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Licensed & Insured 11+ Years in Business Locally Owned & Operated

Foundation Repair, Basement Waterproofing & Concrete Services in Gilbert, Iowa

Where new subdivisions chasing the Gilbert school district rise on graded former farmland between Ioway Creek and the Skunk River, JLB delivers foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and concrete services trusted across this Story County town north of Ames.

4.9(100+ reviews)
11+ Years in Business
Locally Owned & Operated
JLB Foundation Repair

Free 45-Minute Analysis + Written Report

Get a precise analysis of your foundation and waterproofing situation, and a clear estimate on what any fixes or corrections might cost.

4.9★ (100+ reviews) · 11+ Years · Transferable Warranty
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Meet the Team Serving Gilbert

JLB Foundation Repair is a local company — not a franchise. We serve Gilbert and the surrounding Des Moines metro with foundation repair, waterproofing, crawlspace encapsulation, and drainage solutions. Watch to learn who we are and how we work.

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Watch Our Work in Gilbert

Foundation Repair, Basement Waterproofing & Crawlspace Services in Gilbert, Iowa

One local crew handles the whole structural side in Gilbert — piering, waterproofing, crawlspace encapsulation, drainage, and wall replacement. Here's how we fix each:

Steel push pier foundation stabilization in Gilbert, Iowa

Foundation Repair in Gilbert

Many of Gilbert's north-edge subdivisions went up fast on graded former farmland, and that fill hasn't fully consolidated yet, so newer poured walls start settling and cracking earlier than owners expect. JLB stabilizes them with steel push or helical piers and reinforces leaning block walls in the older homes near the original village core, restoring level support over Story County's clay-heavy till.

  • Steel push piers and helical piers driven to stable load-bearing soil
  • Wall anchors and carbon-fiber straps for bowing or cracked walls
  • Engineered, permanent fixes — not surface patches
  • Transferable warranty and a free, no-pressure inspection
Interior drain tile and sump basement waterproofing in Gilbert, Iowa

Basement Waterproofing in Gilbert

Lots that slope toward Ioway Creek (the old Squaw Creek) and the Skunk River drainage carry the heaviest moisture load in town, and the swelling Des Moines Lobe clay pushes that water straight at basement walls. We answer it from the inside with interior drain tile feeding a reliable sump system, plus injection sealing of the wall cracks that let seepage through during Gilbert's damp seasons.

  • Interior drain tile and sump systems sized for Iowa’s water table
  • Crack injection and wall-to-floor joint sealing
  • Vapor barriers and dehumidification to stop musty air and mold
  • Keeps the lower level permanently dry, backed in writing
Crawlspace encapsulation with vapor-barrier liner in Gilbert, Iowa

Crawlspace Encapsulation in Gilbert

Around the original platted core, plenty of Gilbert homes still sit over block basements and open crawlspaces that turn musty when the humidity climbs and the clay ground stays wet. JLB's approach is different from crews that treat only one space: we spray-foam the crawlspace and the basement together, sealing out ground moisture top to bottom for double the protection at less cost.

  • Spray-foams BOTH the crawlspace AND the basement — twice the protection
  • Sealed vapor-barrier liner over floor and walls
  • Cuts humidity, mold, and energy loss from the stack effect
  • Done for less than competitors who seal only one or the other
French drain trench with gravel and drain pipe in Gilbert, Iowa

French Drains & Drainage in Gilbert

On the low-lying parcels draining toward the creek bottoms south and east of US Highway 69, surface runoff and a high water table tend to pool against the house. JLB grades these yards to shed water, extends downspouts well past the foundation, and trenches in French drains that intercept groundwater before it reaches walls already fighting the saturated Lobe clay.

