Foundation Repair & Crawl Space Repair in Charleston, Columbia, Charlotte, Birmingham | Concrete Leveling & Basement Waterproofing

Why Fix a Foundation Now?

2024-04-02T00:00:00.05Z

What Happens If You Don’t Fix a Foundation Crack?

There’s almost nothing worse than the feeling of seeing a foundation crack for the first time. After all, this is your home’s foundation — the thing that it and everything in it, including you and your family, rest upon. So, when seeing a newly discovered foundation crack, you probably immediately ask yourself, “Is this even a big deal? Do I really need to worry about it?” Then, you enter the bargaining phase, where you start asking, “How much is this going to cost?” which leads inevitably to, “What if I don’t fix it right away?”

Why Do Foundations Crack?

If there is a crack in your home’s foundation, it means that there is some sort of stress being exerted on it — enough to cause a block or poured concrete wall to fail slightly. That stress can be caused by several factors, the most common of which is the soil around and underneath your home. That soil may have shrunk due to prolonged drought. It may have softened due to excessive moisture. Or it may have simply compressed over time because the fill soil your home’s builders placed there wasn’t compacted enough to begin with. In any of these cases, the result is that a part of your home’s foundation has likely begun to settle and sink, increasing the stress on its foundation.

Another kind of stress that can cause foundation cracks is hydrostatic pressure in the surrounding soil. If you’ve experienced a lot of rain or snow, the soil surrounding your home’s basement may be saturated and swollen with literally tons of water. This additional weight in the soil pushes against your basement walls and can cause them to bow inward and crack in the process.

The bottom line is that if you see a crack in your home’s foundation, it’s telling you there’s something wrong — and it’s time to call in an expert to diagnose the problem.

Why Fix a Foundation Now?

Foundation cracks can grow very slowly — sometimes less than an inch a year — so, it’s easy to ignore them or at least push them to the bottom of your to-do list. But here’s the thing: Foundation problems don’t get better over time. And that means they don’t get easier or less expensive to fix. In fact, the best, least expensive time to fix a foundation issue is right when you discover it.

We should also mention that you’re likely legally required to disclose foundation problems if you ever sell your home. And they will probably reduce your home’s selling price by a greater amount than it would cost to fix its foundation. So, that’s another factor you need to consider. But the main and obvious reason to fix your foundation sooner rather than later is that if you don’t, it will eventually fail, and your home will no longer be safe to occupy. Now, will that be six months from now or six years? Who knows — but do you really want to gamble your family’s safety?

The good news is that most foundation problems can be fixed permanently. Depending on the issue, your home’s foundation can be stabilized and even raised back to level using a system of push or helical piers that are driven into the soil beneath your home to bedrock or load-bearing strata.

The key is to find a foundation repair company that has the expertise, experience and equipment to do the job right. In other words, this is NOT the time for a DIY fix or to have a local handyperson tackle the job.

Get estimates. Check references. Read reviews. This is a big project and requires due diligence on your part. And if you get three estimates and one is significantly lower than the other two, treat it with extreme suspicion. Something likely isn’t right. Again, this is your home we’re talking about. It’s not only likely your biggest single financial investment but also the place that shelters and protects your family. It’s not something that you should skimp on when it comes to a serious repair of this nature. Click for your FREE estimate with Cantey Foundation Specialists now!

Concrete Safety: How to Prevent Tripping Hazards Around Your Home

2024-04-02T00:00:00.05Z

Is the concrete in and around your home safe for those living there as well as guests and visitors? Uneven concrete and damaged concrete can contribute to the high number of falls, slips, and tripping accidents that happen each year in the U.S. Unfortunately, we rarely take a safety inventory of our home and yard, except when moving in, babyproofing, or when someone gets hurt. It’s a good idea to perform seasonal safety reviews of your property, making sure to focus on the condition of your concrete walkways, patios, concrete stairs, pool decks, and any other concrete slabs in and around your home.

Fall, Slips & Trips: Common Injuries & Statistics

Data from safety organizations and the insurance industry shows that falls, slips, and trips result in lost time from work, injury, disability, and death each year. While accidents also happen in the kitchen, bathroom, or on top of a ladder, the entrances and exits around your home can pose a substantial risk if not well-maintained. A misstep on a concrete walkway or stairs can result in a minor injury, like a bruise or twisted ankle, or a far more serious injury, like a broken bone.

1 out of 5 falls causes a serious injury such as a broken bone or head injury and 1 out of every 4 older adults experiences a fall each year (Center for Disease Control)
According to the National Safety Council, "the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death" is falls and the #1 cause of death for older adults.
Falls are the most common cause of emergency room visits (National Floor Safety Institute)
More than 8 million people made emergency room visits for fall-related injuries in 2019 (National Safety Council), including 3 million older adults.

Trip-Proof Your Property for Greater Safety

How do visitors, guests, contractors, utility and maintenance workers, babysitters and pet-sitters, and others enter and exit your property? Concrete driveways, paths, patios, cement stairs, and other concrete walkways are often how people enter and exit our homes. For the purpose of sidewalks and public facilities, the American Disabilities Act defines a trip hazard as a difference in elevation of ¼ inch or more. Of course, older people and those with walking or sight disabilities are at greater risk of falling or tripping in the presence of uneven concrete. Obstructions and poor lighting can also make a trip hazard more treacherous.

Here’s what to look for and how to address any issues you find:

Fix cracked, uneven concrete right away

Differences in elevation in concrete slabs often occur at the joints or between slabs. Often caused by changes in moisture content under a concrete slab, soil settlement leads to pockets or voids and what’s known as concrete settlement. Look for large cracks, gaps between slabs, and signs of one section of a concrete walkway sinking below the adjacent slab. Not only is uneven concrete a tripping hazard, but it can also damage bikes, wheelchairs, and cars. If you have settling concrete slabs, concrete replacement won’t address the underlying cause and the problem will recur. Get a free concrete leveling estimate and proactively keep your property safer.

Make concrete stairs safer

Falling on concrete steps can be more painful than on carpeted steps. If you have concrete stairs, make sure they have a railing that’s up to code, and that the finish is not flaking or rusty. If concrete stairs are pulling away from the foundation or if you spot large cracks or gaps, it’s time to schedule a concrete leveling evaluation.

Review concrete slabs for rebar & tree roots

When concrete degrades or corrodes, often the steel rebar rods poke through, creating a tripping hazard. Check concrete surfaces for rusty rebar or tree roots poking through. For maximum security against falls, slips, and trips, fix concrete slabs at the first signs of a problem.

Pool deck safety

Check concrete pool deck for potential tripping hazards.

It’s especially important to keep pool decks in good shape. Uneven slabs around the pool create a tripping hazard and encourage pooling water, making surfaces slippery and accelerating concrete deterioration. Look for cracks and discrepancies in height between concrete slabs.

Other Safety Tips for Concrete Walkways

Perform Seasonal Maintenance

Every season poses a challenge to your exterior concrete: ice and snow in the winter, leaves and seeds in the fall, rain and debris in the spring, and strong UV rays in the summer. If your concrete slabs are cracked, uneven, or slippery, you should make sure to keep them as clear and dry as possible. This goes for concrete walkways, patios, pool decks, and concrete stairs.

Add Adequate Lighting

Add lights along concrete walkways for greater safety at night.

The danger of an uneven concrete walkway is made worse at night if the lighting is poor. Install motion-sensors, solar-powered lights, or other edge lighting along any concrete paths into your house.

Keep concrete walkways clutter-free

Don’t let your front walkway, pool deck, or patio become an obstacle course. Keep walkways clear of toys, scooters, yard equipment, bikes, and other objects to eliminate another source of trips and falls. Shrubs and other low-hanging plants such as groundcover can threaten to take over concrete pathways, so it’s important to prune overgrown greenery.

