At Highlander Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we are the area's trusted experts specializing in basement and crawlspace waterproofing and encapsulation, along with foundation repair services for bowing and buckling walls, floor and wall cracks, and full foundation rebuilds to name a few. When you contact Highlander for a free inspection, you are choosing a BBB A+ Accredited, two-time Torch Award for Ethics Winner, with our most recent years 2021, 2022!
At Highlander Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we are the area's trusted experts specializing in basement and crawlspace waterproofing and encapsulation, along with foundation repair services for bowing and buckling walls, floor and wall cracks, and full foundation rebuilds to name a few. When you contact Highlander for a free inspection, you are choosing a BBB A+ Accredited, two-time Torch Award for Ethics Winner, with our most recent years 2021, 2022!
Freedom Contracting And Excavating LLC is committed to excellence in every aspect of our business. We uphold a standard of integrity bound by fairness, honesty, and personal responsibility. Our distinction is the quality of service we bring to our customers. Accurate knowledge of our trade combined with ability is what makes us true professionals. Above all, we are watchful of our customers' interests, and make their concerns the basis of our business.
"Dave and AJ from Freedom Contracting & Excavating did a great job for a reasonable price. I had an idea for an outdoor griddle setup using natural gas instead of propane tanks. I thought it was a long shot but they were able to make it happen. Very courteous and straight forward. They even went above and beyond by helping me with the natural gas conversion on my griddle. I would definitely hire them again and if you need any gas line work done, call Freedom C & E for sure! Thanks again!"
Robert N on November 2022
Freedom Contracting And Excavating LLC is committed to excellence in every aspect of our business. We uphold a standard of integrity bound by fairness, honesty, and personal responsibility. Our distinction is the quality of service we bring to our customers. Accurate knowledge of our trade combined with ability is what makes us true professionals. Above all, we are watchful of our customers' interests, and make their concerns the basis of our business.
"Dave and AJ from Freedom Contracting & Excavating did a great job for a reasonable price. I had an idea for an outdoor griddle setup using natural gas instead of propane tanks. I thought it was a long shot but they were able to make it happen. Very courteous and straight forward. They even went above and beyond by helping me with the natural gas conversion on my griddle. I would definitely hire them again and if you need any gas line work done, call Freedom C & E for sure! Thanks again!"
Robert N on November 2022
Groundworks specializes in helping homeowners with their foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space, and concrete needs. Our top priority is providing high-quality home repair solutions and personalized service across western Pennsylvania. With fully trained technicians, industry-leading products, and nationally backed warranties. Groundworks is here to restore your foundation or basement.
"I hired Baker's Waterproofing when a recent plumber found a leak possibly in my foundation and recommended them to me. Baker's initial inspection uncovered that my foundation was built of cinderblocks and was leaking water from the hill behind my home as well as groundwater from below. They scheduled the work and sent out Victor and Miguel to complete a full waterproofing, French drain, pump installation and backup system. From start to finish of this project with Baker's Waterproofing, every person I spoke to was extremely professional, everything was explained clearly and concisely, and pricing was not only competitive, but extremely reasonable for the quality and quantity of work completed. Special thanks to the incredibly hardworking, polite, and professional Victor and Miguel. I highly recommend asking for them by name to ensure your work is done quickly but completely."
Julie H on March 2025
Groundworks specializes in helping homeowners with their foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space, and concrete needs. Our top priority is providing high-quality home repair solutions and personalized service across western Pennsylvania. With fully trained technicians, industry-leading products, and nationally backed warranties. Groundworks is here to restore your foundation or basement.
"I hired Baker's Waterproofing when a recent plumber found a leak possibly in my foundation and recommended them to me. Baker's initial inspection uncovered that my foundation was built of cinderblocks and was leaking water from the hill behind my home as well as groundwater from below. They scheduled the work and sent out Victor and Miguel to complete a full waterproofing, French drain, pump installation and backup system. From start to finish of this project with Baker's Waterproofing, every person I spoke to was extremely professional, everything was explained clearly and concisely, and pricing was not only competitive, but extremely reasonable for the quality and quantity of work completed. Special thanks to the incredibly hardworking, polite, and professional Victor and Miguel. I highly recommend asking for them by name to ensure your work is done quickly but completely."
Julie H on March 2025
At Highlander Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we are the area's trusted experts specializing in basement and crawlspace waterproofing and encapsulation, along with foundation repair services for bowing and buckling walls, floor and wall cracks, and full foundation rebuilds to name a few. When you contact Highlander for a free inspection, you are choosing a BBB A+ Accredited, two-time Torch Award for Ethics Winner, with our most recent years 2021, 2022! Highlander doesn't offer a cookie cutter solution like some of the other companies who have a one size fits all solution, nor are we a "Chuck in the Truck" company who operates out of our home. We custom design a solution to your project. Highlander is family owned and operated with a brick and mortar office and warehouse location to service the Greater Pittsburgh Metro Area and WPA. With more than a century of experience, we have mastered repairs and installations, and have the longevity in the industry to stand behind our work.