  • French drains, regrading, and buried downspout extensions
  • Redirects surface and groundwater away from the foundation
  • Relieves the hydrostatic pressure that cracks walls and floors
  • Built for Iowa freeze-thaw and heavy spring snowmelt
Steel-reinforced foundation wall replacement in Gilbert, Iowa

Foundation Wall Replacement in Gilbert

When a Story County basement wall has bowed or fractured past the point repair can save, especially aging block in Gilbert's older homes, we take it down and rebuild. JLB pours a full steel-reinforced concrete wall set on footings below the roughly 42-inch frost line, engineered to resist the lateral push of clay that freezes and thaws around 100 to 120 times each winter.

  • Full removal and rebuild of failed or severely bowed walls
  • Steel-reinforced poured concrete below the 42-inch frost line
  • Exterior waterproofing and proper drainage built back in
  • The permanent answer when bracing is no longer enough

Concrete Services in Gilbert, Iowa

JLB brings its full concrete crew to Gilbert — flatwork, decorative finishes, structural walls, and pools, all in-house. Here's what we pour locally:

Broom-finished concrete driveway for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Driveways in Gilbert

JLB pours residential driveways across Gilbert on a subgrade prepped for the swelling Des Moines Lobe clay under Story County, using an air-entrained mix in the 5-7% range so the slab can ride out the roughly 100-120 freeze-thaw cycles a central Iowa winter delivers without spalling. On the newer subdivision lots north of Ames, where graded farm fill is still settling, that careful base prep is what keeps a fresh drive from cracking and heaving in its first few seasons.

  • Air-entrained mixes (5-7%) built to survive 100-120 freeze-thaw cycles a winter
  • Proper subgrade preparation over Des Moines Lobe glacial till
  • JLB's own in-house crew — no subcontractors
  • Free inspection plus the JLB transferable warranty
Warm ashlar stamped concrete patio for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Patios & Outdoor Spaces in Gilbert

Because so many Gilbert homes sit on under-consolidated fill or clay-heavy ground that holds water, a patio here lives or dies on what goes underneath it, so JLB excavates and compacts the subgrade before a single yard is poured. One in-house crew runs the job from dig to broom finish — stamped, colored, or exposed-aggregate — and if you want the patio tied into a pool, the same crew handles both on one contract.

  • Site-specific subgrade prep for Des Moines Lobe glacial till
  • Proper joint placement and air entrainment to survive Iowa freeze-thaw
  • One in-house crew handles excavation through finish
  • Can be paired with a JLB pool installation under a single crew
Broom-finished concrete front walkway for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Sidewalks & Walkways in Gilbert

Frost heave is what buckles walkways across Story County, and JLB builds Gilbert sidewalks to ride out the clay movement that lifts and cracks slabs from the village core to the newer streets along US Highway 69. Whether it's a plain residential replacement or an ADA-capable run, the concrete is poured to the right strength with 5-7% air entrainment so the surface stays flat through the spring thaw.

  • Built to handle expansive till movement and frost heave
  • Correct concrete strength and 5-7% air entrainment
  • Full range from plain replacement to decorative finishes
  • JLB's own in-house crew
Italian slate stamped concrete for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Stamped Concrete in Gilbert

JLB lays stamped concrete in Gilbert in patterns that read as brick, slate, stone, or wood, using integral color and surface hardeners built to survive the freeze-thaw pounding central Iowa hands out. The base and drainage are engineered for the local swelling clay, so a stamped drive or patio holds its pattern well past the first winter rather than just looking good through the first summer.

  • Integral color and surface hardeners engineered for Iowa freeze-thaw
  • Proper base and drainage over glacial till
  • Durable, low-maintenance alternative to natural stone
  • JLB's own in-house crew
Concrete pool deck at the water edge for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Pool Decks in Gilbert

A pool deck in Gilbert has to absorb real soil movement on Story County's clay-rich ground, so JLB pours with an air-entrained mix and sets the expansion joints to let the slab shift without cracking. Since JLB installs the pool too, one crew can set the shell and pour the slip-resistant deck around it under a single contract, with no coordinating between separate trades.

