The homeowners of this 1970s split-level in Overland Park's Oak Park neighborhood had been dealing with chronic water intrusion for years. Every heavy rain brought water seeping through the block wall joints along the east and south basement walls, leaving standing water near the laundry area and ruining stored belongings.
The home sits in Johnson County where Wymore-Ladoga clay soil creates intense hydrostatic pressure against basement walls during wet seasons. The original builder hadn't installed any interior drainage, and the 50-year-old waterproofing on the exterior had long since failed. The family had given up using nearly a third of their basement because they couldn't keep anything down there without it getting damaged.
Our crew jackhammered the perimeter floor along both affected walls, installed a full interior drain tile system with washed gravel, and applied a vapor barrier membrane across all affected walls. The membrane captures any water that penetrates the block wall and directs it down into the drain channel below.
We finished the system with a high-capacity sump pump and battery backup to handle Johnson County's notorious spring downpours — the same waterproofing system we install across the Kansas City metro. The perimeter was sealed with fresh concrete, and the homeowner reported a completely dry basement through the entire following storm season. No more puddles, no more musty smell — just usable space again.