"Successfully completed the job! Basement is dry. A warning about the amount of mess and leftover dust would have been nice, but overall, a job well done."
L W on June 2023
At Highlander Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we are the area's trusted experts specializing in basement and crawlspace waterproofing and encapsulation, along with foundation repair services for bowing and buckling walls, floor and wall cracks, and full foundation rebuilds to name a few. When you contact Highlander for a free inspection, you are choosing a BBB A+ Accredited, two-time Torch Award for Ethics Winner, with our most recent years 2021, 2022! Highlander doesn't offer a cookie cutter solution like some of the other companies who have a one size fits all solution, nor are we a "Chuck in the Truck" company who operates out of our home. We custom design a solution to your project. Highlander is family owned and operated with a brick and mortar office and warehouse location to service the Greater Pittsburgh Metro Area and WPA. With more than a century of experience, we have mastered repairs and installations, and have the longevity in the industry to stand behind our work.
"Successfully completed the job! Basement is dry. A warning about the amount of mess and leftover dust would have been nice, but overall, a job well done."
L W on June 2023
The problem with most "pros"? Too many bad habits. It's easy to get swept away in the day to day monotony, even for those that call themselves "pros". When it comes to hiring a heating and cooling technician, nobody wants to deal with being treated like a sale rather than a person, the use of scare tactics instead of education, or someone who just wants to get to job done quickly instead of correctly. All our HVAC pros go through 5 years of HVAC schooling, for a total of 10,000 hours of on-the-job training. And it's not just technical training either; it's training that focuses on you, on making you feel comfortable every step of the way. We will roll out the red carpet for you, both figuratively and literally. Red Carpet Treatment During every visit to a home, we lay out an actual red carpet to prevent any additional mess. But what may be even more important than just protecting your home is making sure you feel like you've received the best in customer service.
"The Technician, Christian Ray arrived on time, was very professional & did a great job with checking & cleaning my AC unit in preparation for the summer season. I would recommend Calfo & would request Christian for my next service call. "
Judy A on April 2025
The problem with most "pros"? Too many bad habits. It's easy to get swept away in the day to day monotony, even for those that call themselves "pros". When it comes to hiring a heating and cooling technician, nobody wants to deal with being treated like a sale rather than a person, the use of scare tactics instead of education, or someone who just wants to get to job done quickly instead of correctly. All our HVAC pros go through 5 years of HVAC schooling, for a total of 10,000 hours of on-the-job training. And it's not just technical training either; it's training that focuses on you, on making you feel comfortable every step of the way. We will roll out the red carpet for you, both figuratively and literally. Red Carpet Treatment During every visit to a home, we lay out an actual red carpet to prevent any additional mess. But what may be even more important than just protecting your home is making sure you feel like you've received the best in customer service.
"The Technician, Christian Ray arrived on time, was very professional & did a great job with checking & cleaning my AC unit in preparation for the summer season. I would recommend Calfo & would request Christian for my next service call. "
Judy A on April 2025
Since our inception in 1996, A Better Choice, Inc. has provided quality service to over 26,000 satisfied customers in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Our philosophy for success is to provide honest, courteous and guaranteed service to every customer. Our reputation with the BBB, Greater Pittsburgh Business Connection, and 4+ star rating on Google, Home Advisor and, Angie’s List reflects our continued dedication to customer satisfaction We go above and beyond to help our customers. John, our Service Manager, builds a great customer relationship from first contact through the installation and afterwards! At A Better Choice Inc. you can be sure that your account will not get lost in the shuffle! Shirlee, our Office Manager, keeps track of all our customer accounts and is a vital part of ensuring a smooth installation process. We are a full service company that handles problems ranging from wet basements and ventilations systems to wall cracks and foundation problems.
"The guys that came and did the actual work were very nice and did a great job . The problem was the management from Bill and down to Travis , my basement has a toilet that could not be moved .. well by the floor being jackhammered damaged the toilet it now leaking because of hairline cracks at the base , after contacting Travis and sending pictures to him their response was we will send you $100 and you can buy a new toilet ! When Bill bid the job he made sure to tell me about how they are insured up to 2 million dollars Thst $100 dollars doesnâ t really buy a toilet and then the cost of getting someone to install it will be hundreds more for that reason of them not wanting to take care of what they damaged I would not recommend ABC to anyone they got their money snd could have cared less about my issue !! Poor communication with this company and also the broom swept my basement I sm still trying to clean up the mess and it has been 2 weeks very disappointed ! I guess I should say buyer beware !!"