  • Air-entrained mixes and correct expansion joints for Iowa soil movement and freeze-thaw
  • JLB can set the pool AND pour the deck — one crew, one contract
  • Proper reinforcement for a deck that stays level
  • Free inspection
Stained decorative concrete patio for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Stained & Colored Concrete in Gilbert

JLB stains and colors concrete throughout Gilbert using acid staining, water-based stains, and integral color carried through the full slab depth, so the finish can't peel or flake away. On patios, drives, pool decks, and floors alike, the slab is cured for Iowa conditions, which matters on the temperature swings that push central Iowa through roughly 100-120 freeze-thaw cycles each winter.

  • Permanent color that won't peel or fade
  • Integral color carried through the full slab depth
  • Proper curing for Iowa conditions
  • Works on patios, driveways, pool decks, and commercial floors
Concrete retaining wall with weep holes for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Retaining Walls in Gilbert

Every JLB retaining wall in Gilbert is footed below Iowa's 42-inch frost line and rebar-reinforced so it stays put on the gently rolling ground draining toward Ioway Creek and the Skunk River. Each wall gets weep holes, gravel backfill, and drain tile to bleed off the hydrostatic pressure that builds in this slow-draining Des Moines Lobe clay — the same pressure that works on the older block basements around town.

  • Footings set below Iowa's 42-inch frost line
  • Rebar-reinforced for structural strength
  • Full drainage systems — weep holes, gravel backfill, and drain tile — to manage persistent hydrostatic pressure from the till
  • JLB's own in-house crew
Backyard fiberglass pool for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Pool Installation in Gilbert

JLB installs fiberglass pools in Gilbert start to finish in-house, as an authorized Iowa dealer for Kisol, Elegance by Kisol, and Exclusive Pools, with most digs running from excavation to swim in 4-8 weeks. On Story County's clay ground the hole is dug dead-level to spec and the backfill compacted in lifts, and a fiberglass shell flexes with the seasonal soil movement where gunite would crack; every shell carries a 15-year structural warranty.

  • Authorized Iowa dealer for Kisol, Elegance by Kisol, and Exclusive Pools — three factory-built shell lines
  • Every shell carries a 15-year structural warranty (manufacturer's, travels with the product)
  • Dig to swim in 4-8 weeks on most installs
  • Excavation dug dead-level to manufacturer spec, with backfill placed in controlled lifts and compacted to proctor standards so it won't settle, crack the deck, or heave in Iowa's expansive till
Concrete parking lot with control joints for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Concrete Parking Lots in Gilbert

For commercial and institutional sites around Gilbert, JLB builds parking lots in heavy-duty 4,000-5,000+ PSI concrete over a subgrade prepped for the local Des Moines Lobe clay. Drainage is engineered for the rainfall this part of Story County gets, and the mix is air-entrained to take the repeated freeze-thaw load a central Iowa winter throws at pavement.

  • Heavy-duty 4,000-5,000+ PSI specifications
  • Proper subgrade preparation over glacial till
  • Air entrainment for Iowa freeze-thaw
  • Drainage engineered for Iowa precipitation and frost
Sealed warehouse concrete floor for Gilbert, Iowa homes

Warehouse & Industrial Floors in Gilbert

JLB pours warehouse and industrial floors in the Gilbert area at 6-12 inches and 4,000-5,000+ PSI, with joint spacing set for forklift and heavy traffic. The subgrade is prepped for the clay-heavy ground that runs through this stretch of Story County, and JLB runs the full sequence in-house so a distribution or shop floor here stays flat through the deep frost the region reaches each winter.

  • 6-12" thickness at 4,000-5,000+ PSI
  • Proper joint spacing for forklift and heavy traffic
  • Subgrade preparation for glacial till
  • Built for Iowa frost and freeze-thaw
Concrete ADA ramp with handrail for Gilbert, Iowa homes

ADA Ramps & Compliance in Gilbert

JLB builds ADA-compliant concrete ramps for Gilbert's commercial, municipal, and institutional sites, holding a precise 1:12 slope and code-compliant landings. The footings go below the 42-inch frost line and the reinforced, air-entrained concrete keeps the ramp meeting federal and local code even as Story County's clay shifts through repeated freeze and thaw.

