Maya’s South Minneapolis home presented one of the more unusual foundations we’ve seen — a full block wall backed by a solid poured concrete face. She was dealing with a persistently wet basement and significant cracking throughout the foundation. An interior drain tile system was considered, but it wasn’t the right fit here. Installing it would have required removing another company’s structural steel I-beam supports, which would void their warranty and introduce unnecessary risk to the stabilization work already in place. Instead, we designed a high-performance French Drain system to manage water from the outside. By diverting surface and subsurface water away from the foundation quickly and efficiently, we reduced the hydrostatic pressure that had been pushing against her walls and contributing to the cracking. This approach allowed us to solve the water problem without disturbing the structural reinforcements — a perfect example of how smart waterproofing isn’t just about keeping water out, but about choosing the right solution for each unique home.