumber that looked at Ayers’ crappy work (that discovered the drain leaks everywhere instead of going to where it is supposed to go) also was able to figure out the original issue. We followed the plumber’s advice and it was fixed with a total cost of $450. So, like I said before, run away from Ayers and call someone else. Possibly, call a good plumber. Check yelp reviews. Ayers pays for their bad reviews to go away on certain platforms. We sure wish we had checked yelp"
Kristen C on July 2024
We specialize in Basement Waterproofing, Crawlspace Waterproofing (encapsulation), Concrete Lifting, Egress Window / Window Well Installation, Installation of Helical piles for new or existing foundations and Foundation Repair. Our team has over 20 years of experience and knowledge in the construction and waterproofing industries. We pride ourselves on getting the job done right the first time! Contact us today for your free estimate!
"Troy and his team were so wonderful throughout this entire process! Troy came out over a year ago to quote - he spent nearly 4 hours on my property making sure that he understood exactly what was going on with each of my buildings. He took several pictures and gave a very estimate. I had several other companies come out to provide quotes & they just simply weren't as thorough or kind. Troy continued to follow up and once we were able to budget for the project, he came out and made sure nothing had changed. Throughout the job he took TONS of pictures so I didn't have to go under the building to check it out. They were professional & very respectful of our business operations. I will have them back this summer to finish up some additional projects! HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY!"
Angie S on December 2020
We specialize in Basement Waterproofing, Crawlspace Waterproofing (encapsulation), Concrete Lifting, Egress Window / Window Well Installation, Installation of Helical piles for new or existing foundations and Foundation Repair. Our team has over 20 years of experience and knowledge in the construction and waterproofing industries. We pride ourselves on getting the job done right the first time! Contact us today for your free estimate!
"Troy and his team were so wonderful throughout this entire process! Troy came out over a year ago to quote - he spent nearly 4 hours on my property making sure that he understood exactly what was going on with each of my buildings. He took several pictures and gave a very estimate. I had several other companies come out to provide quotes & they just simply weren't as thorough or kind. Troy continued to follow up and once we were able to budget for the project, he came out and made sure nothing had changed. Throughout the job he took TONS of pictures so I didn't have to go under the building to check it out. They were professional & very respectful of our business operations. I will have them back this summer to finish up some additional projects! HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY!"
Angie S on December 2020
Robert Cowles PE is committed to excellence in every aspect of our business. We uphold a standard of integrity bound by fairness, honesty, and personal responsibility. Our distinction is the quality of service we bring to our customers. Accurate knowledge of our trade combined with ability is what makes us true professionals. Above all, we are watchful of our customers' interests, and make their concerns the basis of our business.
"Robert was very easy to communicate with and was quick to respond. He was timely with returning the report necessary as well."
ASHLEY V on February 2025
Robert Cowles PE is committed to excellence in every aspect of our business. We uphold a standard of integrity bound by fairness, honesty, and personal responsibility. Our distinction is the quality of service we bring to our customers. Accurate knowledge of our trade combined with ability is what makes us true professionals. Above all, we are watchful of our customers' interests, and make their concerns the basis of our business.
"Robert was very easy to communicate with and was quick to respond. He was timely with returning the report necessary as well."
ASHLEY V on February 2025
Dirty Boots handy man service, we cover all your home needs here are a few examples, pest removal, painting ,power washing, deck repair/build, roofing, demolition, trash removal, landscaping, ornamental koi/ fish ponds,tree work, appliance removal and delivery, pretty much all and everything we are capable of my name is Brian and I'm at your setting please call 2697182264
Dirty Boots handy man service, we cover all your home needs here are a few examples, pest removal, painting ,power washing, deck repair/build, roofing, demolition, trash removal, landscaping, ornamental koi/ fish ponds,tree work, appliance removal and delivery, pretty much all and everything we are capable of my name is Brian and I'm at your setting please call 2697182264
JayyB Construction & Engineering LLC Our team of skilled professionals have been tested, trained and groomed to be the best. Instilled with core values to assure a strong professional level of work efficiency. To achieve the ultimate goal of a satisfied customer and completing a structurally sound job. We are a small but resilient, intelligent, resourceful, diligent group of ladies and gentlemen who would love the opportunity to create your vision built jayys wayy.
JayyB Construction & Engineering LLC Our team of skilled professionals have been tested, trained and groomed to be the best. Instilled with core values to assure a strong professional level of work efficiency. To achieve the ultimate goal of a satisfied customer and completing a structurally sound job. We are a small but resilient, intelligent, resourceful, diligent group of ladies and gentlemen who would love the opportunity to create your vision built jayys wayy.
