Quality 1st Basement Systems

We will probably be using them. We decided to go with them because of the ratings on Angie’s list. We will use their services again in the future.

Initially they sent out an estimator who did a good job of evaluating the work to be done. Work started approx 3 weeks after acceptance of the estimate and was complete in 2 days. I was very happy with their service and am looking forward to using them again for some additional water proofing work.

I think that they were knowledgeable and prompt. They did the job and they did a clean job. There were no issues. I was just happy with them. I will use their services again in the future.

I'm a stickler for detail and knowing what's going to happen, and the guy handling our work order (I can't remember his name right now) went over everything with me, at least twice. The workmen first made certain our existing sump position was correct (I've seen homes where it wasn't in the low spot of the basement), dug out our old perimeter drain and sump. Then then dug out a bit more, both depth and width, and retrenched with coarse gravel, their "gutter-like" system. Outside, they dug out our half-barrel window wells and installed drains and their window "pods" (for lack of a better term), then replaced the earth and landscaping that was disturbed. Back inside they then installed the Clean-Space wall covering on the walls all the way around, extending down the walls into the drain perimeter. They rechecked the pitch of the perimeter drain, then closed up and cemented the stuff into place, skimming perfectly with our basement floor. The sump hole was expanded, and the new sump basin, dual pump assembly, plumbing, and electronics put into position, connected, and tested.

The quote was fine, they were professional and courteous. We just decided not to go with them.

There were some issues with our job. Quality First is working with us to rectify these issues. I will update this review when everything is settled.

I was especially impressed with the initial presentation compared to other estimates. It was very professional. The sales person was very knowledgable and explained everything thoroughly. They kept on top of the scheduing process, but would have liked it if they applied for permit sooner then they did since this was a house that was for sale and had to be taken off the market to get the waterproofed. All went well, they did the job in one day and I was very satisfied.

Our house is 90 years old and the basement is showing its age. The outside staircase leading into our basement has a tendency to leak during heavy rainstorms resulting in minor flooding from time to time. We lived with this for over 20 years and never experienced any significant losses - it was just a nuisance. More recently, one of the cracks in our foundation (we have several) started to dampen during rainstorms. We decided to address both issues together. We found Quality 1st Basement Systems on Angie's List. The sales rep looked over the situation and recommended an inside underground drain and sump pump system for the staircase and a flexible patch for the foundation. He was able to sketch out the work on his PC and provide me with an estimate on the spot. We decided to try this approach instead of digging up the entire foundation and waterproofing from the outside. (One contractor wanted $20,000 for this type of work.) We signed the contract and scheduled the work. The installation crew arrived on time and completed the job very efficiently and very neatly. The results have been very good. After the wettest August in the history of NYC (we live in Brooklyn) and hurricane Irene, we have had no flooding or leakage from the repaired crack. There was one misunderstanding during this transaction. I was informed when signing the contract that the sump pump would have to be hooked up to the sewage system by a qualified NY plumber. Quality 1st Basement Systems could not do this type of work. I was fine with that, but after the installation I reviewed the sump pump manual and learned that it was against code to hook up a sump pump to the sewage system. Opps! I did some research and learned how to connect PVC drain pipes to the sump pump. I drilled a hole through the foundation and connected the necessary pipes to drain it outside - the only acceptable approach. I never brought this to the attention of Quality 1st Basement Systems and ended up saving a lot of money by doing this part of the work myself. My recommendation is that anyone considering installing a sump pump make sure they know where it will drain and work that out in advance with the installer. Quality 1st Basement Systems has innovative solutions for damp basement issues and are a definitely worth checking out.

An architect came out to survey the basement (about 1800sq ft), draw up a schematic and give us an estimate. He noticed the foundation damage which we hadn't seen due to the rest of the damage. He emailed us an estimate the next day. We had to wait 3 months for an appt due to the high volume of jobs from last March's flood. Communication from the company to verify start date and progress was an area that needed improvement. My calls to the company sometimes made me feel that our job had been lost in the shuffle and created anxiety that it was going to happen as scheduled. It did happen on schedule and took about a week to complete. I would have preferred a visit or two from a company supervisor to check on progress. The work was done steadily and as neatly as possible. We covered any furnace vents with platic wrap during the renovation...a lot of concrete had to be cut and removed to install the french drain which created a lot of dust ..... though very little ended up in the upstairs. Work was completed in the number of days projected even though the workers had to work until 8 or 9 each night to do so. Estimate and final cost were the same. Even though it was the first such loss of power in 17 years, the same thing happened this August with Hurricane Irene. Again we lost power for 5 days. We had no water in the basement....the concrete floor didn't even get damp anywhere. The generator kept the pumps going and the waterproofing kept the water out .