Ensure a safe entry

How many times do you enter or exit your home while carrying something to and from your car? Or wearing shoes with poor tread? A simple thing like a waterproof mat near every entrance can help keep concrete surfaces from getting too slick or slippery.

Check your insurance coverage

It’s always good to check with your homeowners insurance company to make sure you have appropriate coverage for accidental injuries.

Don’t Neglect Uneven Concrete: Call Cantey Foundation Spectialists Today!

It’s important to note you can’t eliminate every risk of injury related to concrete. After all, it’s easy enough to stub your toe! But you can make the concrete around your home safer and lower the risk of a serious injury. If you’ve got uneven concrete walkways, cracked pool decks, concrete stairs pulling away, or signs of concrete settlement, take action today. If you wait too long to fix concrete problems, the solutions become more expensive and invasive.

Learn how PolyLevel can help fix tripping hazards around your home by scheduling your free concrete leveling estimate today!

What To Do if You See Your Concrete Sinking

2024-03-14T00:00:00.05Z

Concrete is one of those things we don’t really think about. It’s just there in your driveway, sidewalk, patio or pool deck, doing its job, day in and day out. It’s heavy and solid. It’s flat and level. Until… it’s not. Then, suddenly, your concrete becomes an eyesore that reduces your home’s curb appeal. Even worse, uneven concrete slabs can present tripping hazards to your family, friends, or anyone visiting or just passing by — hazards you, as the homeowner, may be legally responsible for.

Why is the concrete around your home no longer level?

In almost every case, concrete settlement is caused by issues with the soil underneath it, so let’s look at those:

· Unstable fill soil is a common culprit. Land developers and builders moved soil around to prepare your home’s site for construction, creating an additional top layer of fill soil. Your concrete slabs were then poured over these areas. Unfortunately, even if it was compacted well with special equipment, that fill soil is not as stable as the native soils below.

So, when fill soils consolidate and settle, voids inevitably form under the concrete slab. Eventually, the slab cracks and falls into these voids.

· Drought is another common issue. During dry periods, or even just times of warm weather and low precipitation, the soil under your concrete slabs can dry out and shrink. This leaves voids for the concrete to crack and sink into — especially when any weight is placed on it, like an automobile or a load-bearing wall.

· Excess moisture also causes concrete problems. When heavy rains or snows occur, that water finds its way under your concrete slabs via cracks and crevices. The soil underneath your slab then becomes saturated and soft — or washes away completely — leaving voids for the heavy concrete above to fall into.

How to deal with sinking concrete.

Here’s the good news: The sunken concrete around your home can be lifted, leveled and protected against future problems. Even better, in most cases, it can be fixed permanently.

But before we get into that, we should address two not-so-permanent “fixes” for sunken concrete.

The first is concrete replacement.

Pouring new concrete might seem appealing. After all, you’ll end up with brand-new slabs, and new is better, right? Well, in this case, no. First, pouring new concrete requires breaking up and tearing out the old concrete. That means a lot of disruption for you and your neighbors. Not only is this a noisy, messy process, but it can take a week or more for concrete to cure, which means your driveway, sidewalk, patio or pool deck will be unusable for that time.

When new concrete cures, it’s usually a different color than any older concrete around it. So, unless you remove and repour your entire driveway, etc., you’ll end up with a patchwork quilt of mismatched slabs.

Then there’s the environmental impact. In addition to the old concrete heading to your local landfill, there’s the issue of Portland cement, the “glue” that holds concrete together. The cement industry is one of the world’s worst carbon emitters. In fact, if it were a country, the Portland cement industry would be the world’s third largest CO2 emitter, behind the US and China. So, the less brand-new concrete we use, the better it is for our environment.

Finally, there’s the problem of the soil we mentioned earlier. Pouring new concrete on your old soil won’t address the issues that caused the old concrete to sink in the first place, so in a few years, you’ll be right back where you started.

Now, let’s look at mud jacking. This involves injecting a slurry of mud and rocks beneath your concrete slabs to shore them up. As the name suggests, it is an extremely messy process. Plus, it leaves a series of soda-can-sized holes in your concrete through which the slurry is injected, leaving your concrete with an odd polka-dot appearance.

But the negatives don’t end there; like pouring new concrete, mudjacking doesn’t address the soil issues beneath your slabs. And since the slurry consists of mud and rock, it’s extremely heavy, exerting even more weight on your unstable soil.

PolyLevel®: The ideal concrete solution

Now we come to the best of all worlds: PolyLevel foam. PolyLevel is an expanding polyurethane foam that starts off as a liquid injected beneath your concrete, where it quickly runs to find cracks and voids in the soil. Almost immediately, it begins to expand as much as 29 times its original volume. This expansion lifts the heavy concrete slabs above it back to their initial level. Not only that, but PolyLevel’s expansion also exerts a downward pressure, compacting the soil beneath it and stabilizing it in the process. This means that when your home’s concrete is lifted and leveled with PolyLevel, it is permanently stabilized.

Because it’s a foam, PolyLevel is incredibly light, so any weight it adds to the soil is negligible. As it quickly cures into a rigid, incompressible mass, it fills the voids beneath your concrete, providing stabilization. Once cured, it’s environmentally friendly because it doesn’t react chemically with the surrounding environment and won’t break down over time. It also provides no nutritional value, so it won’t be damaged by insects or other animals.

Lastly, PolyLevel cures incredibly quickly, so you can actually start using your driveway, patio, sidewalk or pool deck as soon as the installation crew leaves.

As you can see, PolyLevel foam injection is the one solution for sunken, broken concrete that offers a permanent fix that’s minimally disruptive and environmentally friendly.

The only catch is, PolyLevel is only available from select contractors across North America and must be installed by an experienced crew. The good news is, we’re one of those select dealers! So, if you’re ready to repair your concrete for good, click the button to schedule your free estimate.

6 Structural Issues Your Home Inspector May Not Catch

2024-03-04T00:00:00.05Z

You’re about to buy a home. Maybe it’s your first home. Maybe it’s your “forever home.” Either way, it’s likely to be the biggest investment you’ve ever made. So, you hire a home inspector to make sure that your new house is safe, secure and ready for moving day.

But what if that home inspector misses something? What if, six months from now, you discover an issue that might’ve prevented you from buying the house altogether? Or, at the very least, what if you find an issue that might’ve given you leverage to get a lower price?

Home inspectors are generally very good at their jobs — but they’re not infallible. And while they may be experts at finding problems with plumbing and wiring, they sometimes miss foundation, concrete and other structural problems. That’s why it’s important to make sure your new home isn’t plagued with structural issues that will affect its resale value.

Here are a few structural problems a home inspector may miss or misinterpret.

1. Sticking windows and/or doors It might be tempting to chalk a sticking window or stubborn door up to the age of the home. It’s not uncommon for potential buyers and inspectors to dismiss these symptoms as simply a home “settling.” But there may be more to it. A window or door may stick in its frame because the structure around it has actually shifted and is no longer true. This shift may be due to the home’s foundation sinking into the soil beneath it, causing the structure above it to skew. This can happen when poorly compacted fill soil compresses over time. Or it may happen when soil washes away or dries up and shrinks due to extreme weather events such as flooding and drought. Whatever the cause, the problem can be quite serious and may foreshadow more severe issues down the line.

2. Gapping floors and/or ceilings This is another aesthetic issue that is easy to blame on a home settling, especially if the structure is more than 20 years old. But there may be an underlying reason that an interior wall separates from the floor or ceiling. And as with sticking doors and windows, this reason may be a foundation settlement issue. So, if you’re looking to buy a home that has ceiling or floor gaps, it may be time to bring in a foundation expert to have a closer look.

3. Bouncing or uneven floors Unlike the issues mentioned above, bouncing or uneven floors may occur simply because the joists that support the floor have warped due to either an excess of moisture causing swelling or a lack of moisture causing shrinking. This is most often seen in a home that is built over a crawl space rather than a fully sealed basement — although waterproofing issues can cause basements to give off enough humidity to cause these issues as well. That being said, foundation settlement can cause bouncing and uneven floors too, so it is well worth having an expert inspect them to determine the cause and resolution. Even if your home has a full basement, it may have an addition that is built over a crawl space, so that addition may be prone to bouncing and uneven floors, where the rest of the home is not.

