Established in 2005, Innovative Basement Authority 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 Minnesota & part of North Dakota, we bring our local expertise closer to you. Innovative Basement Authority 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 IBA, we are not just builders; we are guardians of your peace of mind. Contact us today for a FREE estimate!
"AJ was extremely helpful in answering all of my questions. I would highly recommend Innovative Basement Authority to anyone looking for basement waterproofing projects."
Jordan P on September 2024
Established in 2005, Innovative Basement Authority 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 Minnesota & part of North Dakota, we bring our local expertise closer to you. Innovative Basement Authority 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 IBA, we are not just builders; we are guardians of your peace of mind. Contact us today for a FREE estimate!
"AJ was extremely helpful in answering all of my questions. I would highly recommend Innovative Basement Authority to anyone looking for basement waterproofing projects."
Jordan P on September 2024
We design public spaces which bring together people of all ages and abilities, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Our passion is creating incredible, memorable playgrounds and parks. Each project reflects our signature values: exciting & inclusive design, thorough planning, and quality workmanship.
We design public spaces which bring together people of all ages and abilities, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Our passion is creating incredible, memorable playgrounds and parks. Each project reflects our signature values: exciting & inclusive design, thorough planning, and quality workmanship.
We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.
"Still waiting for him to show up and now with winter so close Im sure it's to late. Will look elsewhere next spring"
george and deanna m on November 2020
We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.
"Still waiting for him to show up and now with winter so close Im sure it's to late. Will look elsewhere next spring"
george and deanna m on November 2020
Home Inspector servicng SE MN, NE IA, and SW WI.
Home Inspector servicng SE MN, NE IA, and SW WI.
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
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.