Some of the rains we have had in the past several years have been 'heavy' to put it mildly. So much so that my home in Shelby, NC experienced basement flooding for the first time. Not once, not twice, but three times. I attributed this not only to heavy rains but also to poor planning on my part.
THE UNDERLYING ISSUES My home was canopied by large oak trees that had become a danger to the home due to their age, condition, and proximity to the structure so I decided to have them removed. I didn't fully realize the amount of rainfall that these trees kept off of my home, and now the gutter and downspout system, which was likely over 30 years old (I am not the original homeowner) had stresses that it had not seen since the house was built. Neglected drain lines meant that water was simply not getting moved away from the home. My landscaping was such that water on the lawn was largely moved away and was not an issue, but water from the roof and gutters was a prime culprit.
my biggest problem was not getting water away from the home - Nelon-Cole fixed this issue with new drainage lines from the downspouts
The first instance of flooding that I noticed was water on the basement floor that seemed to start underneath the basement stairs. Mine being a fully finished basement, I went into a mad rush to try to keep water away from carpets, cabinets, and appliances. Fortunately, this flooding instance wasn't that bad and was primarily kept isolated to a relatively small area. I decided that it was just one of those 'historic' rains and I let it go. I should have learned my lesson then and called for help - I wouldn't be so lucky the next time.
MY LUCK FINALLY RUNS OUT Approximately six months later heavy rains came again, and this time my basement suffered. Around an inch or more of water filled the entire basement. Bathroom, office, bedroom, kitchen, living area. Once it started with no end to the rain in sight, I did commence to moving anything I could to higher ground to prevent water damage. I couldn't move carpet, sheetrock, molding, and some cabinets. After days of cleanup and drying out I decided, as most would, to try my insurance company, but was told that I did not have an optional flood addendum that would cover the damages. I was on my own.
I decided then that some water control work had to be done. But first I needed to clean up the mess that I had. I removed carpets, replaced wood and sheetrock, cut and replaced floor moldings, put down new tile, etc. But before I would finish my restoration work and could call in the experts, Mother Nature had one last warning for me with yet another flood from heavy rain. Like the first, this one was not too bad and was again fairly isolated to an area below the stairs and some in the bathroom (which was tile). Cleanup was completed quickly and with much frustration both with myself and with nature, I called Nelon-Cole for help.
a sump pump underneath my basement stairs - it is out of my way and will serve as insurance should water ever get into the basement again
THE PROFESSIONALS ARRIVE TO SAVE THE DAY Bart Cole himself (one of the company owners) came out to my home quickly and asked for a thorough detail of the issues I had experienced. He did a property evaluation, looking at the lay of the land, drainage issues, the condition of my gutters and downspouts, and the problem area in the basement. His visit was about a half-hour long and he communicated with me the whole time sharing ideas on what would help. After doing a detailed drawing of the home and property he proposed that we take the most obvious (and most cost-effective) step first - get heavy rainwater away from the home.
My downspout draining lines were pretty much non-existent, having long been taken over by tree roots and age. In at least two instances my downspout drain lines weren't even connected properly and water intended to be taken away and far out into the yard was instead being funneled right down beside the structure itself. He also recommended a sump pump be installed in the first place that I would always notice water coming in - underneath the basement stairs.
A quote for services was received via email the very next day. It was quite reasonable for the work involved, so I approved the quote and an appointment was set up. I couldn't wait to finally get my basement back!
A Nelon-Cole Moisture and Water Control crew showed up exactly when expected. I must say that seeing heavy equipment about to tear paths through your lawn can be quite daunting and conjured up fears of my green lawn being left as mud. As I didn't want the crew to feel that I was looking over their shoulder I decided to ask if there were any questions or concerns (there were none) and I took my leave to let them be about their work. What I returned to later in the day was quite a pleasant surprise.
concrete had to be broken up in front of my garage, but the new line was run cleanly and the new concrete was finished off nicely
The Nelon-Cole crew had finished the work ahead of schedule and the work was done flawlessly. Perhaps the most impressive aspect that a typical homeowner might notice is the condition that they leave the property - the place looked amazing. Now, these are guys who had to break up concrete, both inside and outside the home. Dust was cleaned up, new concrete was neatly smoothed and leveled around the work areas, new drain lines that were cut out into the yard were neatly flattened back out and covered with straw - about as perfect a work area as a crew could possibly leave.
RESULTS - EXACTLY WHAT YOU HOPE FOR My basement has not seen a drop of water since then unless my daughter decides to spill her glass (it happens more than it should!). I have finally been able to complete renovation work and am enjoying time spent down there more than ever. Most importantly, I don't tense up every time I hear a heavy rain, nor do I panic at work when I know a heavy rainstorm is coming through and want to rush home for towels and a shop-vac.
Nelon-Cole not only know what they are doing when it comes to water control, but they also do an excellent job implementing their solutions. Their rates are reasonable, and the technicians are clearly well trained and treat your home as their own.
Consider this a wholehearted endorsement and recommendation of their services.
