Reputable companies tell homeowners to first check their downspouts, gutters and grades because water problems are often easily correctable, McCoy and Gaidish said. If you've got a sump pump, make sure the float isn't sticking and make sure it's set below floor level. Seepage found in previously bone-dry basements could be tied to this winter's unusual ice pack, Gaidish said. If so, hang tight. If you're really concerned, or you want to go ahead with a basement remodeling, get a drain tile test.
Some homeowners react too quickly, and too emotionally.
You sign a contract for a lot of money, and the case goes nowhere. Gaidish and McCoy also urged caution, saying their industry has seen a lot of companies arrive, make promises, take people's money and leave - sometimes abruptly. Law targets rip-offs Basement repairs could cost tens of thousands of dollars if the walls are compromised, contractors say. A rash of customer rip-offs in the 1970s led Wisconsin to enact one of the country's strongest consumer protection laws, said Bill Oemichen, the state's trade and consumer protection division administrator. Even oral repre-sentations must be included in the written contract.