The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati

mentethey drilled out part of the floor . put up a plastic like material on wall, then cemented the floor and cleaned up very well.

They did an excellent job. They hit my sprinkler system and hit my azalia bush but they replaced it, they sent me a check for the sprinkler system that was messed up. The owner takes good care of the company.

They did successfully stop the leak around the water supply pipe. The problems started in the week prior to the scheduled work day when I requested that they use schedule 40 pipe. I made it clear I was willing to pay the difference but was told that they don't ever use schedule 40 because it's "too hard to work with." I wasn't happy with the answer but had already paid a down-payment and had the work scheduled for almost a month and they told me that schedule 30 is "virtually indestructible" and "would hold up to driving a car over it" so I agreed and went ahead with the work. A crew of three showed up on time for the job and was doing a good job starting the work, but within the first few hours it was obvious there was no way they would get the job done in one day as expected, so in the afternoon, an additional 5 or 6 workers showed up. Things went downhill from then on. The first crew was being careful and replacing the old pipe with new to minimize the damage to landscaping and asking me what I wanted if they ran into any problems. They made sure the new pipe had a downhill grade to the curb, glued the pipe sections together as previously agreed, and replaced dirt / landscaping in an acceptable manner. The new crew just dug new trenches where ever was most convenient so some of the pipe didn't end up with a downhill grade and they didn't glue sections together. Since much of the new pipe was laid in new trenches, the displaced dirt wouldn't fit back in the trenches, so it was piled up on top leaving a 4 inch high "gopher trail" in the yard. Rock displaced by digging under the sidewalk ended up in the yard and when I pointed it out to one of the workers, he said that it the rocks would sink down in the dirt over time. That was when I realized it was pointless to try to get them to fix anything they did wrong. Over the following weeks when we fixed their work, we found that some of the sod was buried under dirt and some just thrown back upside down. When I was digging a hole to re-plant one of the bushes they neglected to replace, a fairly light push on the shovel easily went right through the new pipe. Needless to say, I am not pleased with the work. Maybe the Basement Doctor should stick to basement repairs and leave outside trenching to someone else. I used them because of a referral from another company a friend had used, but my experience with them is the main reason I signed up with Angie's List.

Called and made an appt for an estimate. received a nice professional packet in the mail which outlined the products they offer. Sales rep came out right on time. We went through their fancy software on his computer which showed me how their sump pump and "Smart pipe" works. I went with them becasue I really liked the way the pump and "Smart pipe' looked. Signed contract, a month later they came to install. Right away I was thrown off guard when I saw 2 rolls of cheap corrugated pipe being unloaded, this was nothing like the nice "smart pipe" I thought I was paying for. They did the job in approximately 6 hours and were gone. Unlike most home owners I know, I went down into the tight crawl to ispect the install.....I was shocked to say the least. Pipe was laid 3 ft away from the foundation wall on 1 wall... How is that supposed to work? means ill be getting water in that 3 foor area which defeats the purpose. The best part,, The pipes were not even hooked into the sump pump, they were simply laying "next to" the pump!! Horrible job! Workers were only there to do what they can to get out ASAP. I took an unpaid day off to get this done and sure as heck am not taking another for them to fix it. I could have done it better myself for $3000 less. Dont be fooled by their presentation becasue you wont get what you pay for! Talked to the manager named RIck I believe, said they would be out to fix it. Didnt offer any kind of discount or compensation for all the troouble, just shows this company is all about the money and not the customer.All in all this has casued me stress I dont need right now. Stay Away! I will update once this is resolved as to how fix went and if they offer anything for all the headache

Very well, I would use them again.

to lay down carpet protectors and to cover the furnishings with plastic sheets. Next came the jackhammering of the concrete perimeter and the removal of the concrete and stone base. A new sump hole was dug after the water softener was removed. The SuperSump was installed and the pouring of new stone and concrete continued. On the third day the concrete had cured and the water softener was replaced. Work on the Brightwall was begun which entailed the removal of several outlets. The outlets were replaced with modern boxes at no additional charge. The fourth day had most of the wall work done. The drain for the new sump system was installed through the exterior brick wall and into the yard. The protective plastic was removed and a clean up of the remaining trash was finished. The chair rail of the wainscoting was finished, except for two sections. The remaining pieces awaited on order and would be installed when they arrived. A check with BD promised the completion of the job in the next week. The work was completed on 4/15 to my satisfaction. The staff answered my questions about insulating the exterior walls and painting the drywall. The sump system was installed just in time for several days of rain. Almost by accident I found out about and got a copy of their instructional book, Basement Finishing Science by Lawrence Janesky, a comprehensive guide to nearly all aspects of dry and useable basements. All BD customers should be offered this booklet. We are pleased by the results of the work so far. The damp smell l from the humid, moldy drywall has diminished and will improve once the carpeting is removed. The new sump has functioned from the start. The relative humidity is about 50%.

