Basement waterproofing and crawl space repair in NJ

System Design Specialist of the Month Contest

Thu, May 10 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Quality 1st Basement Systems is always trying to find new and innovative ways to motivate our team. From Home Depot shopping sprees to tickets to baseball games, we're a competitive group who loves a good contest.

That's why we are so excited to announce the April winner for our new monthly sales department contest, the System Design Specialist of the Month! The winner will get to drive the newest member of our fleet, an awesome car decked out in Quality 1st...everything! It even features our smiling umbrella man, Tom Roman, on each side.

And the innaugural winner is...Rich Hacker!

Rich has been a team member with Quality 1st for years and recently attended training in Omaha, NE to become an specialist in all things Foundation Supportworks. He has a wealth of knowledge in home improvement and seems to find a great solution to any problem thrown his way, whether it's in a wet basement or a tilting foundation!

Rich sees his prize as a great opportunity, saying "I can't wait to see how many people come up to talk to me about their wet basements and dirt crawlspaces after seeing this thing!" He's always ready with his laptop and BasementVision and says if someone approaches him when he's not on his way to an appointment that he'll be glad to go give them a free estimate after visiting their home!

Congratulations to Rich! In the next 2 weeks you can find him working in the Ocean and Burlington County areas. If you spot his car around town, submit his picture to us for free annual service!

Catch Quality 1st at a Lakewood BlueClaws game this year!

Mon, April 30 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Quality 1st Basement Systems is excited to announce our presence at FirstEnergy Park this year, rooting on the Lakewood BlueClaws! The BlueClaws have been an Ocean County staple for over ten years, supporting their community through fundraisers and events at many of their home games. They are the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and have had several players called up to the majors including World Series MVP Cole Hamels.

You can find our booth at the following home games this season to pick up one of our books, schedule up a free estimate or pose for a picture with our "Umbrella Man," Tom Roman!

See you on game day!

April 30th vs. Greenville Drive
May 10th vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers
May 13th vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers
May 22nd vs. Delmarva Shorebirds
May 25th vs. Hagerstown Suns
May 27th vs. Hagerstown Suns
June 5th vs. Lexington Legends
June 25th vs. West Virginia Power
June 28th vs. West Virginia Power

When Is The Best Time to Waterproof A Basement?

Fri, April 27 2012, 00:00:00 -500

A stitch in time saves nine. Similarly, the best time to waterproof a basement, especially if you’ve already begun noticing wet basement walls and floors after a rain, is ASAP.

Consider that the causes of water infiltration often build up over time. Backfill surrounding your house’s foundation may have settled and pitched the grade toward your basement. Sidewalks and patios may have settled as well, and pitched toward your house. Footer drains may have broken or clogged. Foundation walls may have cracked. Under the right conditions problems that have built up slowly over many years may suddenly and unexpectedly cause severe structural and water damage after a single heavy rain storm. Waiting to address the problems will almost invariably result in higher repair costs in the future.

After You Buy a Home

If you’re just moving in to a home, examine basement floors and walls before storing items or investing in improvements, such as a basement conversion or basement workshop. Check to see if the existing sump pump, if any, is in working order and that the sump is clear of debris. Ideally, it should be equipped with a battery back-up pump. Many basements flood when the primary pump, unbeknownst to the homeowner, fails. If you suspect previous flooding (water stains on partitions are a good clue) call your local basement waterproofing company for a free inspection and consultation.

When to Call

Basement waterproofing contractors get the majority of their calls after heavy rains and during rainy seasons, such as spring and fall. So, a good strategy is to call for an appointment when the weather is sunny and dry. It ensures that you’ll get an appointment quickly. By calling during a less busy period, both you and your contractor will be able to make decisions without time pressure or duress. You may even be able to negotiate a more favorable price. What ever you do, don’t wait until the aftermath of a storm has every neighbor calling for the same basement waterproofing service!

Quality 1st Basement Systems specializes in basement waterproofing in NJ and NY. Visit them online for a free basement waterproofing estimate in Elizabeth, Paterson, Jersey City, Newark, Clifton, Toms River, NYC, Edison, Passaic, East Orange, Perth Amboy, Staten Island and other nearby areas.

The March "WOW Service Award" Winning Crew is...

