Foundation and waterproofing work in South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee has a lot of houses from the early 1900s, from the blocks near downtown to the streets running toward Grant Park along the lakeshore. Foundations from that era are a mixed bag of old block, brick and sometimes stone, laid with lime mortar that softens as water moves through it for a hundred years. Most of the South Milwaukee basements we see have also been patched before, sometimes several times, with cement smeared over cracks, paint on top of that and a dehumidifier running in the corner.
A lot of our calls here come from people renovating an older house who want the basement done right before they finish it or sell it. We start by getting a clear read on the wall: whether it's moving, where the mortar is failing and where the water comes in. Then the plan follows. Bowing walls get carbon fiber straps or steel I-beams. Seepage gets interior drain tile and a sump pump, or exterior waterproofing when the wall needs repair from outside. Egress windows and new support beams fit well into a renovation. When the City of South Milwaukee requires a permit, we pull it.