Steve came out because my sump pump (& backup) was not working after the torrential rain caused some seepage in my basement. He sold me a new triple sump pump system and the new drainage line connects 2 of my downspouts and was tunneled under my walkway, down the yard, to the street. The work could not be done for 2 weeks due to scheduling difficulties. Given the continued rain, he sent someone out within 3 days to place a temporary sump pump until the work was completed. Dan, the site supervisor, came out and decided not to tunnel the line to the street but instead, put everything into the existing drain line. I called Steve and the plan reverted to the original job as planned. They did accidentally cut 1 of my sprinkler hoses but stated that they patched it. (we will see how that goes this Spring). Other than this slight hiccup, everything went very smoothly. They were prompt and Steve was great. The communication regarding service times, parts, job description, etc was excellent. Steve called me several times to let me know when the temporary sump pump was coming, etc. I would recommend this company to friends.

Decided to use a different company

We could not have been more pleased with the basement transformation that Harry Birkley & his crew from The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati brought to our home. As a group, we found them to be conscientious, caring, considerate & 110% professional. We would encourage any other homeowners who are contemplating any sort of basement project to be in touch with this company.It was a pleasure to have them working here. We give the company & the crew the highest possible recommendation.

The salesman was prompt both times he came out. We babysit our grandchildren so it was hectic and he was a professional. He explained all our options and we decided to do the fix one step at a time. To do the whole basement was going to cost $8,000. But instead of doing both sump pumps and drainage system along 1/2 the basement walls, we chose to do one sump pump and fix the crack first. So far, so good. We were in a hurry because my daughters husband and two children were moving in and the basement is to be their apartment. We did not want the baby sleeping in a moldy damp basement. The salesman got on the phone and had the job set up for two days later. The workers came and the head guy did a great job. His helper not so much, he was on the phone most of the time while digging in the yard. Hmmmm, how can you be on the phone and dig at the same time, well he did it. For two hours. Anyway the head guy took up the slack and did a great job. We are very pleased with the work they did and how quickly they got it done. Will use them again if we need them. My neighbor used the Basement Doctor also and is very pleased with their work. They came highly recommended by my neighbor.

We choose them because of Angie's list so we really didn't get any other estimates. We didn't see the other big company had a good rating and they are pretty expensive and their pricing was pretty fair. They were here four days digging and stuff especially with three days dogs in the house. They answered all our questions. They were on time everyday. They started early and work the day and left early. I would use them again. when the crew completed their work the basement was a mess. they destroyed 2 cold air ducts and didn't bother to repair or replace them. even though the crew covered things with plastic sheeting prior to the onset of work everything was covered with a thick layer of dust. the crew removed some wet insulation from the wall and planned to leave it in the basement saying 'we thought you could use it' the guys started out being pleasant and agreeable but by the last day they could be heard bickering among themselves. we paid for and were supposed to have 13 beams installed but only 12 were in place. it took several calls to get the entire situation fixed.

The contractor arrived, the forman explained in detail what was to be done. Work was commenced and completed in the time predicted. The work involved breaking of concrete in my basement and high dust situations and this was kept confined to the areas worked in. Upon completion, the work area was cleaned of all debris and as much dust removed as possible from surrounding areas. It has now been about ten months since the work was done and I have had not one instance where water has appeared on my baesment floors

Everybody was very professional. They came when they said they would and did what they said they would.

We started having some hydrostatic pressure underneath our home after we'd had a main sewage line replaced, which is fairly common because of disturbance of soil around the foundation. After three or so times of water coming up through the floor during renovation, we decided it would be a good idea to waterproof before moving on to finish our basement. I did a bit of online research and called in 5 different people for estimates. We got a range of quotes anywhere between $4500 to over $11,000. The highest quote was this company. You may be thinking, 'why in the world would you go with the highest quote??' I'll tell you why. This company offered everything I wanted and needed in the quote, no extra or hidden costs. Every other company I had come in had one thing or another (or several things) they told me I would need to hire someone else for. One guy (lowest quote) was there to do the waterproofing system himself, but I had to find and provide my equipment (sump pumps and dehumidifier), find my end plumbers and electrician and coordinate them all together. Not to mention, the guy seemed a bit....shady. I researched every different method of waterproofing each person was planning to use, because I also wanted quality work. I am willing to pay a bit more for quality work than slipshod work that will end up costing me more money down the road. Before their arrival for my estimate, this company sent me a package. It contained thorough information about their system and how it worked, in layman terms. It contained pages upon pages of customer references where they'd done work before in our surrounding area. It contained options for other things I may or may not need, as well as a list of other work they offer. During the estimate, I asked lots of questions, trying to find out the hidden costs that many others have. There were none. I was still wary, but it it was what I wanted. I pay, they do the whole kit and kaboodle 100%. When they left, the system would be totally finished. I wouldn't have to find additional people to do different parts of the work! They walked me through and explained very clearly what they would be doing. We agreed to go with this company for several reasons. We figured even if we went with the lowest bid, that by the time we got others in there to do other work, plus purchased equipment, that it would take forever (I am not a contractor!) to coordinate the work, and we'd probably spend close to the same amount that JD Systems was offering to have it 100% completed in 3-4 days. Also, the quality of their work seemed exceptional. So we signed the contract and they scheduled us for soon after. We had one snag that could have potentially turned this review upside down. The way the company handled it was wonderful customer service. My aunt had passed, and her funeral was scheduled for the first day of work. I called the company to inquire about starting work the next day instead and was told if I rescheduled that they couldn't put me on s schedule until 3 months down road! I said no, never mind, that I would just go to visitation and miss the funeral as I did not want to wait that long. The day of work to be started, they did not come!! I called after waiting all day, and was told I had been taken off schedule as requested. I had never requested it to be done! Only inquired about it, and clearly stated my desire to keep the date as I did not want to reschedule 3 months out! Misunderstandings happen. I get that. I was told that my appointment was still now 3 months later. I was livid! I wrote a businesslike, very controlled email to our sales rep expressing my displeasure as I didn't know who else to write. I asked him to forward onto the owner, which he did. The owner called, expressed apologies, and got the workers out the very next day!! He did not act put out or annoyed in any way about it, although I am sure they had to rearrange other jobs. The workers were here for 4 days straight, and jack hammered my floor for 3 of those days. They were on time every day, took approximately 30-45 minutes for lunch, then went straight back to work. They were very courteous and professional. They covered up the stuff in our basement to protect it from dust, and brought in a machine to 'eat the dust' out of the air. When finished, they walked me through to show me all they'd done, explained how the pumps worked, and showed me pertinent working parts on the equipment. I've had contractors in here since who have commented on the system, and how it looks like a 'really god one'. It certainly does the job! With two sumps and a dehumidifier, our basement stays dry. Now if I could only keep the dog from running off with the outside pop up spouts that expel the water from the sump pumps!