Thu, April 19 2012, 00:00:00 -500

We're happy to announce that our WOW Service Award winning crew is the team headed by Foreman Juan Garcia! Juan and his crew of 5 guys managed to get a plethora of 5 star reviews on Facebook, Google and Yahoo and even a few calls right into the office raving about the efficient, clean and timely jobs the crew accomplished throughout March. While it was close for much of the month, this crew managed to pull out several impressive reviews by being meticulous in their work and making sure to communicate well with every homeowner they came in contact with.

The prize up for grabs in March was a brand new Hilti TE-3000 Jackhammer. The crew is extremely excited about this new piece of equipment as it will allow them to work in a faster and more precise manner while being able to rely on it to last for many more successful jobs!

Remember to get your reviews in every month for our WOW Service Award! The prizes are only getting better and our teams love hearing what you have to say.

Bob Cherry Joins Advisory Board of Lincoln Technical Institute

Fri, April 13 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Bob Cherry, General Manager of Quality 1st Basement Systems, is now part of the advisory board committee at Lincoln Technical Institute, based in South Plainfield, NJ.

On Tuesday, he attended a committee meeting to discuss the school ciriculum and how they are improving their technologies and classrooms to help students advance into current positions. These positions have evolved in recent years to be multifaceted, rather than focusing on one trade, and it takes smart and talented indivuduals to complete the intense training Lincoln Tech puts their students though. They prepare students for positions that may require computer, electrical, mechanical and hvac skills. Specifically, many students go into careers working on heavy diesel trucks which transport and supply almost all materials, food and clothing all over our country.

Bob is excited to be working with Lincoln Tech to further their curreculim and give them a unique perspective into the business of Basement Waterproofing.

Sales Team attends training across country in January.

Mon, January 23 2012, 00:00:00 -500

January has been a busy month for all of Quality 1st Basement Systems. With new additions to our team in both Sales and Service, everyone is working full speed ahead to assure 2012 is our best year yet. As a dealer for Basement Systems, the opportunities for training are always ones Quality 1st jumps at, often times being able to travel and see how other dealers operate.

The week of January 15th, Jack Jamison, our field supervisor, Rich Hacker and Damon Ludwig, two of our top salesmen, attended training for our Foundation Supportworks division in Omaha, NE. Not only did they learn about everything from push piers to helical piers but also how to determine exactly what is right for each home with foundation issues. A big part of the training was how to spot foundation issues early, whether it be sticking windows or doors that no longer line up quite correctly. These three join our other FSI team members and will be a great asset to us at Foundation Supportworks of New Jersey.

The week of January 22nd, nearly all of our sales team attended Basement Systems training at their headquarters in Seymour, CT. The two-day course started with the basics steps to a sale and went all the way through detailed studies of each product we sell and in what situations each product would be necessary for. The 12 guys, including sales manager Steve Ludlow, were able to reinforce their sales beliefs as well as hear about some great services we offer to waterproof basement and encapsulate crawlspaces in successful and long-lasting ways.

If you speak to your salesman this week, ask them how training went! They all had a wonderful, educational time and can't wait to go back for more.

Mayor Wilda Diaz Recognizes Quality 1st for Toy Drive

Thu, January 19 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Recently we received a letter from the Mayor of Perth Amboy, NJ thanking Quality 1st for the donation of Christmas toys last month.

Mayor Wilda Diaz wrote:

In response to your recent donation of toys to needy families during this holiday season I would like to say thank you for your generosity.

As I write, I cannot begin to express the gratitude and happiness the families felt in being able to give their children a Christmas gift for the holidays. Unfortunately, there are too many families that are not able to do so in light of these every difficult economic times.

The good news is, thanks to your generosity, we were able to respond to the many letters we received from parents requesting help so that they may make their children's Christmas holiday a happy one.

On behalf of these families and the staff here at the City of Perth Amboy, I wish you and your staff a prosperous and safe New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Wilda Diaz, Mayor

The staff at Quality 1st Basement Systems enjoyed helping our community so much that we are already looking for the next opportunity to get involved!

Employees of Quality 1st Donate Toys for Holidays

Thu, December 22 2011, 00:00:00 -500

This holiday season, instead of exchanging gifts with one another the employees of Quality 1st Basement Systems reached out to their community. Together with the Department of Recreation in Perth Amboy,NJ, the location of our offices, a company-wide toy drive was initiated and in just a few weeks over 100 toys were donated to families in need for the holiday season.