4. Drywall or plaster cracks This is another aesthetic problem that can indicate a deeper structural issue. As a foundation settles, it typically does so in an uneven manner. That means certain parts of the house may sink while others don’t. Or perhaps they sink at different rates. This can cause the home’s framing to skew, which in addition to windows and doors sticking and floors and ceilings gapping, can cause interior walls to crack. The trouble is, interior wall

cracks — especially hairline cracks — are all too easy to fill and paint. This makes them easy to miss at an inspection.

5. Separating chimney While a home inspector should spot an issue as obvious as a chimney that has become separated from the rest of the home, it is possible that it may be missed. As with the above issues, a chimney separation is likely caused by poor soil beneath it, but it may be exacerbated because the chimney’s foundation may not be physically connected to the main structure. This can happen immediately after a home’s construction or years later as it settles into poorly compacted or washed-out soil.

6. Driveway, pool deck, patio and sidewalk cracks It seems as if we’ve become used to seeing cracked concrete. Walk down any residential sidewalk, and you’ll see cracked, broken and sunken slabs. You’ll see these same issues in other concrete structures too, including driveways, patios and pool decks. While these may not seem as severe as foundation-related problems, they do affect the value of your home. And, in some cases, may actually present tripping hazards that could mean liability issues for the owner. What they do have in common with foundation issues, however, is the cause — poor soil. As with a foundation, concrete slabs can sink and crack over time as they settle into poorly compacted fill soil or into voids left behind after soil washes out or shrinks due to drought.

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home and suspect it may have foundation, crawl space or concrete issues, contact Cantey Foundation Specialists. We have the expertise and equipment to accurately assess and permanently repair most foundation, crawl space and concrete issues.

Let's talk about street creep!

2023-12-11T00:00:00.05Z

We get it – Street creep sounds a little funny. Unfortunately, the damage it causes can be serious. Street creep happens with the concrete road by your house expands and pushes against your driveway. Your driveway, in turn, pushes against itself and your home.

Because of this, many homebuilders install expansion and control joints in the driveway to offset the pressure.

Temperature fluctuations cause the street to expand and contract during different seasons. During winter months, the control joints widen and can become filled with sand, salt or gravel. During warmer months, the concrete widens. With the control joint filled with incompressible materials, the concrete pushes against the slabs next to it.

You probably won’t notice this movement as it happens about a fraction of an inch at a time. But over time, it can result in several inches of movement. This could end up pushing your driveway into your home’s foundation, making the problem much worse and way more expensive to fix.

Having a concrete repair contractor come out and diagnose street creep is the best first step in addressing the problem. Cantey Foundation Specialists can put in a solution that contracts and expands with the concrete and also seals off the joint from debris.

Street creep is a problem that slowly, but surely, becomes worse over time. The sooner you take steps to address it, the less damage it will cause and the less expensive it will be.

Three Reasons to Fix Your Home's Foundation Immediately

2023-11-30T00:00:00.05Z

Whether you’ve just noticed a crack in your wall for the first time, or you’ve slowly seen it grow from an inch to several, there are a few things that hold true about foundation repair. Foundation issues don’t get better with time, but many people wait an average of five years before they call on a specialist to look at the problem.

Here are three reasons why waiting to get your foundation fixed is a bad idea.

1. The problem will get more expensive.

Often, when someone notices a foundation issue, it’s usually something that started small and grew over time. This could be a crack in a poured concrete basement wall, or perhaps you're noticing a gap between the floorboards and the wall.

As the problem continues, it will take more effort and resources to bring the foundation back to its most stable condition. Also, the more a foundation falls into disrepair, the more other issues around the home will crop up. These include sticking doors and windows, or even issues with the roof.

2. The issue may become a major safety concern.

Next, the safety and stability of a home’s foundation can be compromised the longer a homeowner waits to repair it. Bowing walls are a sign the foundation could cave in — and they often do.

Additionally, foundation issues can affect the floors on the levels above the basement, slab or crawl space. The flooring could become uneven or bouncy, making it less safe.

3. Your property value may decrease.

A new homeowner would assume any responsibility for the home’s foundation. If a foundation issue was flagged during the home inspection, it could indicate a major expense soon.

The good news is a repaired foundation is not a red flag for a potential buyer. In fact, there are even instances where a repaired foundation is more stable and stronger than the original construction.

In conclusion, homeowners balance a lot of different decisions and priorities when it comes to their homes. This can lead to inaction when they notice a concerning crack in a poured wall, bouncing floors that make it easy to lose balance, or floors separating from the wall.

However, fixing a foundation should remain top-of-mind. While the price and inconvenience of a home project might be uncomfortable in the short term, it will restore property value, ensure a safe living space, and, ultimately, result in peace of mind for the homeowner.

The Importance of Protecting Your Driveway's Cracks and Joints

2023-11-27T00:00:00.05Z

OK, we admit this isn’t the most exciting headline, so if you’ve read this far, we can probably guess that you are at least a bit curious about how and why to seal the various cracks and joints in your driveway, either random or controlled or both.

What’s a Crack? What’s a Joint?

Before we start, we need to address the above questions because your driveway likely has at least one of these, if not both. First, let’s talk about the cracks that are supposed to be there: control and expansion joints.

Control joints are deliberately placed into concrete slabs to “control” their inevitable cracking. That’s because, as concrete cures, it shrinks and cracks. So rather than have cracks appear randomly, which would look pretty shabby, control joints allow the concrete to crack in a straight, ordered manner. For a driveway, this is most often done by using a trowel to make shallow grooves into the new concrete while it is still wet or with a concrete saw right after it sets. When the concrete cracks, it follows these predetermined lines, leaving your driveway slabs looking neat and ordered.

Expansion joints are wider joints that connect the driveway to the garage at the top and to the street at the bottom. As their name suggests, these exist to allow for the natural expansion of your driveway’s slabs during hotter months as the street in front of your home expands and pushes on them. However, they are often filled by the contractor with inferior materials that don’t offer much “give.”

Cracks are just that — random breaks in the concrete that have occurred over time due to uneven slab settlement or other stresses. But like control joints, they open a path for water to seep beneath the slab, which can cause the soil underneath to soften and wash away over time. This can, in turn, cause the heavy concrete slabs to sink.

Stopping Water Seepage
Preventing moisture seeping under your concrete is the primary reason for sealing your driveway’s control joints. As mentioned above, when water seeps beneath your concrete slabs, it can cause the soil beneath it to soften and compress. In some cases, it can even wash away soil, leaving empty spaces underneath. When the soil compresses or these voids appear, it can allow the heavy concrete above to sink. And as this often happens unevenly, with one part of the slab sinking faster than another, this added stress can cause uncontrolled cracking, eventually resulting in a driveway that’s uneven and unattractive. Not only does this lower your home’s curb appeal and potentially its value, but it can also present a tripping hazard that can be a liability for the homeowner.

Preventing Street Expansion

In addition to water seepage issues, there is a phenomenon known as “street creep” that can put pressure on your home’s foundation, causing severe problems down the road.

As you probably know, as materials heat and cool, they expand and contract. Concrete is not immune to this, so it’s easy to imagine this scenario: As the concrete slabs in the street in front of your home cool with the weather, they contract. This causes the joints between them to expand. These joints then become filled with grit, sand, pebbles and other incompressible materials.

Fast forward to the hot summer months. The warm weather now causes those street slabs to expand — only they can’t expand back into the joints because those are now full of grit, sand, etc. So, without the empty joints to allow for expansion, the entire street expands outward, slowly pushing up your driveway and into your home’s foundation. Scary stuff indeed!

