We used Mud Monkeys as our contractors for our basement project. They came recommended from many different sources, had done a lot of work in our neighbourhood including other houses on our street and were very professional and friendly. In fact I think they were the only contractors that actually got back to us with initial quotes. From there we priced out the different options (regular waterproofing, benching, underpinning) and had an open dialogue about what we could do with our house and what the costs would be. They also explained to us the process of water proofing.
In the end, we decided to go with regular waterproofing. Underpinning would have been nice to have the extra height but we just couldn't justify the cost difference. Plus we are starting off with a decent height (for a Toronto Basement) and hoping to gain a few inches. Bench wasn't really an option our small basement because we would loose so much floor space.
The crew helped us move our washer and dryer. The dryer went up stairs to the mudroom but the washer was suspended from the ceiling. They also moved the large rocks from our front garden so the bin could be placed on our property instead of the street (saving $500). We also sealed (on both sides) and locked our entrance to the basement from the upstairs. Since we have a separate entrance to the basement it makes it convenient for contractors to gain access. It really helps minimize the mess to the rest of the house.
Let the demo begin!
Besides demolishing the floor they are also digging down 7" and removing the dirt. This will later get filled with 4" gravel and 3" concrete reinforced with wire.
They made a lot of progress on the demo the first day. I still can't believe that they do it using sledge hammers, pick axes and shovels. What back breaking work! Much respect to the team at Mud Monkeys.