The overall experience was great. The estimate was all inclusive and I felt that they really looked for the proper solution. The crew started the work on the scheduled day and time and was completed on time. The only downside was that it had rained so much that the backhoe tore my yard up and part of the neighbors yard. The crew that did the job said that they would be back to level the mounds of dirt out after it froze (so that backhoe had traction) but with the mild winter weather the ground never froze and the crew never came back to level the ground to a rough grade. I believe this is typical in the industry but I wish I would have forced the issue upfront prior to the contract being signed.

I've had several plumbers and a handy man come to do work after this job was complete. They have all commented on the high quality work done and the good equipment installed by J&D. Work was done on schedule; everyone was very professional. And my basement no longer leaks!

There were several employees from this company involved in the estimation, pre-prep and installation of this project. Each one was knowledgeable and patient in explaining the process. Each one exhibited pride in his work and took time to make sure it was done right. I especially commend Michael Schaffer for his follow through in making sure the final step was completed durng the busy holiday season.

They were very professional. They spent a lot of time upfront explaining the options and diagnosing the problem. They didn't say upfront that it was a certain thing. They said they didn’t know what it was so they didn't want to try to fix it until they knew what it was, which was good. Some of the other contractors wanted to go a complete drainage system. It turned out that it was a fix on an old crack that had failed.

Everything went smoothly. The job was completed in a timely manner and everything was cleaned up and taken away. No mess left for us.

waterproofed a crack. Used a material to direct moisture to the subfloor drainage material.

The were nice and polite, but hte result is terrible and The Basement Doctor response to the problem is unacceptable. Don't use them!!!!!!

I buy distressed properties, and enjoy seeing them fixed up. I found a dream house to put under contract. The contingency period of the contract is short, and efficiency is important in getting estimates together. Unfortunately, the house has foundation issues. I called J & D Basement Systems to help with the assessment, and to bid on the ensuing work. Since I am not yet the owner, I was told there would be a fee for the estimate. This is perfectly reasonable, and I considered it a good investment for expert advice. However, my opinion changed when there was an insistence on contacting and coordinating with the listing agent. I've never met her, and probably won't meet her until the closing. It unnecessarily complicates the scheduling. The woman on the phone could not give a good reason for this other than the fact that a listing agent represents the owner (bank owned, in this case). My agent has authorized access to the house, and I am the person paying the fee. I would also be the owner when the work is eventually performed. This is the first time I had a company insist on this restriction, and I sensed an attitude on the other end of the phone. I quickly crossed J & D off my list.

When our attempt to do the work was not successful, they came out and fixed the problem for no additional cost. I was very pleased.

I thought they were very knowledgeable and professional. They were a little on the pushy side and expensive.

They were very, very good and I have nothing but good things to say about them. It has been absolutely trouble-free. I have had zero problems with water in the basement since then. They gave me the estimate in April 2009 and did the work that June. I would absolutely have them do it again. Their price was really good. I had another bid that was thousands more than their quote. I only got two bids and this one was way less. I saved a lot of money by going with this company and it was absolutely perfect. They did a nice job on the pump installation and they put in a battery backup system. My basement had some pretty bad leaks and it has rained a lot since then. I check it and it has been bone dry. I can tell when the pump comes on if I am downstairs and I can also see the pipe discharge where it pumps out. On a rainy day it will come on every two minutes and it is actually working pretty well. Everything they did was excellent. The people were nice and it only took them two days. The salesman was very courteous. He was out here when he said he would be. He met me somewhere else one day to transact some papers. Everything they said they would do, they did when they said they would do it. It couldn't have been any better. I would definitely use them again.