Simple Solutions

Fortunately, there are solutions for all these issues. Sealing your driveway’s control joints with a flexible material like NexusPro® prevents water from seeping beneath the slabs and affecting the soil beneath

your concrete. The sealant also prevents contamination from pebbles, grit, etc. from entering the joints which can prevent the joint from performing as intended.

It should be mentioned that silicone-based sealants like NexusPro are far superior to cheaper polyurethane-based sealers because they won’t dry and crack over time due to UV exposure.

“Street creep” can be addressed by filling the expansion joints at the top and bottom of your driveway with a thermo-rubber solution called CompressionGuard®. This proprietary solution exhibits much more elasticity than traditional expansion joint materials, allowing it to absorb the expansion of the street in front of your home and keep doing so for many years.

If you’re concerned about driveway slab settlement or street creep, call Cantey Foundation Specialists, your local NexusPro and Compression Guard dealer for a free, no-obligation inspection. We can provide a simple, inexpensive solution that’ll keep your home’s concrete looking good (and its foundation safe) for many years to come.

Five Home Improvement Projects You Should Never DIY

2023-09-18T00:00:00.05Z

If you own a home, you’ve probably tackled a DIY project before. And when a project turns out successful, it can be a wonderful feeling. But when you’re halfway through a project and realize you’re in way over your head, the feeling can approach that of sheer dread.

There are certain DIY projects anyone with even the most basic set of tools should be able to do: Fixing a
running toilet, painting an interior room, and putting up shelving, just to name a few. But there are definitely projects you want to leave to the professionals.

1. Anything but the most basic electrical projects. So, we’re not just talking about changing a lightbulb or installing a dimmer switch here. We’re talking anything that would require switching off breakers or removing fuses. The simple reason for this is the danger electrical projects present. There’s the danger of electrocution, of course — that you could be hurt or even killed if you inadvertently touch a live wire. But there’s also the lurking danger of a short that could cause a fire sometime in the future. So, if you’re thinking about wiring or rewiring anything in your home, it is best to call an electrical contractor.

2. Anything but the most basic plumbing projects. We mentioned fixing a running toilet earlier. That’s something you should be able to fix on your own. And a leaky faucet, too, should be a relatively simple fix for the average homeowner. But when it comes to adding new plumbing fixtures or replacing pipes, even the slightest mistake can result in leaks that can cause serious issues either immediately or later on. And let’s not forget that where there’s moisture in a home, there’s always the danger of mold. So, yes, successful plumbing projects require the kind of experience you don’t get by simply watching a couple of YouTube videos.

3. Taking down a Tree. You’ve got a chainsaw. You’ve cut up firewood. You may have even climbed a ladder and trimmed a few low-hanging limbs. But if you’re thinking of felling an entire tree, you need to call a certified arborist. First, they’ll be able to tell if your tree actually needs to be removed or if, in fact, it can be saved. Second, if they determine the tree requires removal, they’ll be able to do it so that there is no damage to your property or your neighbor’s. You see, most people have trouble “eyeballing” how tall a tree actually is. And it’s common for someone to misjudge a tree’s height only to have it fall onto a neighbor’s roof or car!

4. Window or skylight replacement. This is another project where you might watch a couple of tutorial videos and say, “How hard can it be?” Well, the answer is “pretty hard, actually.” That’s because windows must seal out cold and warm air to keep your utility bills as low as possible. More importantly, windows — and skylights, especially — need to keep out the rain during periods of inclement weather. A poorly installed window or skylight can lead to higher energy bills and leaks that cause floorboards to rot and mold to spread.

5. Foundation repairs. OK, this is a biggie. If your home has sagging or gapping floors, you may be tempted to head down to the basement with some shims or, worse, a bottle jack and some 2x4s, with the notion of shoring up your home’s joists. Take it from us; don’t. Just… don’t. This is your home we’re talking about. Your family. Your stuff. Your adorable labradoodle, Mabel. Everything you love rests on your home’s foundation. Fixing it yourself would be like… doing surgery on yourself instead of going to a doctor. Because if it goes wrong (and it’ll likely go wrong), it can be catastrophic. The best bet is to call a foundation repair contractor. (Don’t call a general contractor or a handyman here; you need a real expert.) Cantey Foundation Specialists will be able to inspect your home and tell you exactly what’s wrong and how to fix it. Not only will this save you a lot of aggravation and stress, but it will also prevent you from losing a big chunk of the proceeds when it comes time to sell your home.

So, yes, do the little projects around the house that you can handle yourself. Maybe even graduate to slightly larger ones as you grow more confident, and your toolbox grows fuller. But leave the big projects to the pros — especially anything foundation-related. By the way, this goes double if you’re considering tackling a home improvement project with your spouse or partner. Nothing will strain a relationship to its breaking point like a good old-fashioned DIY home improvement project!

How Drought Affects Your Home's Foundation

2023-07-05T00:00:00.05Z

In much of the country, summer means more than just warm weather. As the lush rains of spring give way to the hot, dry spells of late July and August, the clay soils beneath our browning lawns begin to dry up and shrink.

But it’s not just the soil beneath our lawns that’s shrinking. The soil beneath our homes is, too — particularly when dry periods extend for months (or even years, in extreme cases). And when soil shrinks, it creates voids — empty spaces into which a home’s foundation can settle.

Signs of Foundation Settlement

You might expect a sinking foundation to be obvious to the eye, but this isn’t always the case. Because a foundation tends to settle slowly, you may not notice it just by looking at your home from across the street.

However, when a foundation does settle, it typically doesn’t do so uniformly. For instance, one corner of your home may sink deeper and faster than another. This uneven settlement can often throw off a house’s geometry, so its once true and parallel frame becomes skewed. And when that happens, symptoms may appear all over the structure, including:

· Sticking windows and doors

· Sagging floors

· Floor or ceiling gaps

· Drywall cracks

· Interior cracks near window or door frames

· Separating chimneys

· Stair-step cracks in brick or block walls

So, the next time you struggle to open a window, it may not be the window that’s the problem. It could be something happening many feet below it.

The thing is, though, foundation problems don’t get better over time. And they don’t get less expensive to repair, either. But they can be fixed permanently. And, in many cases, the settling foundation can be raised back to its original position.

Solutions for Foundation Settlement

The best way to prevent a home’s foundation from sinking further is to physically connect it to bedrock or stable soil. And the best way to do that is to drive steel piers deep into the ground until they reach bedrock or competent soil and connect them to the home with heavy-duty steel brackets. Once this is done, the foundation can be raised to its original level.

Piers are essentially sections of steel tubing that are mechanically pushed into the soil until they reach bedrock or stable soil. In certain situations, specialty piers with fins, known as helical piers, are driven (literally screwed) into the soil to achieve the same stability.

(It goes without saying that piering is a major procedure and needs to be done by a company with a lot of experience.)

What if I Don’t Fix It?

Since foundations settle slowly, it can be tempting to ignore them. After all, sticking doors and sagging floors can often be chalked up to a home’s “character,” especially if it’s over 50 years old. But as mentioned earlier, foundation problems only grow worse with time. But if left unaddressed, they can eventually lead to foundation failure, which can be extremely expensive and disruptive to repair.

So, why fix it? Well, because it’s your home, for one thing. It’s where you and your family live. It’s where your memories are made. But it’s also likely your single largest financial investment, so it just makes sense to protect it. Plus, if you ever sell your home, you must disclose any

foundation problems it has. And the cost of stabilizing your foundation is often much less than the financial loss you’ll take if you sell it as-is.

There’s also the matter of cost. After all, because foundation problems only grow worse with time, they’ll never be less expensive to fix than they are today.

The good news is, with modern piering technology, settling foundations can almost always be fixed permanently. But you need to have your home inspected by a reputable company with specific expertise and deep experience in this area — no “general contractors,” please!

And once your home’s foundation is stabilized and returned to its original level? Well, you’ll be sleeping soundly — no matter how hot and dry it is outside.

