About BasementCalcs
BasementCalcs is an independent project with one goal: to gather the everyday calculations homeowners and buyers reach for across a whole below-grade project — foundation repair, basement waterproofing, crawl space, drainage and concrete flatwork, plus budget & ROI — in one focused, free, no-signup hub with transparent formulas.
Who is behind it
Author and curator
To be clear about credentials: I am the author and curator of this site — not a licensed structural or geotechnical engineer, foundation-repair professional, general contractor or financial advisor. What I bring is relevant and real: building deterministic online calculators (open-source Python projects) and engineering training, i.e. rigor on the arithmetic and geometry. That is what it takes to curate a hub of calculators: transparent method, correct formulas, cited conventions and worked examples.
Our principle: transparent & durably correct
Every calculator shows its formula, a worked example and a reference table. The tools rest only on timeless project math (piers = length ÷ spacing; wall area = perimeter × height; concrete volume = area × thickness ÷ 27 cubic yards; quantity = area ÷ coverage × (1 + waste); cost = quantity × your unit price) and stable conventions (27 cubic feet in a cubic yard; pier spacing ~6–8 ft; strap spacing ~4 ft; vapor-barrier overlap ~6–12 in; drain-tile slope ~1%). There are deliberately no material prices, labor rates, regional cost indexes or live loan rates — cost tools use the prices you enter — so the results stay valid over time.
Correctness is checked against known reference values (see the methodology and the numeric self-check). The formulas and their basis are documented under Sources & formulas. All results are planning estimates: get itemized written quotes from licensed contractors; have a licensed structural or geotechnical engineer assess foundation movement, cracks, bowing walls and drainage before repair; use licensed pros and pull permits for structural, excavation and electrical work; the financing and ROI tools are illustrative math on your figures, not financial advice, and home value protected is never guaranteed. We make no mold, radon or air-quality health claims. Questions? Use the contact page.