'I've never ever experienced this': Foundation repair companies playing catch up, work booked into next summer

If Manitobans are looking to get the foundation of their homes repaired, they might be waiting quite some time before crews can arrive.

The snow melt from the winter mixed with heavy rain in the spring led to many people finding previously undetected cracks in their home, which resulted in water coming inside and causing damage.

As a result, foundation repair companies were fielding hundreds of calls.

Now the work needed to repair could take years to get done.

"We are booking into August right now, next year," said Ian Brownell, the owner of Ground Down Foundation Repair.

He said it could take a couple of years to catch up on all the repairs that are needed, especially if Mother Nature gives Manitobans a repeat performance.

"It could continue and could get really bad."

Gerry Bonham, the owner and general manage of Abalon Foundation Repairs, said his company is in a similar boat.

"I've been here for 43 years and I've never ever experienced this," said Bonham. "We're telling everybody now that we're booking for work for summer."

Bonham is also predicting that it could take a few years before his company can catch up on the workload.

"This year, we've just been overwhelmed by how much, how many people have been calling with water in their basements and weeping tile problems."

Now, as people wait for repairs, Bonham suggests people prepare as much as possible to limit further damage in their basements over the winter and into spring.

"We've been telling people to open up the walls and find out what the heck you've got there to start off with. Make sure you have a shop-vac, make sure your floor drains are clear, have a look on the outside of your grade, because you want to make sure that if we do get the snow and you can imagine when it melts, it's all going to come back to the same place."

He also suggests having towels ready as some water could still come in even if you take the proper steps.

Brownell even recommends people set up sandbags or tarps to help further prevent water from getting in.