JES Foundation Repair

If you need a BIG job done well, I’d think this is the place to hire. Otherwise, go elsewhere.
I had them come for an inspection and estimate. The inspector/​salesman (apparently NOT the person who actually does any of the foundation repair) was here for SIX HOURS! It was NOT a big job, and did not warrant that long of a sales-​job.
He recommended a very expensive «fix» for our problem. Thankfully we did not hire JES for the job, as the «fix» did not address what we really needed to be done, and we believe it would’ve caused more damage than it was supposed to fix. AND he couldn’t even guarantee it would be level. What? Level is what we were wanting to hire him for!
This is a case of big salesmanship and a MUCH BIGGER pitch (and $$$$$ — enough to buy a new car) than is actually needed for the job.
I wasn’t originally bothered by all of the sales/​educational videos he showed us on his laptop. It was educational, and very helpful in explaining the job he thought was appropriate to fix our problem. But now that I look back, and realize the salesman would not be the person doing the repair job, the generic video (not of their actual jobs they’ve done nor people who work with/​for them) is more of a turn-​off.

0 stars for engineering ability, 2 star for business office integrity, 1 star rating overall. JES may have engineers on staff somewhere, but they need to use them before their salesmen throw out quotes and apply the full-​court sales press.
Contracted for bracing of approximately 5 ft. of a cellar wall. Signed contract with first «inspector» (i.e. salesman) after being offered a 20% discount for signing on the spot. I had to spend a lot of time convincing the «inspector» that I wanted 4 braces (1 on each of 4 adjacent joists), not just 2 to mitigate a bulging brick foundation wall on an 1891 house. «Inspector» insisted I only needed one every 4 feet (which might be appropriate for a block foundation with modern mortar but wholly insufficient for an older brick foundation). «Inspector» took lots of photographs and measurements and I went at great length to discuss that some sort of footing would be necessary because the partial concrete floor was old soft concrete, not affixed to the foundation in any manner, and wholly unsuitable for fastening their bracing system to. «Inspector» said that installers would pour concrete footers or use some sort of auger anchors to fasten bottoms of braces too. Second «inspector» showed up a week later to try to sell me more repairs and barely took time to look at the initial project. The first salesman also owed me a quote for new foundation piers and crawl space encapsulation under a kitchen wing (never heard back about this work).
Fast forward to installation day. Crew shows up to install 4 power braces (should have taken just a few hours). After listening to me explain (again) that some sort of footing would be needed, they dig a test hole, find they cannot pin a pad to the foundation footings (no footings in this 1891 house), and had to refer back to their «structural engineer» for a design. «Design» came back in the way of a scope change charge and cancellation of any warranty on the job (guess they’re unsure of their design, materials, and workmanship). No details on their «design» of 4 separate pads (I would have just excavated a 1 ft wide x 2 ft deep x 6 ft long trench, 6″ of compacted fill, followed by concrete. I guess the «Inspectors» just threw away their their field measurements, drawings, and photographs and it was all just for show.
For weeks I’ve been fuming about their process. Installation team had no installation notes, drawings, or plan. JES eventually asked for additional funds for work that should have been included, but no design was offered. No project manager was assigned to project. I’ve got 35 yrs of engineering experience, 25 as an engineering manager. This office displayed total lack of communication between sales, engineering, and installation personnel and just seem to be a sales force pushing their licensed repair systems. Anyone considering doing business with JES Foundation Repair should insist on getting detailed engineering drawings and get them independently reviewed before signing a contract and giving them any money. Apparently their contract is binding on you, but not on them. Frankly I’m glad this repair didn’t happen, because I doubt I’d be satisfied with the results given what I’ve seen of their sales approach. Office did return my deposit without being asked. NOTE: JES’s standard contract fine print gives them 180 days to complete the work. Be aware of this.

AVOID!
JES Construction is a high-​pressure sales scam. My husband had them come over to do an estimate on reinforcing the steel beam supporting our house. This work was not required, it’s just something we should probably get done in the next couple of years.
The sales rep, and he was definitely a sales rep and not a contractor, came over and talked our ears off! He insisted on showing us annoying videos, and an hour later finally spit out his price. Not only did he give us a quote but he included a whole bunch of other stuff we didn’t want or need. His quote was $ 19K!
We told him we weren’t interested and that it was too expensive. He started arguing with me and my husband. I asked him to leave our house several times and he wouldn’t. I almost had to call the police to get this greasy car salesman out of our house!
And, and he was racist to boot. Horrible, horrible experience.

