October 2026 · Basement Waterproofing · Downers Grove, IL
Installing an interior drainage system usually means opening the floor around the basement perimeter. At this Downers Grove home, that was only part of the challenge. The basement had finished walls, appliances, and plenty of belongings that the homeowners wanted us to work around rather than treating the entire space like a demolition site.
Before work began, the homeowners cleared the roughly four feet of perimeter space our crew needed. Juan Gomez and the team then worked with them to determine which finished walls needed to come down and which could remain in place. They also helped move a washer, dryer, and refrigerator that were still in the work area so the project could keep moving.
With access established, our team installed a new interior drain tile system and sump pump. The drain tile provides a path for water entering around the foundation to reach the sump system rather than making its way onto the basement floor. Once collected, the sump pump can remove that water from the basement.
This kind of waterproofing work involves cutting concrete, opening portions of the finished space, and working around everything that comes with a basement people actually use. Caitlin D. specifically called out how Juan and the crew handled that part of the project:
“They worked with us to keep walls up we wanted and take down the ones we didn’t. They were respectful of our things… Overall very professional and communicative.”
A waterproofing system has to solve the water problem, but the installation matters too. On this Downers Grove project, that meant installing the drain tile and sump system while preserving as much of the existing basement as practical and helping the homeowners get through a disruptive project with as little unnecessary demolition as possible.