How to Maintain Your Concrete and Protect it From Cracking, Pitting and Crumbling

2023-06-21T00:00:00.05Z

It’s been said that your home’s concrete is its calling card. This is certainly true for its driveway, which is usually the first thing you see as you approach a home from the street, but it’s also true for the other concrete around your home, including its sidewalk, paths, patio and pool deck. So, when concrete is left to crack and crumble over time, it can really be an eyesore that conveys a negative impression of your home even before guests set foot inside.

Not only that, but crumbling concrete can also lower your home’s value along with its curb appeal. Plus, cracks and pits can even present tripping hazards that can be dangerous to visitors and family members alike.

So, you may ask, “How do I protect my concrete from cracking and crumbling?” The answer is, it’s actually easier and less expensive than you might think.

But first, let’s get an idea why good concrete goes bad.

Water, Water Everywhere

Water is concrete’s enemy. It can wash away supporting soil when there’s too much of it. It can cause soil to shrink when there’s too little. And when it freezes and thaws over and over, it can cause concrete’s surface to crack, pit and crumble.

Here’s the thing: concrete is porous, so it acts like a giant sponge. So, what happens is, water is absorbed at the surface — maybe from rain or melting snow. Then, if temperatures drop below freezing, the water turns into ice, which expands and breaks the walls of those pores, weakening the concrete.

You probably wouldn’t see anything at first. Unfortunately, though, it worsens exponentially with every freeze/thaw cycle until the pitting and flaking becomes obvious to the naked eye.

In addition to damage caused by freezing and thawing, concrete’s porous nature makes it susceptible to staining from chemicals, dirt and other materials. As with cracking and pitting, staining is an eyesore that can reduce your home’s curb appeal.

So, how can you prevent all this from happening?

The Seal of Protection

The key to protecting your home’s concrete for the long term is to seal it from the elements. This seems like a no-brainer, but too many homeowners forego this simple step only to regret it years later when it becomes necessary to replace or resurface their driveways and patios.

So, it’s off to the big-box DIY store to buy a five-gallon bucket of sealant, right? Wrong. Not all sealants are made alike. The stuff they sell at the box store is messy and can be difficult to apply evenly. Plus, it likely won’t be compatible with new concrete.

The better option is to have a professional apply some sort of surface sealant — either one that bonds with the concrete or one that sits on top of it.

How They Work

Integrated concrete sealers — such as SealantPro™ from Foundation Supportworks — bond with concrete on a molecular level, permanently protecting it from water, dirt and other contaminants in a single coat. Once applied, the sealer dries in minutes and is fully cured in just six hours, so you can use your concrete the same day. It is simple, fast, economical and extremely effective.

In addition to offering permanent protection, sealers of this type are typically UV resistant and won’t discolor over time.

Another option — one that can provide a pop of color in addition to protecting your concrete —â€¯is a topical sealer such as DecoShield™, also from Foundation Supportworks. These topical sealers can add curb appeal to your home’s concrete by giving your driveway, sidewalk, patio or pool deck a hint of translucent color while protecting them from the elements. They can also be a great way to minimize the appearance of mismatched concrete slabs or to simply add a level of “bling” to your home’s appearance.

We should note that unlike integrated sealers, which are permanent, topical sealers need to be reapplied every two-to-three years, depending on traffic and UV exposure.

So, whether you’ve just built a brand-new home or updated your existing home with a new driveway, patio or sidewalk —â€¯or you simply want to protect your existing driveway or patio — concrete sealers are the way to go when it comes to maintaining and safeguarding your investment.

To learn more, reach out to Cantey Foundation Specialists for a free, no-obligation inspection and quote.

Concrete production is terrible for the planet. Repairing your home's concrete instead of replacing it can help.

2023-06-05T00:00:00.05Z

Concrete is amazing stuff. It can be poured and shaped into almost anything you like. In fact, humans have been using it to build structures large and small for more than 2,000 years.

But concrete does have its drawbacks. Though incredibly strong and durable, it’s not indestructible. And, sadly, the production of concrete — especially the production of the Portland cement that forms its basis — is really bad for the environment.

Concrete Facts

· Concrete is the most consumed substance on the planet besides water.

· If the cement industry were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 behind the US and China (Portland cement is a primary ingredient in concrete).

· Over the past 60 years, nearly 8.9 billion tons of plastic have been produced. The cement industry produces that amount every two years.

· In 2012, concrete production was responsible for nine percent of the world’s industrial water use.

· By 2050, 75 percent of water demand for concrete production will likely occur in water-stressed regions.

· When you replace your driveway or patio with new concrete, the old concrete is typically broken up and taken to a landfill.

So, yes, concrete production is terrible for the planet. But there is something we as homeowners can do to reduce its impact on our environment.

Repair, Don’t Replace

It’s easy to see that the less new concrete we use, the better it is for the environment. This is why repairing broken concrete is the only reasonably sustainable option for homeowners wanting to address broken, sinking or damaged concrete slabs in their driveways, patios, sidewalks and pool decks.

When it comes to repairing concrete, there are two options: mudjacking and polyurethane foam lifting (PolyLevel™ is a preferred brand). So, let’s first look at mudjacking.

Mudjacking involves pumping a slurry of Portland cement, soil and water underneath your concrete slabs to “jack” them back up to their original position. While this does work temporarily, it presents several problems. First, it requires drilling large ports in the cement through which the slurry is pumped. When filled in, these ports remain obvious and are considered an eyesore by many. Second, and most important, the mud slurry that is used in the process is heavy. That means it adds weight to the soil beneath it, which can cause the concrete above it to settle further. It should be noted that, as you might suspect with a name like “mudjacking,” the whole process is messy.

A better alternative is polyurethane foam lifting. Like mudjacking, this involves the injection of a fluid material underneath the sunken slabs, where it expands and hardens. Unlike mudjacking, the material is incredibly lightweight. It also effectively compresses the soil beneath it as it expands, stabilizing it for a permanent fix. The ports through which it is injected are also much smaller than those used for mudjacking and are typically barely visible when filled in.

It should be mentioned, by the way, that new concrete has its drawbacks beyond the adverse environmental impact. It is a disruptive process: Your old concrete must be jackhammered into chunks and then hauled away. Then new concrete must be poured in its place and left to cure for a week or more. This means your driveway, patio, etc., cannot be used for that period. Secondly, there’s the fact that it doesn’t actually fix the failing soil that likely caused your concrete to sink in the first place — something that polyurethane foam does address.

Save Your Driveway While You Help Save the Planet

The bottom line is you can repair the concrete around your home and improve its curb appeal (and value!) without pouring new concrete. That’s good for you, and it’s good for the planet.

Click here to learn more about the benefit of polyurethane foams for concrete stabilization and find a PolyLevel dealer near you. (The planet will thank you.)

Pride Starts at Home at Cantey

2023-02-17T00:00:00.05Z

Pride starts at home. Every Friday our Cantey Crew Team Members organize and clean their trucks in order to be ready for the next week. They do the same for the job sites that they work at- each site is left in equal, if not better shape as when Cantey arrived.

Our Core Values Begin At Home

2023-01-27T00:00:00.05Z

Our Purpose is to Redefine Our Industry.
Our Mission is to create life-changing experiences.

In order to do that we start here at home with our 4 Core Values:

We Are Givers.

We create life-changing opportunities in our community.

We Are Learners.

We read, use audible and listen to podcasts to become the best version of ourselves.

We Provide One Experience.

We provide the Cantey Way to every customer, every time.

We Are One Team.

We are individuals who come together to create life-changing experiences for each other and our customers.

5 Reasons to Repair (Not Replace) Your Sinking Concrete

2023-01-17T00:00:00.05Z

Despite being one of the most versatile building materials in the world, concrete is not without faults. When concrete is placed over a weak base (like soft soil, loose aggregates, etc), it’s easier for water to slip underneath slabs and speed up erosion. Over time, this causes the concrete to sink into the ground and reduces its durability. Whether a driveway, sidewalk, patio, or pool deck, cracked, uneven, or wobbling concrete contributes to serious trip hazards, unattractive surfaces, decreased property value, and foundation damage.