Worst experience I’ve ever had with a company. I didn’t have any work performed by them due to the negotiations and their behavior so I can’t comment on their work. They took my deposit saying they had to have it to get me on the schedule and then told me they wouldn’t be able to start work for about 2 months. I cancelled the contract and they tried to keep my entire deposit (again, no work performed) saying I didn’t cancel the contract in time. It took approximately 5 months for me to get my deposit back all the while they were trying to convince me to have them do work. I would never use them and would never recommend them. Beware.

These guys did a decent job of sealing up or crawl space. But they do not stand behind their work once they leave your house. With something like this, you would be better off finding a reputable contractor than these guys who just fix and run. We have had standing water in our crawl space three times since their system was installed, and it was due to what they installed. Takes them days to call us back too, since we are not new business. Avoid JES.

Never again with this company. They didn’t pull a permit for the work although a new sump pump requires one in Fairfax county. They intended to put the pump in a location that would have resulted in a code violation (they did move it but the planner and installers didn’t know about code violation).
Their analysis of the basement problem was incomplete. So we had an expensive fix but still a musty basement. The work took months to complete due to their scheduling issues. Each time JES sent out a different work crew and each crew was completely uniformed as to what needed to be completed. (first crew was actually pretty good but they were never allowed to come out and complete the work they started).
Overall, a completely unsatisfactory experience. I’ll never use them again.

It has being several years since we had JES work on drainage and foundation problems and I still get upset when I see their ads. I would not recommend them to my worst enemy.
We were told we needed a French drain and sump pump which on completion one of the employees said we didn’t need at all. True since neither have ever seen a drop of water! The concrete floor was not worked properly and remains uneven, even after they spent a day «grinding» it down! Not allowed anywhere but the basement one of their employees took two stairways to the master bedroom and two diamond rings disappeared during this work period! Management were abusive and threatening!
Would think hard and long before contracting with JES for anything!

Did terrible unsafe work at my sister in laws house. Electric wires hung across the basement. The dryer was never vented outside. They refused to fix any of the problems and tried to sue her! Do not use this company!

As a real estate agent I am often «in the trenches» working with buyers and sellers to evaluate, bid and coordinate repair work. Last year, JES was asked to check out a foundation problem on a house which was clearly due to hydrostatic pressure. We contacted a total of 6 companies, and JES was the company that proposed the most (unnecessarily) extensive and expensive work of all of the companies. Their estimate was more than $ 15K more than the next closest estimate.
I would not suggest JES to anyone.

What a waste of time. Wanted them to bid on stopping foundation leaks and repairing the damage. Instead all they wanted to sell us was a crawl space vapor system. Their representative could not have cared less about what we wanted and want our concerns were.

Slick presentations, lots of phone calls not returned and they went through 2 service people that they couldnt keep before I gave up. Go to Koppers. Much much better value for the money.

As a real estate agent this is one of the worst, most deceptive companies I have ever encountered. My Sellers were told after they spent $ 25,000 on waterproofing and structural repairs that they would have to go buy their own extension cord because where the sump pump was installed there was no electricity and that was not included in the job. The also showed in their video presentation that they would return the yard to the exact condition before the work was done. NOT. There is a 3 ft. wide dirt strip all the way around the house, never re-​sodded, reseeded or anything.
They did not re-​install the laundry sink (had to pay a plumber for that) or put the washer and dryer back or reconnect them.
Their estimate was $ 3,000 less than a competitor (B-​Dry which is a great company) and now we know why. A neighbor across the street thad used (which we did not know) and they said it took 1 year to rectify all of the problems. This company should be OUT OF BUSINESS and my guess is they will be soon enough.

I edited this review. Had I reviewed JES right after the work, I may have provided them a rating of a 4 out of 5. They addressed the problem, allowed me and my neighbor to contract together for mutual benefit, but left my garden a complete wreck.
Six months later, after paying my final bill in full I received a demand letter. A demand letter is a sellable instrument and unpaid construction bills cannot only damage credit but clear title they are not something to be trifled with.
It took 3 months, several hours on the phone and countless research to discover and received in writing from JES an agreement that I owed nothing. They admitted the demand letter was sent in error.
If you think this is something you can navigate around feel free to contract with JES but for my garden and inconvenience I gave them 3 stars, returning one star as I understand a negative rating can be detrimental to future business.