  • Precise 1:12 slope and code-compliant landings
  • Air-entrained, reinforced concrete that holds compliance through Iowa freeze-thaw and soil movement
  • Deep footings below the 42-inch frost line
  • Meets federal ADA requirements plus local code

Foundation and Waterproofing Services for Gilbert's Newer Construction

Built around the well-regarded Gilbert Community School District and tied closely to Iowa State University five miles south in Ames, Gilbert has spent two decades as one of central Iowa's fastest-growing small towns. Families come for the schools, the Ames-Gilbert bike trail, and quiet streets near Upstill Park and the Gilbert Historical Museum, and that steady building boom along US Highway 69 is exactly what brings JLB here. We work Gilbert out of our Boone office, a short run west across Story County, and reach the same in-house crew at (515) 444-9234 on every call.

Drainage is what drives most of the foundation trouble in Gilbert. The town sits low to the Ioway Creek and Skunk River basins, where rain and snowmelt collect in the dense, clay-rich till rather than draining away, and saturated soil presses against basement walls with real force. That hydrostatic load is what bows block courses inward, opens horizontal cracks, and pushes seepage through the cove joint where wall meets floor. Story County's heavy Iowa clay makes it worse: it expands as it soaks up water through a wet spring and pulls back as it dries, so footings are flexed one way, then the other, year after year. When winter sets in, the same waterlogged ground freezes and thaws repeatedly, and each cycle nudges a small crack a little wider instead of letting it hold.

Because JLB keeps foundation work, waterproofing, and concrete under one roof, a Gilbert homeowner can settle a sticking door, a damp basement, and a heaving driveway with a single contractor instead of juggling three. Our crew pours driveways, patios, sidewalks, and garage approaches across town, mixing and prepping the subgrade for central Iowa's freeze-thaw so the slab holds. On the same visit we can stabilize the foundation it sits beside and route water away from it, so the repair and the flatwork are handled together rather than in disconnected trips.

JLB crew performing a foundation pour near Gilbert, IA
A JLB crew on a foundation job in the Gilbert area of Story County, Iowa.

Gilbert at a Glance

Population ~1,350
Housing Era Small farming village with an older platted core t
Common Foundations Poured concrete basement, Concrete block basement, Crawlspace
County Story County
ZIP Codes 1 served
Get a Free Estimate

Foundation Repair Coverage Across Gilbert's River-Adjacent Neighborhoods

JLB provides foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and concrete work across Gilbert and the surrounding part of Story County — from the original village blocks near Upstill Park to the newer subdivisions spreading north of Ames along US Highway 69. Our Boone crew knows how this Des Moines Lobe clay behaves through an Iowa year.

Why Are Gilbert's Block Foundations Vulnerable to Story County Soil Pressure?

The homes in Gilbert sit on a range of foundation types, each with its own vulnerabilities. Here's what our crews see most often in Story County.

Poured concrete basement

Poured concrete basements dominate Gilbert's newer housing. These walls are stronger than block but develop shrinkage cracks during curing that become water entry points later. In Story County's clay soil, hydrostatic pressure exploits every imperfection — especially during the spring thaw and heavy rain seasons.

Concrete block basement

Concrete block basements in Gilbert use hollow-core masonry that's inherently weaker than poured concrete under lateral loads. The expansive clay in Story County presses against these walls every wet season, and over time the cumulative stress shows up as cracking, bowing, or step-pattern fractures.

Crawlspace

Crawlspace foundations in Gilbert trap moisture from Story County's clay soil, creating an environment where mold, wood rot, and structural sagging thrive. Full encapsulation with spray foam and vapor barriers is the permanent solution — and JLB seals both the crawlspace and the basement for twice the protection.