Whether your concrete has cracks, crumbling, potholes, or uneven surfaces, fixing the concrete requires determining the extent of the problem to choose the best solution. But this guide on repairing your sinking concrete will discuss factors to consider helping make the decision between concrete repair or replacement easier.

Concrete Leveling and Repair vs. Concrete Replacement: Factors to Consider

Before you consider why concrete repair might be a better alternative to concrete replacement, you'll need to ask yourself a few questions as you inspect the concrete around your home.

Are there drainage problems?
Are there multiple or deep potholes?
Are there extensive cracking or widening cracks?
What's the age of the concrete?

If you've checked your concrete but are unsure how serious of a sinking problem you have, you can hire professional concrete leveling contractors for help. These experts offer a range of concrete repair services so they can recommend the right solution for your specific sinking concrete problem. Getting your concrete inspected now can help you avoid needing a more expensive and invasive solution in the future.

Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to fix concrete issues thanks to advancements in construction technology, such as polyfoam concrete leveling (also referred to as polyfoam concrete lifting, polyjacking, or polyurethane foam injection), a popular method of raising sinking concrete slabs. Here are the primary reasons why concrete leveling has become a favorable solution for repairing uneven or sunken concrete.

Reason 1: Concrete Lifting Restores Sunken Concrete

A concrete slab can support a large amount of weight, but overall durability depends on the underlying soil. If the soil shrinks or washes away, cracks can appear. If concrete is replaced and poured over the poor soil, the concrete will crack and sink again. Uneven concrete slabs are a major issue in almost any area, whether the sinking occurs in a driveway, sidewalk, or patio. However, these slabs can be raised back to their original height using polyfoam concrete leveling solutions without impacting their safety or durability. And since PolyLevel® addresses the underlying soil conditions that cause sinking concrete slabs, it's also a long-lasting choice for residential slab jacking.

Reason 2: Concrete Leveling is Less Intensive

It's no secret that concrete replacement can be a long, burdensome task. Consider the time it takes to tear out the old concrete, pour the new slab, and let the concrete cure. PolyLevel requires a simple process that injects structural-grade polymer beneath the slab, filling the empty area underneath and lifting it back to its original level. Nothing needs to be torn out, no new concrete must be bought, and no additional time must be wasted.

Reason 3: Concrete Lifting is Much Quicker

Following the initial filling, concrete leveling materials only need to sit for 15 minutes before they can be walked or driven on, compared to the 24-48 hours it takes new concrete to dry. Therefore, concrete leveling is typically the favorable option to avoid the significant interruptions caused by concrete replacement.

Reason 4: Concrete Leveling Can Increase Curb Appeal

Sunken concrete slabs can reduce your home’s value and turn away potential buyers. Although repairing or replacing damaged concrete slabs can increase a property's value, homeowners should consider the final result of both options before deciding. Replacing concrete slabs can create a mismatched surface, whereas leveling the concrete offers a more uniform look. Investing in concrete leveling and repair can help ensure your home remains attractive and highly valued for years to come.

Reason 5: New Concrete Will Crack

When new concrete is poured over unstable soil, the concrete will eventually crack and sink again. Since polyjacking addresses the underlying soil conditions, this reduces the chance of future sinking and extends the life of the original concrete.

What's the Best Method to Repair Sinking Concrete?

While concrete patches are a popular DIY option to fix cracks in concrete, their use is mostly cosmetic, and they don’t provide long-lasting protection against further sinking or damage to the surrounding concrete. Stopping concrete from sinking and creating an even surface requires stabilizing the soil below the slab. Polyurethane foam injection, like PolyLevel, lifts and levels concrete slabs while filling voids in the soil to keep the slab from sinking again.

Faster installation, curing time, and attractive results are among the top reasons PolyLevel is a better alternative to mudjacking, concrete replacement, and other less effective approaches to sinking concrete slab repair.

When Should Concrete Be Replaced?

Although replacing concrete is not the first choice, sometimes it is the only option. If your concrete slab has multiple or deep potholes, spiderweb cracks, widening cracks, or it’s contributing to drainage problems, it may be time for a replacement. Remember that even if some concrete needs to be replaced, it can still be possible to level other sections of the driveway, sidewalk, or patio. Professional PolyLevel contractors will recommend how to solve your sunken concrete problem.

Don’t Ignore Your Sunken Concrete: Call Your PolyLevel Expert Today!

With time and constant exposure to the elements, concrete is at risk of cracking, sinking, wobbling, and other cosmetic and structural issues. Take action today if you’ve got uneven concrete walkways, cracked driveways, concrete stairs pulling away, or signs of concrete settlement. The solutions become more expensive and invasive if you wait too long to fix your sinking concrete problems.

Schedule your free concrete leveling estimate with Cantey Foundation Specialists today to learn more about how PolyLevel can repair the concrete around your home.

How to Save Money on Major Home Repairs

2023-01-12T00:00:00.05Z

It’s time for a necessary home repair. Problems such as foundation issues, sinking concrete, sump pump failures—you name it!—can sneak up on us.

Heck, even if you’ve known for a while that an expense was coming, why pay more than you have to? The best thing you can do is be informed.

Fix It Early

It goes without saying: The smaller the issue, the easier the fix and, consequently, the lower the cost. The crack under your egress window can be quickly diagnosed and repaired. But add some rain to the picture, and the crack opens up, water flows into your basement and you’ve suddenly multiplied your expenses—and maybe even wrecked something priceless in the process.

Think of it like your car. It’s less expensive to change the oil regularly than replace your engine, right? The same thing goes for home maintenance. Unfortunately, your home doesn’t come with a check-engine light. But think of a sticking window, sloping floor or wall crack as a sign there is a problem.

Your home won’t repair itself. However, we can tell you that the sooner you diagnose and repair a problem, the easier it will be on your bank account in the long run.

Be Ready to Make a Decision

Often, contracting businesses take a no-haggle approach with homeowners. But in the absence of negotiating, they do offer discounts.

Some businesses offer same-day savings, because it helps them run more efficiently. That’s because if you wait to make your decision, another inspection may be needed. Which means sending out another person, using more gas, putting additional miles on a company car, etc.

If a company offers same-day savings, you should seriously consider it. Every day, homeowners miss out on 5% off a project that’s $10,000 or more simply because they weren’t ready to make a decision. By the way, 5% of $10,000 is $500. Not a small amount of money to anyone.

Pay Attention to Financing Options

In addition to paying cash, there are other ways to finance a home-repair project, including personal loans, home equity loans or lines of credit or using a credit card.

Sometimes interest rates are low, which helps keep the total cost of borrowing down. But other factors to consider include how low you’d like your monthly payments to be and how long you want to carry the debt.

Also, it’s a good idea to ask the contractor if there is a benefit to financing with them directly, such as paying no interest for a certain period of time or receiving a discount on the total cost of the project.

Only Fix It Once

There’s only one way to make sure you don’t need to fix an issue again, and that’s getting it done right the first time. Yes, we know this seems obvious, but hear us out. Google “bad contractor,” then immerse yourself in the hundreds of stories about the homeowners who were “taken advantage of” and “never thought it would happen” to them. Unfortunately, there are bad actors in the home repair industry. Sometimes, it’s intentional. Other times, it’s a well-meaning effort, but they simply didn’t know what they were doing.

The solution? Pick the business that you know will do it right the first time. Not the cheapest. Not the fastest. Pick the one who will stand behind their work.

Lastly, hire a specialist for the type of repair you need instead of a general contractor or handyman. Read reviews. See how the company interacts with its customers online. Ask how long they’ve been in business, what training they’ve completed and how many homes they’ve fixed. And always ask about the warranty and what happens to it if they go out of business.