Mayor Wilda Diaz was came to the office with several members of her staff to meet with everyone at Quality 1st and pick up the toys, which will be distributed amongst seven families in Perth Amboy. It was a great group effort, with every level of employee participating, and brought many employees together to see what others had brought in. With the mayor and her staff here, a special guest stopped by...Santa Claus!

Everyone had a terrific experience and loved making such an impact on people in our community, we can't wait to collect even more next year!

DIY Network's "Man Caves" gets some waterproofing help from Quality 1st Basement Systems

Thu, December 15 2011, 00:00:00 -500

After having worked with the DIY Network last month on an episode of "Man Caves," Bob Cherry jumped at the opportunity to join them again while they made over a basement in West Long Branch, NJ earlier this week. Cherry joined Tony "The Goose" Siragusa and Jason Cameron as they turned a waterfront home's heavily flooded basement into a dry, enjoyable space with a top secret theme!

Quality 1st Basement Systems installaed a triple-safe sump pump, full perimeter drains as well as cleanspace to make sure the basement would stay dry and mold-free.

Check out some of the "before" pictures below, and after the show airs make sure to check back to see some "afters."

Quality 1st Basement Systems welcomes "Field Supervisor" Jack Jamison to the team

Wed, November 23 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Quality 1^st Basement Systems of Perth Amboy, NJ is pleased to announce the newest member of their team, Jack Jamison. Jack’s title will be “Field Supervisor,” ensuring high quality from all of our production and service teams. Quality 1^st is a long time member of the international dealer network of Basement Systems, headquartered in Seymour, CT.

Jack has worked in that Basement Systems network for over 10 years and is excited about the opportunities his move to Quality 1^st Basement Systems presents him with. “We’re going to be able to elevate our field programs to be world-class,” he said. “I want to see every survey we send out return raving about the great service received from the production and the service teams.”

Tom Roman, owner of the Quality 1^st Companies, and Bob Cherry, General Manager of Quality 1^st Basement Systems, share his excitement. “Jack will be an extremely valuable member of our team,” said Cherry. “With his background in Basement Systems, his passion for training and his drive for top notch service, he’s going to bring all of our team to the next level.”

Quality 1st Waterproofs "Man Caves"

Wed, November 16 2011, 00:00:00 -500

On Tuesday, we had the pleasure of working with DIY Network's "Man Caves" team, waterproofing a basement in preparation of turning it into the ultimate man cave! While we can't spill the theme of this Scotch Plain's basement, we can say that it was a great experience! We installed Clean Space, Waterguard and a Triple Safe sump pump to make sure the space would stay dry and livable and we did it just in time! Shortly after we completed our work, power went out at the residence for over 24 hours but the back up battery allowed the sump to work through the night and keep everything dry for the contractors to come in and work their magic! Jason Cameron was just as knowledgable as he seems on TV and Tony “The Goose” Siragusa kept us all laughing while showing off his waterproofing knowledge! We look forward to working with "Man Caves" again next month as we help make another vision come true.

Check out a few of our pictures from the shoot below:

Quality 1st Basement Systems Receives Award at International Convention in Connecticut

Tue, September 27 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Perth Amboy, NJ – Quality 1st Basement Systems was recently honored at a meeting of over 600 guests from all over the United States and Canada at this year’s Team Basement Systems Convention. The annual convention is held each year between Seymour, Connecticut, (where the Basement Systems headquarters is located) and Hartford, Connecticut, and brings together dealerships of the international network for classes, seminars, training, parties and networking.

This year Quality 1st Basement Systems received the award of 3rd Total Basement Finishing Dealer in all of the United States and Canada.

The convention featured guest speakers Krish Duhnam (of the Zig Ziglar corporation), and the “Pit bull of Personal Development” Larry Winget. A sports-themed party at the Connecticut Convention Center ended the convention week with music, food and performances by the Harlem Wizards and the New England Patriots Cheerleaders.

Quality 1st Basement Systems is a certified Basement Systems dealer specializing in basement waterproofing, foundation repair and dehumidifiers in Paramus, NJ and surrounding areas. Quality 1st Basement Systems has been servicing homes in Northern and Central New Jersey and Staten Island, NY since 1987.