Meet the JLB Team Serving Gilbert and Central Iowa

Full JLB Foundation Repair team with service vehicles in Story CountyTwo JLB crew members performing foundation stabilization in Gilbert, IAJLB Foundation Repair equipment warehouse serving Story CountyJLB truck and crew excavating at a foundation job in Gilbert, IAJLB Foundation Repair branded service truck in GilbertJLB Foundation Repair team members with excavators serving Gilbert and Story County
Outside the JLB Foundation Repair warehouse: service trucks lined up

Numbers That Speak for Themselves

0+
Homes Restored
Across Kansas City & Des Moines
0+
Years in Business
In Midwest soil conditions
0%
Customer Satisfaction
Based on post-project surveys
0
Metro Areas Served
With local offices in each

Gilbert's Shifting New-Build Ground and Swelling Clay Won't Wait — Get Your Foundation Checked

Unconsolidated fill under newer subdivisions and the swelling Des Moines Lobe clay across Story County both work on your foundation every wet season. If you've noticed cracks, a damp basement, or doors that have started to stick in your Gilbert home, a free professional assessment pins down the cause before it grows.

Not Sure What You're Dealing With?

Click any symptom below to learn what it means, what's likely causing it, and how we can help. Most of these are more common — and more fixable — than you'd think.

Why Do Gilbert Homeowners Choose JLB for Foundation and Drainage Work?

Built for Settling New Construction

So many Gilbert homes sit on recently graded farmland that fill settlement is the town's signature foundation problem. JLB scopes newer-home repairs around how that under-consolidated ground moves, driving piers to stable strata below the fill instead of chasing cracks at the surface.

Des Moines Lobe Clay Expertise

The clay-heavy glacial till under Gilbert swells when wet and shrinks when dry, flexing foundations all year. JLB designs repairs and drainage around that seasonal movement so the fix holds through the next wet spring instead of reopening with it.

Both Sides of Town Covered

From the aging block basements and crawlspaces near the original village to the poured walls in the subdivisions north of Ames, JLB carries the training and equipment to repair every foundation type found across Gilbert's fast-changing housing stock.

Local Boone Crew, Free Estimates

JLB is a local company, not a franchise. Our in-house crew runs out of the Boone office at (515) 444-9234, handling foundation repair, waterproofing, and concrete across Gilbert, with a free estimate and clear written pricing before any work starts.

VERIFIED · LICENSED · TRUSTED BY DES MOINES HOMEOWNERS
2,000+
Homes Restored
11+
Years in Business
A+
BBB Rating
100%
Locally Owned

What Gilbert, IA ZIP Codes Does JLB Cover for Foundation Repair?

50105

Gilbert Homeowner Resources

Helpful local government and permitting resources for homeowners in Gilbert and Story County.

What Our Customers Say

★★★★★

"We had cracks running up our walls and doors that wouldn't close. JLB came out, explained exactly what was happening with the soil under our house, and had the piers installed in two days. Floors are level again. Wish we hadn't waited so long."

Mike & Sarah T.
Overland Park, KS
★★★★★

"Three other companies gave us the runaround. JLB showed up, did a thorough inspection, and gave us a straight answer. The repair held up through an entire Missouri winter with zero new cracking."

David R.
Lee's Summit, MO
★★★★★

"Our crawlspace was a mess — moisture, mold, the works. JLB encapsulated it AND spray-foamed our basement in the same project. The difference in our home's air quality is incredible. Great value for the price."

Jennifer K.
Ankeny, IA

Real Team. Real Work.
Right Here in Kansas City & Des Moines.

Branded JLB work truck fleet ready to serve Gilbert and surrounding areasJLB crew members gathered for team photo with excavators in backgroundTwo JLB crew members actively working on foundation repair in Story CountyJLB branded work vehicle serving Gilbert, IA and surrounding areaJLB Foundation Repair company truck angled front viewJLB warehouse: inside look at equipment used for foundation work in Gilbert, IAJLB crew at work on ICF foundation pour — Gilbert, IA area project

Real Projects. Real Results.