All went well, installation went OK except for misplacement of sump pump drain pipes to the street. The sumps worked fine for a year, only running occasionally. When Hurricane Irene hit, the power went out and the battery backups failed to kick in. We had a generator and were able to avoid any problems. Batteries read 'fully charged' at all times so we suspect they were not proerly connected. Service is scheduled from the supplier on Oct 3, 2011.

It was great. They came and did the work 3 years ago. We have not had any problem with this since.

Originally everything was fine. Basement is very dry now. But after 8 months or so, I noticed a chunk had fallen out of my foundation because they drilled too close to a window. They've been out to repair it twice but it will never really look right and I guess my house's resale value will just have to suffer. It's worse because I suggested to the design guy to put the pipe through the window (which was going to be replaced anyway) but he insisted on drilling through the foundation. Too bad.

This was my first maintenance check up to make sure my system is still working properly. Not only did Shanon (the technician) show up on time and raring to go he went the extra mile. After checking to make sure my sump pump and all of the drains were operating properly, he assisted me with cleaning and connecting my dehumidifier so that the water drains directly into the sump pump. No more dumping the water bucket for me. This was a tremendous help to me!. Shanon also made sure the drain cap in the backyard stays attached properly. These services may sound minor but they were major for me. A little kindness goes a long way. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who needs to waterproof their basement.

Overall it was good. They showed up for the estimate on time. They finished the job as scheduled. We are happy with the work that they did.

I called them and sought an appointment for the first time on May 10, 2011. Initial response was that I will get an appointment in 3 weeks. As soon as I indicated that i already had two estimates and plan to get the job done in a couple of weeks, lo and behold a time slot sometime the next week just opened up!. Prior to the following week's meeting with the salesman, the company sent me a complete package describing their technology, products etc. which was very helpful. The salesman was ahead of time and quite thorough, although a little bit slick. He looked at the situation and came up with good suggestions, but his slickness came through when he tried to sell me a whole system for the entire basement when only a small isolated portion needed work. Their price was undoubtedly on the high side, but they do offer full line of differentiated services such as putting up a 3 feet of dry wall from the floor level. I was ready to sign the contract with the customary 20% down and asked for an installation date, when I was told that they can give me a date only after I sign the contract. I signed the contract with the payment the same day. The salesman calls me back the next day with an installation date - 2 months later. I was furious and told him that he can cancel my contract and hung up the phone. He calls me back within 15 minutes and tells me they can do the job in two days - starting the following week in two half day periods. The installers were professional and kept the place clean, although not very friendly. Overall my assessment of this company is that they do good work, charge a premium price but you should watch out the little things such as scheduling etc. Given my past experience, with basement warranty (see report on Bonded waterproofing Services) - it remains to be seen how this company performs.

Everything about them was excellent. I rate them high overall. I will use them in the future.

Only when I made an appointment for an estimate did they reveal that key fact--"we don't do exteriors"--despite my specific request for exterior work. Needless to say, I didn't go with them. On the other hand, they were very punctual for the estimate and seemed pretty professional in their demeanor.

Three young men showed up at my door at the agreed upon time. They worked all day to finish the job at 5:00 p.m. They were polite, professional and did a great job. One of the men was the foreman so he made sure the job was done correct and the clean up was as neat as possible. I was very impressed and I have not had any water problems from that day forward. Thank you quality 1st for a job well done.

The work was done professionally, the installers did a good job and cleaned up afterwards.

They are the best of the best. They are not the cheapest am sure, but their work is good. I can?t say enough about a company like this. I have had many basement waterproofing companies in my house over the last 13 years. They are by far the best, and I recommended them to a lot of them. They are not cheap but they do quality work and stand behind their work. If something is wrong, they come and fix it free of charge. They have done some work on my basement already and they come on a yearly basis. The last time the guy came he was here for two hours. I would not go with them if I don?t trust them completely. One of their supervisors came and checked everything. He was here for two hours to check everything.

The gentleman who took my call was very polite and informed me that Quality 1st Basements could provide an estimate on the floor replacement in approximately one month. However, he said while they could "take a look" at the drainpipe, they really don't do "external waterproofing." I explained this was a basement drainpipe which did lead outside and he confirmed this was not a service they typically provide. I decided not to seek the estimate due to the wait but I wanted to logged the comments on the drain as it seems at odds with the description of their services on Angie's list.

They were very efficient, clean, professional, and quick.

I thought they did a good job. They had a good estimate. They were organized about putting together the plan. Their pricing was competitive. The quality of work was good. They followed up later to see how everything had worked out.

Everything went very well. They were courteous, covered my belongings with plastic and cleaned up after all the work.

Purchased my house in July of this year with a finished basement. Started to notice a leak in September that grew worse with each rain. Finally, had a major flood in early December. Had been shopping various companies and went with Quality 1st based upon fair price and honest estimates. They were very responsive, did a great job and cleaned up nicely. Awaiting the first big rain to test the system, but overall well done.