Basement Systems is an international network of basement waterproofing, crawl space repair and basement finishing contractors. The international headquarters, based in Seymour, Connecticut, also provides sales and service throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, NY. Larry Janesky's Basement Systems has been helping homeowners increase their usable living space for over 20 years across the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. They have 27 patented basement and crawl space products, designed to help homeowners get more out of their basements and increase their home's value.

Quality 1st Hosts a Fiesta for all Employees

Mon, September 26 2011, 00:00:00 -500

On Sunday September 25^th Quality 1^st Companies had their first annual Summertime Fiesta! After being delayed due to Hurricane Irene, the family friendly picnic was the pick-me-up we all needed in the office, recharging our batteries and getting us ready for another work week. The Fiesta was held in Wall Township, NJ at YMCA’s Camp Zehnder. It had everything from fishing to rockwall climbing and even a zip line! Everyone enjoyed a great food spread and the kids got to make sand art and get airbrushed tattoos! Tom Roman, the owner of Quality 1^st, and his wife Debbie threw a fabulous get together and we all can’t wait for the next one!

Want to check out some more photos? Check our Facebook album here. (And be sure to like us while you’re there!)

Quality 1st Helps the Veterans

Thu, August 4 2011, 00:00:00 -500

We're like a family here at Quality 1st Basement Systems. It makes for a terrific, close knit work environment. It is that idea of family and unity that we try to support in the work we do as well. We give families clean and safe homes to live in but most importantly we love the idea of bringing families together.

Over the last decade, many of the families in our country have been separated by wars overseas. There are many wonderful groups such as the American Legion have been connecting people who have loved ones serving overseas to create a large, family-like network.

To celebrate the community that the American Legion of Brick has created they are hosting their 8^th Annual Benefit Veterans Picnic. This picnic will bring together all the families of the Brick, New Jersey area that have family members serving in Iraq, as well as to celebrate family members who have recently come home from the war. Not only is this picnic created to bring together loved ones but also to raise money. The American Legion of Brick is raising money that will be presented to families of soldiers serving overseas.

As soon as we heard about the picnic, we knew that we should become supporter and participant of it. But how does a simple basement waterproofing company help soldiers? I mean we can’t waterproof them out of the war, but we can donate money. And that is exactly what we did. We understand that money is tight for every American nowadays, and we know how important it is to reward our troops for the work they have done for us. Not only was our donation able to help those families in need but we also helped the American Legion make their picnic perfect!

Quality 1^st Basement Systems is your local basement waterproofer and we love to help out people in our own community. We understand the importance of what these troops are doing for our country and that is why we find it extremely important to honor these individuals any way we can. All of us here at Quality 1^st Basement Systems are grateful for the veterans serving now overseas as well as those who came before and served in history. This picnic is a wonderful way to celebrate the work these men have done for this country and we are excited to be a part of this opportunity.

We're taking over the small screen!

Tue, July 26 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Did you know you can see us on TV? Yes your favorite waterproofing company has hit the big time by recently airing on A&E’s hit home improvement show “Drill Team.” Our company came in to help the “Drill Team” crew in repairing Brian and Dawn’s sun room. After a rough winter, their beautiful sun room was left completely destroyed. We know that after this harsh winter we all have had this type of problem with parts of our home and at Quality 1^st we know exactly how to fix your problem.

On the show you can see first hand how we handle foundation problems in New Jersey. We used helical piers, an awesome product that is able to create a stable foundation without having to rip up your home. As seen on the show the piers easily drill into the ground and then, once inspected and leveled, concrete can be laid on top of them. The show also displayed the concrete division of our company. Quality Concrete provides its customers with on site freshly mixed concrete. This gives you a better quality product. It can be seen on the episode that our professionally can quickly, and cleanly, have your concrete laid out.

Participating in “Drill Team” was a wonderful experience for our company. Not only was it a pleasure to work with the A&E team but it was also very rewarding to help out Brian and Dawn in gaining their sun room space back just in time to celebrate Dawn’s sisters engagement party! So if you are ever curious about what we do here at Quality 1^st just keep an eye out for us next time you’re flipping through the channels.