The foundation to your home is just that, the foundation. Every other aspect of your house depends on the strength and stability of your foundation. So if there are cracks, the foundation is uneven, or parts are being washed out, it needs to be addressed immediately. It can be scary territory. But if handled correctly and swiftly, you can repair your house’s foundation before permanent damage is done. Here’s some of our advice on how to keep your home in top condition.
Accurately identify the issue
Cracks in the foundation can be sealed easily with epoxy putty to ensure no water can come in. But it could be a costly mistake to think the foundation is newly secure at this point. Often times there is more to the issue than meets the eye. So it is essential leave no stone unturned when addressing the problem.
What caused the cracks? It could be an uneven foundation that has bowed or tipped. It could be a faulty pipe or gutter causing water to erode the area around the foundation away. It could be water expanding the nearby soil, which places excess pressure on the walls. Or it could be something non-obvious that requires an expert opinion.
However, to reiterate, regardless of the underlying cause, simply plugging the cracks does not address the true problem, and therefore will cause you far more trouble down the road. The cracks are merely a symptom of the issue, and a true solution repairs the root cause, not the symptoms.
Choose and execute the right solution
Once you are confident that you have focused on the right problem, it is time to actually repair your house’s foundation. Potential fixes include: unclogging a drain, carbon-fiber mesh, wall anchors, steel braces, pouring more concrete, or underpinning posts. It is possible to fix the problem yourself in some instances, but more often than not a contractor is needed.
Some problems have multiple repair options, and a contractor usually specializes in just one of those, so they will naturally give you biased advice towards their area of expertise. Because of this, it is worthwhile to consult a structural engineer who can assess the problem and give you unbiased advice on the best course of action to repair your foundation. For more detailed information on issues and house repair costs, click here.
If you find yourself in a situation where repairs of this nature are out of your budget or timeframe and you wish to sell instead, an As-Is sale of your home is another option.
Repairs are unnecessary to make before the cash sale of your home, so you can move on without the hassle of making the expensive changes. Core Properties are the experts you need in the sale of a home “As-Is.” Learn more about this option here.