The Worst Crawl Space I've Seen in Years
Apartment Units Sitting on a Disaster
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NOBODY CHECKS THE WORK
I'm out here in Knoxville looking at an apartment complex - six buildings with 12 units each. That's 72 apartments total, all sitting on top of one shared crawl space.
And this crawl space is a disaster.
I've been doing this work for over six years now, and this is genuinely some of the worst contractor work I've seen. Not the worst natural deterioration - the worst work that someone got paid to do.
The property owners had another company come in and install structural support jacks and a sump pump system. They paid good money for it. And they trusted that it was done right.
But nobody ever came down here to check the work. They just paid the invoice and moved on.
Now we're looking at a crawl space that's failing so badly, if it doesn't get fixed properly, these buildings will be condemned within 10 years. That's not me being dramatic. That's reality.
Let me show you what's actually going on down here.
The Problems I Found
First, let's talk about these structural jacks. When you install jacks in a crawl space, they need to be sitting on a solid, stable base. Usually that means a concrete pad or footer.
These jacks? They're sitting on two-by-sixes that are sitting on concrete blocks. And those blocks are compressed and failing. The whole setup is unstable.
Then there's the wood. I'm walking through here and the floor joists, the beams, the subfloor - I can grab pieces of wood and literally break them with my bare hands. That's how deteriorated everything is. Wood that's supposed to be holding up 72 apartment units is falling apart.
Standing water everywhere. Front side of the crawl space, back side, all throughout. Water that's just been sitting there, soaking into everything, causing all this deterioration.
The insulation is hanging down from the subfloor in sheets. Just falling off because it's been soaked with moisture for who knows how long.
And then there's the sump pump. Someone installed a sump pump in this crawl space - which sounds good, right? Except they installed it at a high point. Water flows downhill. A sump pump at a high point can't do anything. And as I'm standing here looking at it, it's literally dripping and leaking.
This is work that somebody got paid to do. This isn't a 20-year-old system that finally wore out. This is recent work, done by one of the biggest crawl space companies in the area, and it's failing right now..
Here's the Real Problem
Look, crawl spaces deteriorate over time. That's normal. Wood gets old, moisture builds up, things wear out. I get that.
But this isn't that.
This is bad contractor work. These jacks sitting on compressed blocks? Somebody installed them like that. That sump pump at the high point that's leaking? Somebody put it there and collected a check for it.
And here's what really gets me - this work was done by one of my biggest competitors. A major company that does crawl space work all over Tennessee. They came in, did this installation, and left it like this.
The property owners never came down to check. They hired what they thought was a reputable company, paid the invoice, and assumed everything was handled properly.
In fact, they had this same company contracted to come back and do more work. More jacks, more repairs, who knows what else.
When I showed them what's actually down here - the failing jacks, the deteriorated wood, the useless sump pump - they immediately wanted to cancel that contract. Because once you see this, you can't unsee it.
This is what happens when nobody verifies the work. When you trust that a company with a big name and a nice website is actually doing quality work. Sometimes they are. And sometimes you get this.
What This Crawl Space Actually Needs
So what does it take to actually fix this? Not patch it up or put a band-aid on it - really fix it.
First, we need a full cleanout. Everything that's deteriorated, everything that's compromised - it has to come out. You can't build a solid system on top of failing materials.
Then we need new structural jacks installed the right way. That means proper footers or concrete pads at the base. Not two-by-sixes on compressed blocks. Jacks that are actually going to support the weight they're supposed to support.
Drainage system around the entire perimeter of this crawl space. With six buildings sharing one space, we're talking about a lot of square footage. The water needs somewhere to go, and it needs to be able to get there.
Sump pumps - plural - installed at the actual low points where water collects. Not at high points where they can't function. Pumps that are going to move water out and away from the buildings.
This is a massive renovation project now. It's going to take time, it's going to take materials, and it's going to cost significantly more than if it had just been done right the first time.
The Cost of Not Checking Contractor Work
The property owners already paid for crawl space work once. They wrote a check to a major company, trusted them to do the job right, and moved on.
Now they're looking at paying for it again. Except this time it's a much bigger job because we're not just installing new systems - we're removing failed systems and fixing the damage they caused.
And here's the thing - we're talking about 72 apartment units. That's 72 households living above a crawl space that's actively failing. If this doesn't get addressed properly, we're looking at foundation settlement, structural issues, potential safety problems.
In 10 years, if nothing gets done? These buildings get condemned. I'm not exaggerating. The structural support is failing right now. The moisture problems are causing ongoing deterioration. This doesn't get better on its own.
All of this could have been prevented if someone had just come down here after the work was done and checked it. Looked at how those jacks were installed. Tested that sump pump. Walked through and verified that the work matched what was on the invoice.
But nobody did. And now a problem that could have been caught early and fixed relatively easily has turned into a major renovation that's going to cost tens of thousands of dollars.
That's the real cost of not checking contractor work. You don't just lose the money you already paid - you pay even more to fix the problems that bad work created.
What Property Owners and Homeowners Need to Know
Here's what I need you to understand - you can't just pay the invoice and assume the work is done right.
I don't care how big the company is. I don't care how professional their website looks or how nice their salesperson was. You need to verify the work after it's completed.
For crawl space work specifically, that means going down there. I know it's not fun. I know crawl spaces are dirty and uncomfortable. But you need to see what you paid for.
Look at how the jacks are installed. Are they sitting on solid footers or concrete pads? Or are they balanced on blocks and scrap wood?
Check the sump pump. Is it actually at a low point where water collects? Turn it on - does it work? Is it leaking?
Walk the perimeter. Is there standing water anywhere? Does the drainage make sense? Is water actually flowing toward the pump?
Ask questions before the work even starts. What exactly are you installing? Where are you placing it? What materials are you using? Can I come down and check it when you're done?
Red flags to watch for: contractors who don't want you inspecting the work. Companies that rush through jobs. Anyone who makes it difficult for you to verify what you're paying for.
Good work looks different than rushed work. Quality installations have solid foundations, proper placement, attention to detail. Bad work looks like shortcuts - blocks instead of footers, pumps in the wrong spots, materials that are barely holding together.
If you're not comfortable going down there yourself, hire someone independent to check it. Pay for a second opinion. It's a lot cheaper than paying twice to fix the same problem.
Ready to Get Your Crawl Space Checked?
If you're a property owner or homeowner and you're not sure what's going on under your building, give us a call.
We'll come out and do a free inspection. I'll crawl through your entire space, document what I find, and show you exactly what's happening down there.
No pressure. No sales games. Just an honest assessment from someone who actually knows what good work looks like versus bad work.
And if you've already had crawl space work done by another company? Let me come check it. Make sure you actually got what you paid for. It's better to catch problems now than to wait until you're looking at condemnation notices.
You can reach out to me directly - I'm the owner, and I'm usually the one doing the inspections. We'll get you scheduled within a week and get you some real answers about what's going on under your property.
Don't wait until the problems get worse. Don't assume everything's fine just because someone told you it was. Let's take a look and make sure your crawl space is actually in good shape.
Contact Forever Guard Waterproofing today for your free crawl space inspection.
