How to Repair the Famous Basements of Movies and TV

Stranger Things: The Wheeler Basement

In the fictional town of Hawkins, IN, the Wheeler basement from Stranger Things needs repairing. One wall was broken by a demon, and there are major power issues from lights. The repair team needs to check for foundation damage, fix the drywall, and upgrade the breaker box.

The Sopranos: Tony Soprano’s Basement

Tony Soprano used his basement for important conversations because he thought the noise from the central air unit made it a safe place to talk privately. The Feds wanted to listen in to these basement conversations so they planned to bug the basement, but the police officers’ mission fell through when Tony’s water heater exploded. Repairing the basement would involve cleaning up the water damage, installing a sump pump, and replacing the water heater.

The Goonies: The Fratelli Family Basement

In The Goonies, Sloth lives in the basement of the Fratelli family home, chained to the stone walls. After Chunk is captured and held captive in the basement too, the duo breaks out. Later, an underground cave collapses. Basement repairs would involve fixing the stonework, filling in the sinkhole, and securing the foundation.

The IT Crowd: Basement Offices

Most of the episodes of The IT Crowd occur in the basement offices. It’s messy and dingy. It’s had fires, and there’s a goth living in the storeroom. To repair the basement offices, Reynholm Industries would need to add smoke detectors, improve wiring, and exterminate the spiders from Richard’s room.

Ghostbusters: Firehouse Building Basement

In the basement of the Firehouse building where the Ghostbusters have their office, there is a containment unit that takes up most of the lower level. There’s an important scene where the EPA inspector orders the Con Ed electrician to cut the power. This causes the containment unit to explode. Repairs would involve fixing the major foundation damage with piering and wall stabilization. Plus, installing a backup generator would stabilize the electrical system to prevent future problems.

Blackkklansman: Felix’s Basement

In Blackkklansman, Felix has his Klan office in the basement of his Colorado home. The damp and dingy room is where he tries to give Flip a lie detector test. Basement repairs would involve mold remediation to fix the existing problem and adding a moisture barrier to keep out the humidity. The exterior should also be retrofitted with proper drainage to direct water away from the foundation.

That 70s Show: The Forman Basement

The Forman basement in That 70s Show is the classic hangout spot where Eric and his friends spend most of their time. It was the 1970s, and it got smoky down there. Repairing the basement would require deep cleaning to remove the funk and resin residue, and a dehumidifier to help improve the air quality.

Wayne’s World: Wayne’s Parents’ Basement

Wayne lived in the basement of his parents’ house, and each Friday night, things would get loud when he would broadcast a live show with Garth. To resolve the noise problem, a construction team would build out a new studio room and soundproof the basement.

John Wick: John Wick’s Basement

The concrete floor of John Wick’s basement was badly damaged when he used a sledgehammer to dig up the stash of weapons he had buried. Repairing the basement would involve assessing the foundation and pouring concrete to fix the slab.

Home Alone: Kevin’s Basement

After his family left him home alone, Kevin had an encounter in the basement with the furnace where it seemingly turned into a monster. Repairs would involve replacing the furnace and heat vents with a non-demonic furnace model. Kevin also said it smelled funny in the basement, so a dehumidifier would be installed to help improve the air quality.

Ozark: Lakefront Home Basement

When Marty and his family moved to Missouri, the family took the top floor of the lakefront home, and Buddy moved into the basement. The dampness exacerbated Buddy’s terminal illness. Repairs would involve dehumidifying the basement and improving air quality, as well as other waterproofing measures.

The Batman: The Batcave

The Batcave is in the basement of Wayne Manor. It has an underground waterfall and a major bat infestation. The repair team would need to work on mold remediation and call in an exterminator. Plus, they need to repair the foundation problems to address the moisture.

Spy: Langley Basement

In the movie Spy, Susan Cooper works for the CIA and her office is in the basement of Langley. The basements of the government buildings in the Washington, D.C. area are likely to have some problems, and in this case, the basement was infested with rats and mice. The facilities crew should call an exterminator and hire a basement pro to address the foundation gaps where the animals are getting in.

Why Foundation Recovery Systems Could Repair These Famous Basements

Related Resources

7 Steps To Take After a Basement Flood

Take action after a basement flood with our 7 essential steps. Foundation Recovery Systems offers a free inspection to protect your home. Act now!

Common Basement Waterproofing Solutions

Your basement may seem to be the stuff of horror movies—dark, damp, and uninviting, but this needn’t be the case. After all, this room represents a huge amount of livable space in your home, and if you have a large or growing family, every square foot is precious. Basement waterproofing may sound like an expensive […]

6 Signs of Basement Water Damage

Sometimes identifying symptoms of water in your basement goes beyond just a wet floor.

Leah Leitow

Content Writer

Leah is a Content Writer for Groundworks with nearly ten years of experience working in the foundation repair industry. Her experience ranges from working with homeowners to find the right solution to training inspectors and staff. In her background as a Michigan journalist, she gained invaluable insight into people's lives throughout our state. Leah lives in metro Detroit with her husband and two sons.