Updated September 21, 2026.
We hired Groundworks, operating here as Ohio Basement Authority, to stabilize a bowing basement wall. The sales process was pleasant, the salesperson was personable and knowledgeable, and the contract came to $12,500. If a good first impression were the whole job, this would be a five star review.
Everything after the signature has been a problem.
Communication. We signed on June 18 for a September 9 installation, and we initiated nearly every contact after that. The install was pushed back twice. I work from home, so each change meant rebuilding my schedule around it. A scope item we had removed weeks earlier, in writing and confirmed by our salesperson, was still on the bill at signing, and we nearly paid for work that was never performed. I caught it only because I read the document closely.
The work itself. Nine steel braces were installed and they are in place, which is the reason this is not a zero star review. The crew finished what was sold as a two-day job in under one day, and the price did not change.
Damage. The crew dropped a bucket of concrete in the basement, splattering the wall, my workbench, my tools, and my equipment, and made no attempt to clean any of it. They disposed of the excess by throwing it onto our paving stones and onto a tree. Cured concrete does not come off stone. They also took down our dryer vent and did not put it back, so I reinstalled it myself, because we needed the dryer.
Permits. Our contract includes a paid line item for a permit package covering "all administration duties and permit fees associated with project." Nobody explained the process or told us an inspection would be required. I found out by calling the city myself, which is where I learned the permit was applied for on September 5, six days before installation and nearly three months after we signed. The city also told us not to put the basement back together until the inspection happens, and that inspection cannot be scheduled until Groundworks tells the city the work is complete. As of today they have not. Our basement has been unusable since September 11.
Utility locates. Our contract also includes a paid Utilities Protection line item, and the terms state that the contractor will call 811 to have public underground utilities located. Gas line markings appeared in our front yard on September 20, nine days after the trench for the discharge line was dug and backfilled. I have asked Groundworks for the 811 ticket number and the date the locate was requested, and I have not received an answer.
Where things stand. I reported the damage in writing to our salesperson on September 13. He replied on September 15, told me it was unacceptable, and I have heard nothing since from him or from anyone else. I have now sent formal written notice under Section 8 of our contract, asking for a response by October 2.
I tried to be patient before writing any of this, and I will update this review to reflect whatever happens next, in either direction. In the meantime, if you are considering this company, get the permit and inspection process in writing, get the 811 ticket number before anyone digs, and photograph your work area before the crew arrives. read more