Tell us what is happening
Start simple. Choose the closest service, describe where the problem appears and provide the property address.
From inspection to completed repair
How basement and foundation service works
Basement and foundation service starts with your problem: you do not need to choose a drain, membrane, pump or structural system before asking for help. Tell us what you can see and when it happens. The contractor inspects the property and explains the work that makes sense.
Request an inspectionSchedule the property visit
A local basement or foundation service company reaches out shortly afterward to work out a time to visit that fits your schedule and access to the property.
Inspect the property
The affected area, foundation, exterior drainage, sump and related conditions are checked before work is recommended.
Review the estimate
You decide whether to approve the written scope, price, schedule and warranty from the company completing the work.
What you should expect
A repair explained in normal language
Skip the jargon entirely. The recommendation should explain what was found, how the proposed work addresses it, where collected water will go, what will be disturbed and what happens after installation.
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Inside and outside inspection when relevant
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Repair selected for the actual problem
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Clear company identity and written estimate
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Price, exclusions and restoration explained
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Maintenance and warranty requirements
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No obligation to approve the project
What the visit covers
An inspection starts with history and ends with what is known and what is not
A basement or foundation inspection should begin with history and timing: when the water or movement first appeared, what the weather was doing and what has been repaired before. It then examines the interior and the exterior and documents the foundation material, water paths, cracks, wall shape, drainage, sump, utilities and access. The visit should end with a plain statement of what is known and what is still uncertain.
Before the visit, gather these:
- Dates when the water or movement first appeared
- Photos of the problem and the weather at the time
- Any earlier repairs and who did them
- A way to reach the full basement or crawlspace
The outcome may be a service proposal, a recommendation to monitor, or a referral to plumbing, restoration, mold, radon or structural engineering. Before the visit, gather dates, photos, prior repairs and weather history, allow access to the full symptom and the relevant exterior wall where practical, and ask whether the visit is a sales estimate, a contractor diagnosis or an engineering inspection.
The proposal that follows should explain the source of the problem, the method, the scope and the exclusions. Our inspection-process article goes through each step in detail.
Before you schedule
Common questions about the process
Do I need to know what is causing the problem?
No. Tell us where the water, crack, movement or moisture appears and when it happens. The contractor checks the affected area and the related foundation, drainage or equipment during the property visit.
Will I receive a written estimate?
Yes. Before work is approved, the estimate should describe the condition being addressed, the work included, exclusions, price, schedule, payment terms and any maintenance or warranty requirements.
Who is responsible for the work?
The local service company named on the estimate and contract is responsible for its inspection, work and warranty. That company may be independent from Champlain Valley Basement & Foundation, and its identity will be clear before you agree to service.
Am I obligated to approve the repair?
No. Requesting an inspection does not require you to approve an estimate or purchase work.
Sources and Vermont specifics
What the paperwork behind a service visit should contain
Before work is approved, the estimate should identify the company responsible for the work and its warranty. In Vermont, residential work valued at $10,000 or more must be done by a contractor registered with the Secretary of State's Office of Professional Regulation, who attests to using a written contract with price, work dates, scope of work and a change order provision, and who carries at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate in liability insurance.
Ask to see those items before you sign. A registered contractor will have them ready. Ask, too, how the company will confirm the water source stopped. The EPA's guidance is to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours and to keep humidity below 60 percent, so a follow-up humidity reading is a reasonable acceptance test after a moisture project.
A short timeline helps set expectations. The request goes in first, then a company reaches out to arrange a visit, then the inspection, then the written estimate. Nothing is approved during the visit, and no work starts until you accept a scope in writing. If you already hold another proposal, bring it. A second company that can read the first one's quantities can tell you whether the two describe the same job.
What you receive should be specific. Expect the condition found, the recommended work and the reason for it, the quantities, where water will go, what will be opened and restored, the schedule, payment terms and the warranty holder. If any item is missing, ask for it in writing before you respond. Reading an estimate line by line is the single most useful thing a homeowner can do.
Finally, ask what happens after the work. A good company explains how it will confirm the repair worked, what maintenance the system needs and whether the warranty requires registration or periodic service. Put the answers in your file with the estimate and the photographs, so the record is complete for the next owner.
Sources: Vermont Secretary of State, Residential Contractor FAQs; EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Checked September 26, 2026.