What happens during a Big Easy basement inspection?

The full picture

The inspection is the most important hour you’ll spend on this whole project. Here’s what happens, in order, so you know what to expect.

Before the visit

When you call, we ask about three things: what you’re seeing in the basement (water, smell, cracks, mold suspicion), the rough age and foundation type of the home, and whether there’s a timeline pressure (closing date, planned finish, ongoing emergency). We schedule a time that works for you, including evenings and weekends when needed. No deposit, no commitment.

On site — the 60 minutes

1. Walkaround outside (5–10 minutes). Grading, gutter discharge, downspout terminations, foundation exterior condition. Many basement problems start outside.
2. Full perimeter walk inside (20–25 minutes). Every foundation wall. Flashlight on every joint, every corner, every penetration. Moisture meter readings on suspect areas. Photos of anything noteworthy — cracks, efflorescence, staining, mortar deterioration, framing contact, vapor barrier condition.
3. Sump pit, drainage, and existing systems (5–10 minutes). If there’s an existing sump, we test it, check the discharge routing, check the backup if any. If there’s existing interior drainage, we look at the inlet condition.
4. Mechanical & ventilation review (5 minutes). Dehumidifier age and capacity, basement humidity reading, HVAC return air location, any signs of past water on mechanicals.
5. Conversation with you (10–15 minutes). We ask about your history with the basement — when it gets wet, what conditions trigger it, what previous contractors said, what your goal is (stay-and-enjoy, sell, finish for living space). Then we answer every question you have. No clock-watching.

What we don’t do during the visit

• No verbal estimates on the spot. “Eh, probably around fifteen grand” is how customers get burned. We want to look at our photos, measure twice, and put a real number in writing.
• No deposit ask. Free means free. We’re not collecting a credit card at the door.
• No fear-based selling. If your basement is fine, we’ll tell you it’s fine. If it needs a $300 dehumidifier and not a $15,000 system, we’ll tell you that too.
• No high-pressure follow-up. You get the estimate. We follow up once. After that, the ball is in your court — we don’t call seven times.

After the visit

Written estimate within 24 hours, emailed to you in PDF. Itemized scope, materials, timeline, total. If you have questions, you call back. If you don’t hear from us, that’s by design — not neglect.