Who is Endorsing Your Basement Waterproofing Company?

There are plenty of ways to tell if a basement waterproofing company is worth the money. You can ask for references from former customers. You can search the Internet for reviews. You can call its insurance representative to find out if it’s fully covered. You can ask for an estimate, and measure that estimate against other basement waterproofing contractors.

But if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to narrow down your search for a basement waterproofing company, try checking for memberships in professional organizations and small business groups. If your basement waterproofing company is part of a greater community of small businesses like itself, it’s more likely to be held to a higher overall standard of quality. Being a member of a professional organization also gives your basement waterproofing company a preview of new technological developments and work practices.

So what should you look for?

The National Association for Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC)

This is a trade association serving only basement waterproofing contractors and structure-and-foundation repair companies. So if you’re calling in a basement waterproofing company to fix flood or black mold damage and waterproof the basement walls afterward, that company should be a member of the NAWSRC.

The group requires its members to adhere to strictly codified standards of ethics and quality, and offers a regular newsletter chock-full of industry news and developments. It also provides resources for consumers, who can contact the NAWSRC to obtain information on waterproofing and membership standards. No basement waterproofing company that isn’t an NAWSRC member should be on your short list.

The Better Business Bureau

The NAWSRC was created in the early 80s by members of four separate chapters of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), whose goal is to foster a fair marketplace where ethical and efficient businesses prosper. Overall, the BBB encourages member businesses to be responsible members of their respective communities; any basement waterproofing company wishing to join the BBB must agree to the organization’s “Standards for Trust,” a list of consumer-relations commandments such as “build trust,” “advertise honestly,” “honor promises” and “embody integrity.” To this end, the BBB reviews advertising campaigns for accuracy, offers consumers the opportunity to file complaints against specific businesses, and provides guidelines to businesses wishing to give to national charities.

Check to see if the basement waterproofing companies on your short list are BBB members. If they’re not, they’re failing to seek a powerful endorsement, and should be crossed off your list.

Angie’s List

This isn’t a professional organization per se, but it does provide a valuable function for both consumers and basement waterproofing contractors. Angie’s List is a members-only website where consumers can write detailed reviews of all home contractors, including nearly any basement waterproofing company in your area. Reviewed companies are offered the opportunity to rebut negative reviews as well, providing a dialogue for researchers to follow; this way, if a company gets two bad reviews out of ten, potential customers can set their minds at ease by perusing the reasons contractors might offer for poor performance or bad communications.

And because Angie’s List is members-only, it’s completely free of false reviews written by competitors, vandalism, or annoying comment spam. It’s a great resource for consumers, and if your basement waterproofing company is a member, it’s a good bet its management is interested in a continuing dialogue with their clientele.