Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in Shively, KY

Homes in Shively

Post-war brick homes, block basements and low ground

Shively was built quickly after the Second World War: brick Cape Cods, bungalows and ranches on modest lots off Dixie Highway, Crums Lane and Seventh Street Road, most with full block basements. The ground is low and flat, drained by Mill Creek and its ditches, and the water table is close to the surface for much of the year.

Like the rest of Jefferson County, this part of town is built on clay over limestone. After a storm the clay stays wet against the foundation for days, and groundwater finds its own way through the rock underneath. Shively basements leak at the floor joint and through block walls, show efflorescence and staining, and often have a sump pit with a tired pump that was installed decades ago. An interior perimeter drain, a wall membrane and a sealed sump with a modern pump is the standard fix, and it turns these basements into usable space. Crawl spaces under the additions get vapor barriers or encapsulation.