October 24, 2010 By

5 Tips for Foundation Inspection

Hidden foundation problems can cost a home buyer thousands of dollars.  Here are 5 tips for prospective home buyers.

1.  Hire a registered professional engineer for a thorough evaluation if the initial home inspection report says “some evidence of foundation movement”.

2.  Prior foundation repair is no guarantee that all of the foundation problems have been solved.  Sometimes an engineer and foundation repair company are hired to repair a specific portion of the foundation, and to disregard problems in other areas of the house.

3.  If you see any signs of foundation problems, hire a professional engineer for a thorough evaluation.

4.  Be wary of any professional engineers’ report or inspector’s report that says “some evidence of foundation movement…typical of homes in the area”.   Get another thorough engineering evaluation, including foundation elevations. This is known in the industry as a Class B inspection.  A Class A foundation inspection report does not have the detail of a Class B report.

5.  Foundation problems may cause other problems such as roof leaks and plumbing breaks.  Get a professional estimate of the total costs of fixing collateral damage.

For prospective home buyers, Granite Foundation Repair charges a modest inspection fee.  Granite provides free foundation evaluations for home owners.

The cost of a foundation inspection is well worth it since it can potentially save you thousands of dollars in the future. If you are looking at a home to purchase, make sure you have the foundation inspected if you see any common signs of foundation problems. Cracks in the brick, cracks near corners of the home, cracks around windows and cracks in concrete around the home are all commons signs of foundation problems.

As a home buyer, it is easy to get caught up in the purchase of a new home, but it is important to make sure you have everything evaluated and inspected so that your new home doesn’t end up costing you more in the future.

At Granite Foundation Repair we provide FREE foundation inspections for homeowners and charge a small fee for foundation inspections on potential purchases.

Filed Under: Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 19, 2010 By

Why does soil consolidation cause a foundation problem?

Soil consolidation is a leading cause of concrete slab foundation failure of houses in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. The soil lacks the strength to adequately support the foundation.

Improper preparation of clay soil can cause consolidation, which means that the clay soil becomes more dense with time.  Soil consolidation can continue for decades.

During building site preparation, the developer should assure that clay soil is at the correct moisture content to enable adequate compaction in thin layers using specialized heavy construction equipment.

If you suspect a foundation problem is caused by soil consolidation, you may want to hire an engineering firm to perform soil consolidation testing.  Site testing can run upwards of $2500.

If your house foundation has failed due to clay soil consolidation, you should consult a construction attorney as you may be able to take action against the site developer and or builder.

The weight of a house will facilitate soil consolidation. One way to mitigate future consolidation damage is by having steel piers installed to take the load of the house off of the top soil in the areas where consolidation is taking place.  Sometimes it is necessary to pier the whole house  to fix foundation problems caused by soil consolidation.

Soil consolidation is common in the Dallas and Ft. Worth areas. If you suspect you have a soil consolidation issue, which is causing foundation problems, contact Granite Foundation Repair. One of our registered professional engineers will come out for FREE to perform a foundation inspection. Once a foundation inspection is performed, we can provide you with any foundation problems we see, the methods of repair we recommend and possibly the cause of your issues.

 

Filed Under: Foundation Maintenance, Foundation Repair Information Tagged With: , , , , , , ,