Saving a 1953 Home from Foundation Failure - Poughkeepsie, NYU

This home, built in 1953 with a classic cinder block foundation and an unfinished basement slab, faced a serious threat last Friday night. During heavy rainfall, hydrostatic pressure became too much for one section of the foundation. A cinder block was pushed out from the wall and into the basement, allowing water to flood inside.

To make matters worse, another corner of the slab showed a significant crack and had settled 2 to 3 inches, indicating serious structural movement.

Our team sprang into action to protect the home and restore its foundation. First, we installed temporary supports to stabilize the structure and prevent further damage. Then, we excavated around the foundation down to the footing, carefully removing the compromised wall.

Next, we rebuilt the foundation from the footing up, replacing it with a new footing and block wall. To ensure long-term strength, we installed carbon fiber strips on the basement walls, tying everything together for 100% structural integrity.

Before backfilling, we parged the exterior wall and applied our high-performance GMX waterproofing membrane, protecting the foundation against future water intrusion. The soil was graded roughly to direct water away.

Finally, we installed a dual-stage sump pump system with Schedule 35 piping leading water safely out to daylight through a bubbler pot, providing reliable basement drainage.

The result? A fully stabilized foundation and a dry, secure basement, ready to stand strong for decades to come.