Folks must be making money in Philly, because one notable basement project last year was for a 29,000 square foot house in Philadelphia. Not as beg as Bill Gates’ house, but still plenty romy.

Balmer Brothers Concrete Work of Akron, PA, noted that some of the difficulties in this job were the circular stairways, angled walls, ledges and offsets, not to mention the spread footings.

Wall heights varied from 36 inches to 18 feet, and totaled 1,000 linear feet. The garden walls are even higher. All footings and walls were pumped either with Balmer’s 28 meter or 36 meter boom pump, and the entire foundation was waterproofed with Wall Guard waterproofing.

This residential job was not so much complicated as it was big. The footings and walls took 800 yards and the garden walls and retaining walls another 1,000 yards.

Over the years, Balmer Brothers has done numerous unusual foundation, both commercial and residential tract housing and agricultural waste systems. In the past few years, however, the firm has found a niche for itself in large and unusual foundations, many for homes.

Balmer Brothers Concrete Work has been in business since 1973. They started doing curb, sidewalk and flat work, buying their first set of aluminum forms in 1975 in order to build small, box-like foundations.

The firm joined CFA in 1977, and Jerry Balmer served on the CFA Board in the early 1980’s. Current employment is around 30 people.

Balmer Brothers says the key to success is adaptability. They say are prepared to change as the building market changes, but in recent years large residential projects have been one emphasis.