As you can see, by following a few simple rules, you can make sure you not only get your home fixed right, but you can sleep well knowing you’ve actually saved money in the long run

PolyLevel Lift in Gastonia, NC

2022-11-18T11:00:03.05Z

After inspecting the Deason Family home, the Cantey System Design Specialist determined that the Deason's could benefit from a PolyLevel Lift repair in several places around their pool and patio. The Deason's also decided to repair a portion of their driveway slap that was sinking in front of their house as well.

Tilting Chimney in Columbia, SC

2021-12-08T14:44:13.05Z

Cantey Foundation Specialists will be helping the Burnetts of Columbia, SC with peace of mind by stabilizing their chimney and foundation of their family home. We will also add 2 Smart Jacks on main beams to split a 10ft span between some CMU piers. We are also providing a PolyLevel lift to a section of the front sidewalk and front steps to prevent them tripping heading up the front porch.

Push Pier Project in Lugoff, SC

2021-11-29T15:57:17.05Z

Cantey Sales Team Member Michael performed a thorough inspection and estimated that the Browns would require at least 14 piers to permanently stabilize their home. Mr. Brown does not to worry about his foundation, or any further damage, so Cantey Foundation Specialists will be installing 24 piers to protect his home. We are able to install push piers from the outside because the Browns' basement is finished.

Solving Bowing Walls in Hickory, NC

2021-03-03T16:25:10.05Z

The solution to fix the bowing of the wall was to install six GeoLock anchors and four strips of CarbonArmor. This allowed Cantey Foundation Specialists to pull the wall back into place and stop the bowing while also removing stress from the wall and adding structural support. GeoLock anchors are the best option to fix any bowing wall before the problem gets any worse.

PolyLevel Driveway in Irmo, SC

2021-02-09T14:52:58.05Z

Clyde M. of Irmo, SC noticed that he had multiple cracks in his driveway leading to water pooling in the unstable areas, as well as an uneven surface area for vehicles. Also worried about someone tripping and hurting themselves, he called Cantey Foundation Specialists for a free inspection and estimate.

Johns Island SC: Dodge's Chicken Convenience Store & Eatery Wood-Rot Replacement

2020-02-24T11:45:25.05Z

Owner of Dodge's Chicken Convenience Store & Eatery had started noticing sagging floors around a high traffic area on the sales floor. Realizing the urgency and importance of this hazardous situation, the store owner contacted Cantey Foundation Specialists to evaluate the store's floor and crawl space condition and devise a plan to ensure the safety of it's customers. Upon evaluation, System Design Specialist Ed V. quickly noticed the sub floor and floor joists needed replaced as they were extremely rotted and deemed a safety hazard.

Cantey Foundation Specialists Earns 2019 Angie's List Super Service Award

2020-01-15T09:52:31.05Z

Camden, South Carolina, January 14, 2020 – Cantey Foundation Specialists is proud to announce that it has earned the home service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award (SSA). This award honors service professionals who have maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews on Angie’s List in 2019.

“Service pros that receive our Angie’s List Super Service Award represent the best in our network, who are consistently making great customer service their mission,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “These pros have provided exceptional service to our members and absolutely deserve recognition for the exemplary customer service they exhibited in the past year.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2019 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include maintaining an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade and review period grade. The SSA winners must be in good standing with Angie’s List and undergo additional screening.

Service company ratings are updated continually on Angie’s List as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in multiple fields ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

For over two decades Angie’s List has been a trusted name for connecting consumers to top-rated service professionals. Angie’s List provides unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals.

###

Cantey Foundation Specialists named as one of

2019-11-15T14:25:47.05Z

Cantey Foundation Specialists was selected by Home Builder Digest as the best basement waterproofing contractors for the state of South Carolina.

South Carolina

Cantey Foundation Specialist

621 Rutledge St., Camden, SC 29020Contact

In just more than a decade, Cantey Foundation Specialist amassed a number of awards for its outstanding services. From being named as one of the Fastest Growing Companies by the Inc 5000 magazine up to the BBB Torch Awards, the firm has repeatedly proven that its services is the best across the state.

In addition to its numerous awards, Cantey Foundation Specialist has been actively involved in activities that improve the community’s standards of living. It established a charity called CanteyCares that allows the firm to support community development.

William Cantey, the firm’s founder, earned his business degree from the University of South Carolina. He used his education and experience in managing his business in the basement waterproofing industry. His efforts brought success and has earned a place among the best in the industry.

For a complete list of "The Best Basement Waterproofing Contractors in the US" please visit the link below.

Retrieved from:
https://www.homebuilderdigest.com/best-basement-waterproofing-contractors-in-the-us/

Cantey Foundation Specialists named as one of South Carolina's Fastest Growing Companies of 2019

2019-10-24T08:59:54.05Z

COLUMBIA (OCT. 22, 2019) – CANTEY FOUNDATION SPECIALISTS was chosen as one of South Carolina’s 25 Fastest Growing Companies. The winners were honored at a luncheon at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center where the Lt. Governor, Pamela Evette, was the keynote speaker.

To be eligible for the SC 25 Fastest Growing Companies Award, the company must be headquartered in South Carolina and be in business for at least three years and show revenues of more than $3 million in the last fiscal year. The companies are selected using a calculation based on year-over-year growth of revenue and employee headcount over the last three years (2016, 2017 and 2018).

Primary sponsors of the SC 25 Fastest Growing Companies competition are The Capital Corporation, KeenanSuggs-HUB, Insurance, PNC Bank, and A.T. Locke, total accounting and Integrated Media Publishing, publishers of Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly, and Charleston Business Magazine.

Representatives of The Capital Corporation and partner sponsors made on-site visits of nominees to interview key personnel and view company operations.

“We are pleased with the strong nominations this year” said George Moseley, principal of The Capital Corporation.

“It is an honor to be involved in recognizing the growth of South Carolina’s companies,” said Lori Coon, publisher of Columbia Business Monthly and Greenville Business Magazine and Charleston Business Magazine.

Once all the data is in hand, the selections are made. Winners are notified, but not given their ranking until the awards luncheon.

"There are more people working in South Carolina than even before, and that is thanks in no small part to companies like 9 Round, Swampfox Technologies, JEAR Logistics, and the other 2019 SC Fastest Growing award winners. I congratulate them all and wish them many more successful years here in the Palmetto State." Governor Henry McMaster.

“In addition to hiring people and paying taxes, people who build small businesses often become leaders in their communities. They have a vested interest in their local community’s success because it is often interconnected with their company’s ability

to grow and prosper. I congratulate these South Carolina companies being honored today for the positive impact they are having on our state and wish them continued growth and success in the future.” Curtis Loftis State Treasurer

The SC 25 Fastest Growing Companies, in rank order are:

Number 25

National Land Realty, Greenville

Number 24

Blue Haven Pools-Charleston

Number 23

RealOp Investments, Greenville

Number 22

Quality Business Solutions, Travelers Rest

Number 21

Harper General Contractors, Greenville

Number 20

Springhill Construction, Chapin

Number 19

Swampfox Technologies, Columbia

Number 18

THS Constructors, Greenville

Number 17

JEAR Logistics, LLC, Mt. Pleasant

Number 16

H&W Electrical, Greenville

Number 15

Cantey Foundation Specialists, Camden

Number 14

9Round Franchising, LLC, Simpsonville

Number 13

Kopis, Greenville

Number 12

Equiscript, North Charleston

Number 11

Integrated Biometrics, Spartanburg

Number 10

The Hiring Group, Greer

Number 9

Preferred Home Services, North Charleston

Number 8

Advantage | Forbesbook, Charleston

Number 7

Intellectual Capital, Greenville

Number 6

Jeff Cook Enterprises, North Charleston

Number 5

Plus Plus USA, Greenville

Number 4

Diesel Laptops, Gilbert

Number 3

Clear Touch Interactive, Greenville

Number 2

Sunny Days Entertainment, LLC, Simpsonville

Number 1

Orange Bees, Greenville

Helical Piers Bring New Father and Mother Peace of Mind

2019-01-17T09:14:59.05Z

Nick and Jenna came across Cantey in their research for companies who could help fix their foundation. They gave us a call and talked to one of our system design specialists, Chip Baxter, about their foundation problem and arranged a free estimate appointment with Cantey for the following week. Chip came out to their house and realized that the back right corner and right side of the house (where the baby's room was), was sinking into the soil. It was an addition to the original house so the slab for it was poured separately, but it was not connected to the original slab. Chip recommended our helical pier system that would lift the slab back in place, and keep it there. Cantey knew this was a sensitive situation since the baby was just born and Jenna was worried about the family after all the research they had done. So a crew was sent back out two weeks later, and provided permanent stabilization of the sinking side of the house. Jenna and Nick are now enjoying their new parenting life not having to worry about their home anymore.