Lynda D on December 2023
Since our inception in 1996, A Better Choice, Inc. has provided quality service to over 26,000 satisfied customers in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Our philosophy for success is to provide honest, courteous and guaranteed service to every customer. Our reputation with the BBB, Greater Pittsburgh Business Connection, and 4+ star rating on Google, Home Advisor and, Angie’s List reflects our continued dedication to customer satisfaction We go above and beyond to help our customers. John, our Service Manager, builds a great customer relationship from first contact through the installation and afterwards! At A Better Choice Inc. you can be sure that your account will not get lost in the shuffle! Shirlee, our Office Manager, keeps track of all our customer accounts and is a vital part of ensuring a smooth installation process. We are a full service company that handles problems ranging from wet basements and ventilations systems to wall cracks and foundation problems.
"The guys that came and did the actual work were very nice and did a great job . The problem was the management from Bill and down to Travis , my basement has a toilet that could not be moved .. well by the floor being jackhammered damaged the toilet it now leaking because of hairline cracks at the base , after contacting Travis and sending pictures to him their response was we will send you $100 and you can buy a new toilet ! When Bill bid the job he made sure to tell me about how they are insured up to 2 million dollars Thst $100 dollars doesnâ t really buy a toilet and then the cost of getting someone to install it will be hundreds more for that reason of them not wanting to take care of what they damaged I would not recommend ABC to anyone they got their money snd could have cared less about my issue !! Poor communication with this company and also the broom swept my basement I sm still trying to clean up the mess and it has been 2 weeks very disappointed ! I guess I should say buyer beware !!"
Lynda D on December 2023
Reliant gas lines is a natural gas service line repair or replacement company. I handle the buried portion of the service line from curb stop to meter and the buried house line if the meter is far away from the house. I do a good job at a fair price, am qualified for both Peoples Gas and Columbia Gas and fully insured. As a small owner operator business I can be flexible on scheduling as these types of problems tend to be emergencies. While in business for myself just a short time now I have over 15 years of experience in the natural gas industry involving repair and replacement of gas mains and service lines.
"Reliant Gas Lines arrived at my house quickly. They made all the repairs fast and efficiently. Matt and his crew were very respectful of me and my property. I would not hesitate to hire them again. Very highly recommended."
Kerry B on April 2025
Reliant gas lines is a natural gas service line repair or replacement company. I handle the buried portion of the service line from curb stop to meter and the buried house line if the meter is far away from the house. I do a good job at a fair price, am qualified for both Peoples Gas and Columbia Gas and fully insured. As a small owner operator business I can be flexible on scheduling as these types of problems tend to be emergencies. While in business for myself just a short time now I have over 15 years of experience in the natural gas industry involving repair and replacement of gas mains and service lines.
"Reliant Gas Lines arrived at my house quickly. They made all the repairs fast and efficiently. Matt and his crew were very respectful of me and my property. I would not hesitate to hire them again. Very highly recommended."
Kerry B on April 2025
For over 10 years, Jacob Heating & Cooling has been providing Pittsburgh homeowners with the best in HVAC installation, service, and repair. As a family-owned business, our values are rooted in treating your home like our own, providing professional service that is held to the highest standards of quality and efficiency. When you work with Jacob Heating & Cooling, you are treated like family and can rest assured that your HVAC needs are in good hands.
"Great, very professional. Recommended."
Marion C on April 2025
For over 10 years, Jacob Heating & Cooling has been providing Pittsburgh homeowners with the best in HVAC installation, service, and repair. As a family-owned business, our values are rooted in treating your home like our own, providing professional service that is held to the highest standards of quality and efficiency. When you work with Jacob Heating & Cooling, you are treated like family and can rest assured that your HVAC needs are in good hands.
"Great, very professional. Recommended."
Marion C on April 2025
PA055967-James A. Munion had a start just like anyone else, at the very bottom. He swept up the work shop for a company called Dotson brothers when he was only 12 years old. Mr. Dotson said to James A.: “I actually can’t believe that you moved the glue buckets out of the way to sweep in the corners. The last kid we had never took the time to do that.” From that day forward, James had a permanent place at Dotson Brothers. He quickly moved on to shop hand, and was allowed to help create the laminate counter tops the company made. After only a short amount of time, Mr. Dotson had trusted Jim with crafting them on his own. Jim took to it with excellent initiative. However, after an extended amount of time creating counter tops, it was time to move on with his career… James’ grandmother owned a two car garage she rented out for tenants. The day he said he was going to start his own business, she, (politely as an italian-broken-english-speaking grandmother could,) kicked out the two tenants immediately and gave him his work shop. Since that very day, we have been running the business out of that very same two car garage. We have been family owned and operated since we turned the power on in the shop, in 1978. Kitchen & Bath Remodeling - Cabinets, Vanities, Cabinet Refacing, New Cabinets, Bar Tops
"Highly recommend, great work, reasonable pricing, hard workers, easy to work with, amazing attention to detail, skilled craftsmen, and great people."
