Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair in Novi, MI
Mostly newer homes on ground that ranges from sand and gravel to soft muck. We find where the water starts and fix that.
- 4.9 on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed MI builder #262400278
- Free inspection, written price first
- Free 6-month check-up after every job
- Based in Farmington Hills
Novi is next door to Farmington Hills, about 5 miles from our base. We waterproof basements, repair foundations and fix drainage across the city, and every job starts with a free inspection and a written quote.
Mostly built since 1980
Novi grew late and fast. Its 2016 master plan puts the population at 22,525 in 1980 and 47,386 by 2000, and says only about 30 percent of the city's housing was built before 1980, with about a quarter built between 2000 and 2009.
Newer homes have fewer of the old-house problems, but they have their own. Poured concrete walls get vertical shrinkage cracks that can start to leak once the ground outside stays wet. In a finished basement, a leak shows up as a stain on drywall or damp carpet long after it started. And sump pumps installed when the house was built are reaching the age where they fail.
Ground that changes from lot to lot
The master plan describes three kinds of ground. Most of the city is glacial till, which drains in very different ways depending on where you are. Other parts are sand and gravel outwash, which lets water through quickly. And pockets of muck are scattered across the city, which the plan calls very low strength soils with frequent ponding that cannot easily support a foundation. Where a house sits on which kind of ground is something only an inspection settles.
That is why two Novi houses a few streets apart can need completely different work. On fast-draining ground, the problem is often roof water or a sump that is not sending water far enough away. On soft or ponding ground, settling and standing water near the house are the bigger worry.
Walled Lake and the Rouge headwaters
Novi holds most of 670-acre Walled Lake, and most of the city drains to the Middle Branch of the Rouge River, with small areas on the west and north edges draining to the Huron River. Lots near the lake, the drains and the wetlands usually sit closer to the water table, so after snowmelt the ground around the foundation can stay wet for weeks.
On those lots, the sump and its discharge matter more than usual. A pump that empties onto a yard that slopes back toward the house just recirculates the same water. We check where the discharge goes and whether the yard needs drainage as well.
Services that fit here most often
Basement Waterproofing
Leaking shrinkage cracks and finished basements with hidden seepage.
Sump Pump Installation
Builder-installed pumps reaching the end of their life.
Foundation Repair
Settling and cracks on soft or ponding ground.
Yard Drainage & French Drains
Standing water on low lots near the lake and wetlands.
Book a free inspection in Novi
We come to you from Farmington Hills, about 5 miles away. Call 248-635-3767 or request a visit online.
- 4.9 on Google (46 reviews)
- Licensed MI builder #262400278
- Free inspection, written price first
- Free 6-month check-up after every job
- Based in Farmington Hills
What you get with every job
Before you let anyone into your basement, you should know what you are signing up for. Here is what every Swift Dry customer gets.
Warranty terms are set job by job; when one applies, it is written into your quote.
- A free inspection, inside and out
- We look at the basement and the ground around the house to find where the water or movement starts. No charge and no obligation.
- A written scope and price first
- You get the work, the walls involved and the price in writing before anything starts. If a smaller fix will do, we say so and quote that.
- A licensed, insured Michigan builder
- Swift Dry is a licensed and insured Michigan Residential Builder Company, license 262400278. You can look it up on the state's LARA search.
- A free check-up about six months later
- After the work is done, we come back for a free visit to check it. Every job gets one.
- Financing if you want it
- Three financing options on your quote, with pre-approval on request.
Questions from Novi homeowners
Do you work in Novi, and how far is it from your base?
Yes. Swift Dry works in Novi, which is in Oakland County and about 5 miles from our base in Farmington Hills. Every job starts with a free inspection and a written quote. The distance is approximate and is not a promise of arrival time.
My Novi house is fairly new. Can it still have a foundation problem?
Yes. Most Novi houses were built after 1980, and newer poured walls still crack as the concrete shrinks. Those cracks often stay dry for years and then start to leak once the ground stays wet. The free inspection tells you whether a crack needs work yet.
How do you find a leak in a finished basement?
We look at the walls from outside, the grade and downspouts, the sump and where it discharges, and any stains, damp spots or smell inside. If a section of wall has to come open to find the leak, we say so in the written quote first.
Does soft or wet soil mean my foundation will settle?
Not necessarily. The city's master plan maps pockets of soft muck soil around Novi, but most of the city is glacial till rather than muck. Signs worth an inspection are cracks that widen, doors upstairs that start to stick, or a floor that slopes. We tell you whether what you see is movement or ordinary shrinkage.