Cantey Opens a New Location in the Upstate!

2018-08-16T10:24:11.05Z

Cantey Opens a New Location in the Upstate!

We have been doing quite a lot of growing since we got started serving homeowners across South Carolina and the Augusta, GA area. Our customers have grown and to better serve them, we wanted to have a location in the upstate that would allow for us to easily reach homeowners in the area.

We now have several crews that are located out of our office in Roebuck, SC that service our customers. We believe this is just the first step in continuous growth to be closer to homeowners in each region of the state. We are excited to be a part of the upstate!

If you are looking to join a fantastic team and you live in the Spartanburg area, apply here!

CleanSpace Helps Homeowner with Allergies in Lyman, SC

2017-11-07T16:48:42.05Z

Sammy S. moved into his Columbia, SC home a few months ago and has enjoyed his new found home. Getting adjusted to something new was of course not easy but he is finally feeling at home. He started having some real trouble with his allergies after he moved in. All his life, allergies have been a struggle for Sammy. Recently when they got worse, he went to the doctor as usual and the doctor mentioned that his new environment could be having an effect on him. The doctor suggested that he get his crawl space looked at because harmful mold can grow there. Sammy did a search online for companies that do repairs to crawl spaces and found Cantey Foundation Specialists. When Sammy called in, he was told that the inspection was free so he scheduled an appointment with System Design Specialist Lauren Campbell. When Lauren came out she did a thorough inspection of the crawl space and found that there was mold growing in Sammy's crawl space. After the inspection, Lauren sat down with Sammy to discuss how Cantey's CleanSpace system would be a lasting solution that would help with his allergies.

SmartJacks Give Single Father Peace of Mind in Clemson, SC

2017-11-01T10:36:14.05Z

Sam H. lives with his family in the home he owns in Clemson, SC. One of his children has a chronic illness that requires a lot of his attention. As a single father, it is hard to juggle the needs of his children and taking care of his home. Home repairs have gone by the wayside because he often has more serious issues to deal with. Unfortunately, Sam's children took note that their bedroom floor was sloping. Sam was worried about the safety of his children above all else and took action immediately. He did a search online for a local company that did crawl space repair. Sam found Cantey Foundation Specialists and called in to schedule an appointment. When System Design Specialist Grant Davis arrived, Sam expressed his concern and how he needed a lasting solution to fix this problem right the first time. Grant did a thorough inspection of the crawl space and found that the support underneath was not adequate. Grant suggested to Sam that the best solution was Cantey's SmartJack system. The SmartJack system would give Sam the support and peace of mind he desperately needed.

CleanSpace Makes New Homeowner Feel at Home in Marietta, SC

2017-10-25T10:39:07.05Z

James P. just moved to Marietta, SC a few weeks ago and has been settling into his new home. Moving and starting a new job has taken its toll on him so unpacking has been slow. One Saturday he decided he needed to just take the day to get it all done, to finally feel at home. While unpacking, he started to smell a musty, moldy smell that was coming from the vents. He was worried what this meant for his health and his new home. Not knowing any local companies, he did some searching online to find someone with a solution. James came across Cantey Foundation Specialists website and read about their crawl space encapsulations. The next day he called in to schedule an inspection. System Design Specialist Grant Davis came out and started an inspection on James' crawl space. Grant found that James had a moisture problem which was causing the smell in the vents. There was mold growing all over the crawl space and Grant knew he needed to help James get Cantey's CleanSpace installed to save his home and health.

Helical Piers Keep New Family Safe in Blythewood, SC

2017-10-18T14:54:32.05Z

Rick C. just bought a home in Blythewood, SC and is starting a family. His new home in Blythewood is close to the best schools and will be the perfect environment for his little ones. The home was built in the 1970s, therefore it does need some repairs and updates. When Rick began working on the landscaping in the front of the house, he noticed some cracking in the brick at the foundation. This worried him to think that the perfect home he just bought would not be fit for his family. Wanting to keep them safe at all costs, he wanted to know from a professional what he could do. Rick did his own research to find the best local company and after reading plenty of reviews found Cantey Foundation Specialists to be the right fit. System Design Specialist Richard Early was scheduled for the appointment and after a thorough inspection sat down with Rick. Richard explained that the solution that was needed to protect Rick's family and home would be Helical Piers.

CleanSpace Proves Cantey to Be a Reliable Company in Landrum, SC

2017-10-11T14:31:55.05Z

Ann H. has lived in her Landrum, SC since her children were little. It is the place that feels the most like home and she has no plans to ever leave. Her late husband always handled the repairs around the home but since then Ann has found it hard to find people to help her that are reliable and trustworthy. When her vents began to have mold in them, she not only worried about the state of her home but also if she could find someone she could trust to fix it. Ann decided it was best to ask around and see if anyone had any first-hand experience with a company that could repair her moisture issue. One of her fellow church members told Ann about Cantey Foundation Specialists and how they do free, no-obligation inspections. Ann decided she would call in and see what they had to say. After scheduling her appointment with System Design Specialist Eddie Mathis, she was sent a packet in the mail with information on the products that were offered and information about Eddie himself. When Eddie arrived she already felt comfortable with him inspecting.

CleanSpace Provides the Perfect Solution for Moisture Damage and Mold

2017-10-04T09:35:52.05Z

At Cantey Foundation Specialists, we offer personalized solutions depending on the needs of your home. Our CleanSpace System liner is made with seven layers of tough, durable material that's designed to withstand traffic from the homeowner and workers -- with a 25-year written, transferable warranty! Our experts have designed the perfect solution -- one that includes a crawl space liner and energy-efficient dehumidifier system. We can install a complete system in your home quickly -- with a typical installation being completed in less than a day. Once installed, your crawl space will be drier, healthier, and more energy efficient than ever before!

Drain Tile and Sump Pump Installed in Columbia, SC

2016-05-12T09:39:22.05Z

Two weeks later, Service Manager and Production Crew Foreman Trey Dukes installed over 45 feet of drain tile and a SmartSump Pump. Now when it begins to rain, all excess water diverts around the partial basement and straight to the Sump Pump. The Sump Pump, in turn, sends the water out of the crawl space and down the hill away from the home. Now, Customer John does not have to worry that his crawl space or basement will have flooding issues during the rainy season!

Myrtle Beach Driveway is Lifted Using PolyLevel

2016-05-02T13:30:52.05Z

Rod & Ann S. of Myrtle Beach, SC had a horrible crack in their concrete driveway, and over time one part of the slab began to settle. Because of this movement, more and more of the driveway began to crack and settle causing not only tripping hazards but also an eye sore for the neighborhood. After calling Cantey Foundation Specialists' for a free estimate, System Design Specialist William Yarbrough arrived a few days later to help Rod and Ann with their problems. After explaining our patented PolyLEVEL process, which would lift and stabilize the concrete slab back into place without the use of mudjacking, Rod and Ann S. agreed that Cantey had the best solution.