Interior Renovation · Grayslake, IL
Flood Recovery in Grayslake, IL
A mid-century ranch that had taken water: pumped out, torn out, dried structurally and sealed with new drainage — then the finish work upstairs, from refinished hardwood to an updated kitchen and bath.
- Location
- Grayslake, IL
- Project
- Interior Renovation
- Duration
- Remediation and renovation
Free Consultations • Fixed-Scope Proposals • Budget Ranges Published
The project
Project overview
This 1955 ranch had a flooded basement when we took it on, and the order of operations is the part most people get wrong. The water has to be gone, the structure has to be dry, and the drainage has to be solved before a single stud goes back in. Framing over a wet wall is how a finished basement turns into a mold remediation two years later. So the basement was pumped out, everything that had taken water was torn out, the structure was dried properly, and the basement was sealed with drainage work to stop it happening again. The basement was left clean, dry and open rather than finished. The finish work on this house happened upstairs: the original hardwood was refinished rather than replaced, the oak kitchen cabinets were kept and given new countertops, and the bathroom was updated.
Scope of work
What the job included
- Standing water pumped out and flood-damaged materials torn out
- Structural dry-out
- Basement sealed, with drainage work to stop it recurring
- Original hardwood floors refinished
- New kitchen countertops over the existing oak cabinetry
- Bathroom updated
Step by step
How the job went
After
The basement after tear-out, structural dry-out and sealing — left open, not finished. This is what dry looks like before anyone builds on it. The original hardwood was refinished rather than replaced. 
Sound oak cabinetry kept, new countertops — not everything needs replacing. 
In the area
Interior Renovation in Grayslake, IL
Grayslake sits in a part of Lake County with a high water table and a lot of 1950s and 1960s basements that were never waterproofed to any modern standard. Water in the basement here is usually a drainage and grading problem, not bad luck, and it is fixable — but it has to be fixed before the drywall goes up, not after.
Why homeowners hire us
What you get on every job
Everything in writing
The proposal spells out what's included, what we're assuming, and who handles what.
We see it first
We look at the room or house before we price or schedule the job.
Permits and trades spelled out
If your project needs a permit, an engineer, or a licensed plumber or electrician, we tell you during planning and put it in writing.
Changes in writing
If the job changes, we talk through what it does to the price and schedule before doing the extra work.
Final walkthrough
We walk the finished work with you against the written plan and fix anything that's not right before we call it done.
Get a free consultation in Grayslake.
Tell us what you want to change and Tim will call you back. The consultation and the written proposal are both free.
More of our work
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