Crawl Space Repair Customer Testimonial from Wes and Mary F. in Coupeville, WA

To Dan Malsch and the Rainy Day Basement Systems Staff, Just a note to thank you so much for the fantastic new crawlspace system - we are thrilled with the results. As you know, our crawlspace was pretty much a nightmare when you took on the job, and it's a completely different space now - clean, dry, and fresh-smelling. Even better, it's protected from ever having water again, and that's such a relief to us! I love to show it off, as people are fascinated by the idea. Every single friend or contractor who's visited our home for other projects has asked for your phone number after seeing the crawlspace. The installers of the new heating system were especially in awe of it, and all want one in their own homes now. Having lived all my life in Texas, I had actually never seen (or heard of!) a crawlspace before we moved to Washington. I remember, when we first moved into our home, being SHOCKED that there was a hole in the floor that led right under the house. I was very surprised (to put it mildly) at a design that meant I had to live with a dirt floor just a couple of feet through a hole in the closet floor. It bothered me so much that I actually duct- taped the crawlspace cover shut permanently - it seemed to me a reasonable way to keep out insects, cold air, moisture, etc. Depending on the season, maybe once or twice a year, I'd take off the duct tape and look down at the dirt or mud or water, whatever the weather had delivered, and try to figure out WHY there was a hole in the floor of my house leading to what was sometimes the equivalent of an Olympic size swimming pool. It occurred to me that, were I to dump some goldfish down there, they would have been FINE AND DANDY!!! My husband assured me that crawlspaces were necessary, I'd put the duct tape back on, and try to forget about the dark netherworld under my feet. So it went, until a giant tree fell on our house, our heatpump was demolished by the tree, and the heating installers who came to repair our heating system removed the duct tape and HAD A COW!! Apparently there was water in our air ducts, so that the heater had been blowing hot air over ice water all winter. Of the bids I got for repairing the problem, your design was the only one that wouldn't just restore my scary crawlspace back to its previous uselessness. I'd like to add that, of the three people who came to bid on the problem, Dan, you were the only one who even OFFERED to pump out the water without any commitment from me to buy your system. No one else would even put a sump pump down there unless I committed to their entire repair bid and waited the five or six weeks till they could get to my job. I really appreciate that you just saw me as a person with an immediate need, and you took action. I knew then that I'd found someone who GOT IT and could FIX IT!  Besides the obvious crawlspace protection, we've noticed that since your installation our oak floors have lost their buckling, that strange smell toward the back of the house has disappeared completely (we now know it was an odor from old, standing water in the crawlspace), and our house heats so much more quickly when we turn on the heat. ( Not having ducts full of ice water also helps! ) Because you had the foresight to have the whole system hooked up to our security alarm, we can travel knowing it's impossible for water to enter the crawlspace unchecked, no matter how long it rains all winter. As you know, we had a number of remodeling and repair projects going on all summer, so we spent time with multiple contractors and workers. Having done so, I want you to know that your staff and installers are far above the norm. My calls were returned promptly (usually immediately!), the work progressed in an orderly and timely manner, and your crew members were knowledgeable and reliable. I never felt like I had to oversee them, which was such a welcome change from other contractors whom I felt I had to follow around constantly. The crew arrived early and stayed as late as necessary to stay on schedule - I know there were several days they worked till dark. My house was left clean and all trash was removed from the work area frequently (believe me, there are lots of crews who don't so this). All the Cleanspace seams are secure and watertight, and the entire surface is securely seamed to the house itself - no small feat for a 3300 square foot space! I was especially impressed at how Tim oversaw such a large project and how incredibly hard he works - wow! We aren't used to that kind of dedication and perfectionism in any foreman we've ever had at the house. Finally, we want to thank you, Dan, for the sustained effort it took to complete such a large and complicated project. We really appreciate your enthusiasm and assurances throughout. We learned very quickly that you are a man of your word, and that you deliver what you promise to, on time and on budget. If it meant driving all the way back to Whidbey to check on something, you did so without hesitating. If it meant driving over at 6 a.m. and not leaving till 9 p.m., you did so. You and your crew worked in a swampy mess for days just cleaning out the crawlspace before you could even BEGIN the restoration work, and we know it wasn't pleasant, but your attitude and demeanor always remained professional and positive. Your crew went through DOZENS of coveralls cleaning out the mess, dragged literally TONS of wet insulation out a tiny exit space, and skipped many a lunch break to get our job finished. They are truly dedicated, and that sort of dedication in business comes from the top of the organization down - if it isn't characteristic of the owner, the crew will not behave likewise. We attribute our overall excellent experience to your exceptional leadership skills and your attentiveness to your customers' needs. If we had another crawlspace, we'd have you back tomorrow, and we highly recommend you to friends and family. Should you ever want to use us as a reference, please feel free to do so, as we'd definitely encourage anyone with a crawlspace, wet or not, to install your system, and more importantly, to have it installed by you and your crew. With sincerest thanks, Wes and Mary F.