B-Level Ltd.

Offering Grade-A Foundation Repair, Leveling Services in Ohio

by Michele Dawson, The Concrete Network

When Thomas Shreyer found himself ousted from his executive-level position at a company for which he was employed for more than two decades, he didn't let it sink his spirits. Instead, he began leveling and lifting — foundations, patios, driveways. Virtually anything concrete.

Shreyer's family-owned and operated concrete lifting and leveling company, B-Level Ltd,. is based in Baltimore, Ohio, about 20 miles southeast of Columbus. The company provides services to clients in southern, southeast, and central Ohio, as well as Cleveland and Atlanta, Georgia.

The company has designed and developed unique concrete-leveling equipment to repair concrete driveways, sidewalks, steps, warehouse and home floors, grain holding pads, parking garage floors, stoops, patios and just about any concrete area. B-Level is also a certified Ram Jack dealer, repairing foundations of homes and buildings, and stabilizing basement floors.

"I was a displaced executive who worked for an ag company that didn't do well. I was with them for 23 years," said Shreyer.

Shreyer, who began his career as an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army, eventually attended The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Agriculture. Upon graduation, he joined Landmark, Ohio's largest egg processor, as a plant foreman in 1975. Following a series of increasingly responsible positions, Tom was hired as executive vice president of Operations and Marketing of AgriGeneral in 1995 until the launch of B-Level.

At the time Shreyer lost his executive position he had been helping his son research business ventures.

"When I started putting all the information together, it made sense - we both got into it," he said.

That was almost six years ago.

"We both learned it together," said Shreyer, who says he's always been comfortable with all aspects of construction. "Nothing scared us off. We ultimately developed the equipment we use (for concrete leveling)."

In fact, Shreyer said that while finding good employees is a common problem that plagues a range of industries, it's the least of his challenges.

"I've been super blessed with my son (Jacob) and a great group of young men," he said.

Meanwhile, B-Level's unique-lifting and -leveling method makes a permanent repair by lifting the concrete to its original level. They drill holes in the concrete area that needs repaired and with B-Level's specially designed equipment, they infuse a new base under the concrete slab to raise it to the customer's desired level. Within hours customers can make use of the area.

"Many people are unaware of a cost-effective way to fix their already laid cement areas instead of replacing the entire slab," Shreyer said.

And B-Level offers its products to entrepreneurs who want to start their own concrete-lifting and-leveling company without paying franchise fees. Shreyer says the equipment is flexible, reliable and profitable. It is self-contained on its own frame and can easily be placed on or removed from trucks and trailers. Extremely durable, it is also adjustable to fit on several different lengths of trucks and trailers.

B-Level added Ram Jack to its repertoire of services about a year ago.

"We had a lot of customers who were in need of piering and we were passing on work to other companies," he said. "A lot of times I wasn't too happy with the way they (customers) were treated."

Specifically, Shreyer says many piering companies take a lot of shortcuts, especially when it comes to homes and residential services.

"I wanted absolutely no part of that," he said.

So Shreyer began investigating piering companies and decided to become a Ram Jack-certified dealer.

"When we decided to go into piering we looked at a lot of companies. We wanted quality and a good product," said Shreyer. "What we really liked about Ram Jack is their service after the sale. They physically come out and train your people."

And Shreyer said the most attractive part is the product itself.

"They're some of the strongest piers that are manufactured anywhere," he said.

Piling or piering is the technique of driving steel pipe pilings to remedy failing building foundations and to correct foundation settlement.

Ram Jack's patented lift system is used to recover settlement in homes. High-carbon, steel pilings are driven vertically by 70,000 lbs. of hydraulic power to an average of 22 feet below the home to anchor the structure and prevent future settlement.

A hydraulic pump uses a synchronized lift to raise the affected areas of your home simultaneously to maximum practical recovery.

B-Level has had its share of interesting jobs that involve piering, leveling, or lifting. Shreyer's background in agriculture has presented him with the opportunity to repair grain-holding pads.

He's also stabilized parking towers and leveled off apartment complexes. He's even stabilized holding tanks for sewage treatment plants.

"Interesting, but you don't want to be near me at the end of the day on that one," he jokes.

B-Level also repairs plenty of house foundations.

Most of the foundation problems in the central Ohio area stem from the extremely dry conditions, which cause the clay-like soil to shrink, or excess water situations.

In some instances the construction site wasn't prepared properly, leading to the sinking of the house.

And poor home maintenance can also lead to foundation problems, Shreyer said.

"If people cleaned their gutters and made sure their downspouts go away from their foundation, they could avoid these kinds of problems (more often)," he said.

But for those who do run into problems, B-Level is there.

"We've been busy ever since March. It is seasonal, but we have projects through the winter," he said.

Shreyer and his family members in the business take part in Ram Jack's ongoing educational training and take comfort in knowing Ram Jack is always there to support them.

"They're only a phone call away from a person with the expertise to help get through a project," Shreyer said. "And if I wasn't comfortable with something, they'd get someone on a plane to help me out."

B-Level LTD
Thomas Schreyer
5020 Basil Western Road
Baltimore, OH 43105
(614) 837-1269
(740) 862-8289 FAX
Send Mail Now - Click Here
www.b-level.com

Michele Dawson

Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home building industry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association.

Visit B-Level LTD's Web Site

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