Crumbling mortar in a stone foundation
Lets water in and can loosen the wall over time.

Service areas / Lawrence, KS
Kansas River valley
River valley soil, hilly streets, and some of the oldest houses in Kansas.

A century of houses
Lawrence sits in the Kansas River valley, with the University of Kansas up on Mount Oread and older neighborhoods like Old West Lawrence and East Lawrence spreading out below it. Many homes there are a century old or more, with stone or brick foundations and basements that were not designed with modern drainage in mind.

Hills and low ground
The terrain matters too. On a hillside lot, rainwater runs downhill toward the house on the uphill side, and soil on the slope can creep over time. In lower areas closer to the river, soils can stay wet for long stretches.
Warning signs
Old houses are honest about their problems if you know what to look for.
Below gradeRespect the house
Older homes deserve careful work. Piers are installed at the footing, below grade, so the house keeps its look. Interior waterproofing can keep a basement dry without tearing up an established yard or old stone steps. We explain the options and let you decide.
Newer homes on the west side of town are not exempt. Soil filled back in around a newer foundation can settle for years, dropping driveways and garage floors and sending water toward the basement.
Our methods
Every repair matched to what the house is actually doing.

For settlement, steel push piers or helical piers carry the foundation on load-bearing soil. Helical piers are also an option where load-bearing soil is very deep or rock conditions are unstable.

For bowing walls, helical tiebacks hold the wall against outside pressure.

For water, interior or exterior waterproofing, sump pumps, French drains, and surface drainage move it away.


For damp spaces under the house, crawlspace encapsulation adds a vapor barrier.

Get in touch
Kansas customers can call our NE Kansas line at (913) 383-1800, or reach the Raytown office at (816) 358-3300. Either way, you will get a free estimate and a straight answer.
We also serve Topeka to the west and Olathe and Overland Park to the east. See all service areas.
Free estimates
Family-owned, serving Missouri since 1978 and eastern Kansas.