As of right now Interior Solutions would be considered a small contractor eagerly wanting to grow! As of right now we only have 2 employees, who would be myself, Tyler Seniff and my father. Between the two of us we have over 50 years of various carpentry experience, and are eager to satisfy customers. We will be more than willing to look at any project big or small and give a free estimate. Upon bid acceptance we would ask for half of the bid to purcase materials and than the remainding amount upon completion of the project. 100% customer satisfaction is of the upmost inportance to us. To be as efficient as possible we are only taking on 1 project at a time. By doing this we are able to direct all of our attenti to each customer. We have excellent scheduling skills and will provide each possible customer with an accurate start and stop date. Please do not hesitate to e-mail or call me at any time of the day. Thank you.
As of right now Interior Solutions would be considered a small contractor eagerly wanting to grow! As of right now we only have 2 employees, who would be myself, Tyler Seniff and my father. Between the two of us we have over 50 years of various carpentry experience, and are eager to satisfy customers. We will be more than willing to look at any project big or small and give a free estimate. Upon bid acceptance we would ask for half of the bid to purcase materials and than the remainding amount upon completion of the project. 100% customer satisfaction is of the upmost inportance to us. To be as efficient as possible we are only taking on 1 project at a time. By doing this we are able to direct all of our attenti to each customer. We have excellent scheduling skills and will provide each possible customer with an accurate start and stop date. Please do not hesitate to e-mail or call me at any time of the day. Thank you.
EHM is a structural moving and elevating company that also specializes in foundation repair and replacement. We have been working in the Midwest since the Great Floods of 1993. We specialize in severely comprised foundation issues. We can elevate, level, pier or replace a wall or your entire foundation. We do not do mudjacking, waterproofing or minor crack repair.
"I did not get the service that we originally talked about I am very unhappy"
Donna S on August 2021
EHM is a structural moving and elevating company that also specializes in foundation repair and replacement. We have been working in the Midwest since the Great Floods of 1993. We specialize in severely comprised foundation issues. We can elevate, level, pier or replace a wall or your entire foundation. We do not do mudjacking, waterproofing or minor crack repair.
"I did not get the service that we originally talked about I am very unhappy"
Donna S on August 2021
Innovative Builders provides top-notch home remodeling services to the Kalamazoo, MI area. We specialize in new construction, kitchen and bath remodeling and roofs, windows and siding. We have a commitment to getting it right and 25 years experience in doing just that. We are licensed, bonded and insured and offer an 18-month warranty on labor. So when you need home remodeling services done right, call Innovative Builders. Additional email - info@buildinnovativemi.com.
Innovative Builders provides top-notch home remodeling services to the Kalamazoo, MI area. We specialize in new construction, kitchen and bath remodeling and roofs, windows and siding. We have a commitment to getting it right and 25 years experience in doing just that. We are licensed, bonded and insured and offer an 18-month warranty on labor. So when you need home remodeling services done right, call Innovative Builders. Additional email - info@buildinnovativemi.com.
No, it’s not legal for unlicensed individuals to conduct structural calculations for buildings or building repairs. Not only do licensing requirements prevent DIYers from tackling this project, but mistakes can also be extremely dangerous and put your property and anyone inside or near it at risk of severe injury or even death. You should always hire a licensed and certified local structural engineer to make structural calculations.
Yes, all states require structural engineers to carry the proper license, with specifics determined by each state. You can use Angi’s state licensing tool to confirm that the structural engineer you’re considering holds the required licensing to tackle your job. Hiring an unlicensed structural engineer will not only cause issues with permits but it could also lead to an unsafe building. The cost of a professional, licensed, and experienced engineer is well worth the investment.
The process of hiring a structural engineer starts by finding reliable professionals in your area and comparing quotes from at least three of them. From there, you can narrow down your selection by asking some leading questions:
Do you have experience working in my specific area?
Do you have professional indemnity insurance?
What will your structural report cover?
Do you charge a flat fee for a structural report or by the hour?
How long have you been in business?
Do you have a list of customer references?
Structural engineers typically charge between $100 and $250 per hour, but many jobs won’t be based on a per-hour fee. Instead, the structural engineer will offer a flat rate for the inspection and structural calculations. The flat rate for a structural engineer costs an average of around $550, but you could see prices ranging from $300 to $800, depending on the complexity of your project and how easy it is to access certain parts of your home for the inspection.
Whether you’re building a new home or building an extension on your existing property, you will likely need both a structural engineer and an architect. A structural engineer will determine what loads your foundation and framing can safely handle, and an architect will draw plans according to those structural calculations to simplify the building process. You can start by contacting a structural engineer near you, as many work alongside architects and can get all of the prep work done at once.