Every photo is from an actual JLB job site — not a stock photo. See the work we do every day across Kansas City and Des Moines.

JLB Foundation Repair egress window well project in Story County
Foundation Repair
Egress Window Install
Kansas City, MO
JLB Waterproofing interior drain tile system protecting homes throughout Story County
Waterproofing
Interior Drainage System
Overland Park, KS
JLB crew pouring ICF foundation — superior insulation for Gilbert harsh winters and spring snowmelt conditions
Foundation Repair
ICF Foundation Pour
Des Moines, IA
Wall anchor trench open — Gilbert foundation repair, JLB crew
Foundation Repair
Exterior Foundation Dig
Ankeny, IA
JLB Foundation Repair uses owned equipment — no rental delays — serving Gilbert and Story County
Foundation Repair
Excavation & Piering
Blue Springs, MO

Foundation Repair & Waterproofing Questions for Gilbert Homeowners

Most residential jobs in Gilbert wrap up inside one to three working days once we begin. A run of interior drainage with a sump system, a set of push or helical piers, or carbon-fiber reinforcement on a bowing wall typically finishes in a day or two; larger combinations of repair, waterproofing, and concrete can stretch toward the end of that range. Because we run the crew out of the Boone office and Gilbert is a short drive east across Story County, scheduling the free on-site inspection is usually quick, and we give you a firm written timeline and start date before any work begins rather than an open-ended estimate.

A lot of Gilbert's recent growth has gone up on former cropland that was graded and filled before the houses were framed, and that reworked ground often keeps compacting for years after construction. As the loose fill consolidates under the weight of the home, one section of the foundation can drop while another stays put, which is what produces the hairline and stair-step cracks owners notice only a few years after moving in. JLB handles this by driving piers down through the fill to firm, undisturbed bearing soil, so the foundation rests on stable ground instead of riding the settling layer — and we scope newer-build repairs around how that graded lot is actually moving.

Yes. JLB's workmanship warranty on structural foundation repair is transferable to the next owner, so the stabilization work stays backed when you sell. That matters in a market like Gilbert's, where steady demand for homes in the Gilbert school district means many houses change hands; a documented, transferable repair gives a buyer and their inspector confidence that a past foundation issue was professionally resolved and remains covered. We provide the paperwork at completion so it can move with the property.

Two forces work on a Gilbert foundation at once. First, the clay-heavy Story County ground swells when it takes on water through a wet spring and contracts as it dries in summer, so footings and walls are flexed back and forth every year rather than sitting still. Second, the same moisture-laden soil freezes and thaws many times across an Iowa winter, and because frost reaches well below a basement floor here, that repeated expansion lifts and drops the ground against the foundation. The combination is what turns a tight hairline crack into a widening one and lets water find its way in. JLB plans every repair around that seasonal movement — managing water at the footing and reinforcing the wall — so the fix holds through the next wet spring instead of reopening with it.

Request Your Free Gilbert Foundation Inspection

Tell us about your Gilbert home — the neighborhood, its age, and what you're seeing. Our team schedules an on-site inspection that accounts for the under-consolidated fill in the newer subdivisions, the swelling Story County clay, and your home's specific foundation type.

100% free estimate, no obligation
Written estimate with clear pricing
Response within 24 hours
Financing available
JLB Foundation Repair team headquarters serving Gilbert and the Des Moines metro

Our Locations

We're always close enough to help — our crews are local to your area.

JLB Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair — Des Moines

97 Indiana Ave Suite #1
Des Moines, IA, 50314
(515) 717-8560 View on Google Maps

Stop the Damage. Get Answers Today.

A free estimate takes 45 minutes and tells you exactly what's going on under your house — and exactly what it takes to fix it.

Call Now (515) 717-8560