Frank F on July 2024
PA055967-James A. Munion had a start just like anyone else, at the very bottom. He swept up the work shop for a company called Dotson brothers when he was only 12 years old. Mr. Dotson said to James A.: “I actually can’t believe that you moved the glue buckets out of the way to sweep in the corners. The last kid we had never took the time to do that.” From that day forward, James had a permanent place at Dotson Brothers. He quickly moved on to shop hand, and was allowed to help create the laminate counter tops the company made. After only a short amount of time, Mr. Dotson had trusted Jim with crafting them on his own. Jim took to it with excellent initiative. However, after an extended amount of time creating counter tops, it was time to move on with his career… James’ grandmother owned a two car garage she rented out for tenants. The day he said he was going to start his own business, she, (politely as an italian-broken-english-speaking grandmother could,) kicked out the two tenants immediately and gave him his work shop. Since that very day, we have been running the business out of that very same two car garage. We have been family owned and operated since we turned the power on in the shop, in 1978. Kitchen & Bath Remodeling - Cabinets, Vanities, Cabinet Refacing, New Cabinets, Bar Tops
"Highly recommend, great work, reasonable pricing, hard workers, easy to work with, amazing attention to detail, skilled craftsmen, and great people."
Frank F on July 2024
We offer quality and affordable general remodeling services.
"Kevin and his team did an outstanding job restoring our basement bathroom. From start to finish, they were incredibly professional, careful, and thorough. I was particularly concerned about moisture getting into the tub area, and Kevin’s team went above and beyond to find the right set of tub and walls to fit our basement. They even had to return one set because it didn’t fit, and I was really impressed with their ability to pivot and ensure we had the best solution. Communication was excellent throughout the project. Kevin was very proactive, mostly texting us each day to let us know when to expect them and being flexible if I had traffic issues. They worked diligently every day over two weeks to complete the restoration, and their attention to detail really showed in the final result. I’m honestly surprised by how much I love the basement bathroom now! I didn’t think I would care much about it since it’s in the basement, but the quality of work has truly transformed the space. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the work Kevin and his team did. They took the time to explain our options, addressed all of our concerns, and delivered a beautifully restored bathroom that exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend!"
Yazmin D on September 2024
We offer quality and affordable general remodeling services.
"Kevin and his team did an outstanding job restoring our basement bathroom. From start to finish, they were incredibly professional, careful, and thorough. I was particularly concerned about moisture getting into the tub area, and Kevin’s team went above and beyond to find the right set of tub and walls to fit our basement. They even had to return one set because it didn’t fit, and I was really impressed with their ability to pivot and ensure we had the best solution. Communication was excellent throughout the project. Kevin was very proactive, mostly texting us each day to let us know when to expect them and being flexible if I had traffic issues. They worked diligently every day over two weeks to complete the restoration, and their attention to detail really showed in the final result. I’m honestly surprised by how much I love the basement bathroom now! I didn’t think I would care much about it since it’s in the basement, but the quality of work has truly transformed the space. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the work Kevin and his team did. They took the time to explain our options, addressed all of our concerns, and delivered a beautifully restored bathroom that exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend!"
Yazmin D on September 2024
Most residential pumps draw approximately 1,300 to 2,900 watts when they first start, then settle at roughly 800 to 1,050 watts during normal operation. The exact number depends on the motor’s horsepower and how often the float switch tells the pump to run. Even at the high end, the electricity cost is minor compared with the expense of cleaning up a flooded basement.
Grab a ruler and an empty 18‑inch‑wide pit. During a steady rain, time how much the water rises in one minute. Multiply that depth (in inches) by 60 to calculate gallons per hour, then add 50% for safety. If the result tops 2,100 gallons per hour—about 35 gallons a minute—you’ll need a 3/4‑horsepower unit. Anything lower, and a 1/3- or 1/2-horsepower pump should do the trick.
Loud rattling, constant cycling, or shuddering vibrations are the pump’s way of telling you it’s on its last legs. Musty smells, higher electric bills, and visible rust are other red flags. If the unit is 10 years old or older and exhibits any of these symptoms, replace it before the next heavy rain turns your basement into a wading pool.
You don’t have to hire a licensed plumber, but you should still bring in someone who installs sump pumps for a living—whether that’s a plumber, basement‑waterproofing specialist, or experienced handyman. They know the local codes, can wire the pump safely, and will test the system before they leave. Skipping professional help might void the warranty and could leave you with a pump that fails when you need it most.
Not every basement needs a pump, but if your home sits in a floodplain, has a high water table, or has ever taken on water during a storm, a sump pump is inexpensive insurance. For basements that only struggle with condensation or the occasional damp spot, sealing cracks and improving drainage may be all that is needed.