Blog

If you believe that your home may be suffering from foundation damage, then you may be understandably worried about what this could mean for your home, and how extensive the damage may be. The first thing you will want to do is to consult a foundation repair specialist who can inspect your home and help you to determine what the best course of action would be. However, if you have never worked with a foundation contractor before, how will you know what company to work with? Here are a few tips to help you find a reputable foundation repair specialist in your area.

Research Local Contractors

Your first step when looking for a foundation repair specialist in your area will be to research your options online. Look to see what companies are in your area, how long each one has been in business, and look at the quality of their reviews online to help you begin to compile a list of companies you may feel comfortable working with.

Ask for Referrals

Another great way to find foundation contractors in your area is to consider asking for referrals. If the houses in your neighborhood were all built during the same era, it is likely that you are not the only one who has experienced foundation problems. Consider asking neighbors if they have had foundation problems, and if so, who they worked with and whether they would recommend them. You should also consider asking for referrals from friends and relatives, as word-of-mouth is often the best way to find reliable contractors.

Talk to a Few Contractors

Once you have compiled a list of a few potential contractors you would consider working with, you should call them up to ask about their services. You can tell a lot about a company by the way their customer service staff treats you during this initial call. Representatives who are kind, attentive, and knowledgeable of the problems that plague foundations in your area are indicative of a company that will be easy to work with, and that will know how to address your home’s foundation problems.

Following these steps can help you to find a reputable contractor who can walk you through the process of repairing your home’s foundation. If you live in the Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX area, consider contacting us to find out how we can help you repair your home’s foundation.

Foundation problems often occur because of a drought: lack of water in the soil can cause the soil around your foundation to compact and shift, and your foundation might shift along with it. But once you’ve noticed the signs of foundation problems and brought an inspector onto your property, your region might be in the rainy season or a surprise rainstorm could coincide with your scheduled repairs. If this happens to you, you might be worried that this can mean a rescheduling or that your repairs won’t solve the whole problem.

Can foundation work be done on your house if it’s very wet or even raining outside?

If you need cracks filled in and repaired:

Cracks can be the first sign of a developing foundation problem or just a sign of regular foundation settling. Either way, small cracks should be monitored and filled in, both for interior and exterior placements. If you’ve scheduled an appointment to get minor exterior cracks filled in and you and your foundation expert are surprised by a sudden storm, that might just mean your cracks are filled in with a polyurethane injection instead of epoxy. Epoxy doesn’t adhere to wet surfaces, so polyurethane is the go-to compound; the same is true if you have a crack leaking water in your basement.

If the project requires excavation:

Unlike other repair jobs where there may be alternative processes and ways to keep working, excavations generally should not be continued during or following the rain. This is because the soil can cave in, compress unexpectedly, and make a mess of the whole work-site. Also, many foundation coatings are water-based, so the finished project is not as reliable. In these circumstances and depending on the exact type of foundation repair, your project’s next steps will need to be rescheduled or modified.

If your foundation needs a concrete pour:

Even concrete pourings aren’t necessarily put out by the rain. With advance notice, your repair company can build a temporary enclosure to keep out the elements: they can close off the worksite with plastic sheeting to keep a long-term project dry. Even if there’s a sudden rainstorm, most foundation experts will bring along extra plastic sheeting just on the off chance of bad weather and can protect your new concrete quickly.

In some circumstances, this might cause a bit of a delay. Depending on the full nature of the repair project, they’ll need to pull the water off of the in-progress surface in order to continue and make sure rainwater isn’t incorporated into the concrete.

If you don’t have workers on-site during a sudden storm, don’t worry. The surface of the concrete will need to be protected if it was just mixed between two and four hours ago, but once the concrete has stiffened after approximately four to six hours, rain usually can’t cause much in the way of damage. However, your foundation repair team will always assess the project for potential damage with either a visual survey or a scratch test to make sure the concrete is solid.

If your foundation problems are caused by sudden, excessive water:

The root cause of a foundation problem or shift isn’t always a drought or compacting soil. Sometimes, it’s caused by a slab leak. Other times, your foundation might have heaved due to your gutters depositing water in a focused stream on the edge of the foundation. In these circumstances, your foundation repair company might put a temporary drainage system on your property to clear the area of water. If your house is in an area or on a grade where excessive moisture might be a recurring problem, you can incorporate a more permanent drainage system into your property for regular maintenance.

If your foundation needs an inspection or repairs, go to Steady House Foundation Repair here.

While foundation damage can mean costly repairs, the earlier you catch this damage, the easier (and more affordable) it is to fix. This makes it important that you have your foundation professionally inspected if you believe that you may have foundation damage. However, many homeowners do not know how to detect foundation damage. To help get you started, here are a few of the signs indicating that you should consider having your home’s foundation inspected.

Uneven/Sagging Floors

A clear sign of problems with your home’s foundation is if you notice sections of your flooring that are uneven or sagging. If there are sections of your home’s flooring that seem lower or higher than the rest, do not ignore this as just a sign of your house aging; this is likely indicative of serious foundation damage and you will want to have your foundation inspected immediately.

Water Collects Near Your Foundation

After recent rainfall, have you noticed that water tends to stand near your foundation? This is a sign that you have poor drainage around your home, as gutters and proper grading should direct water away from your foundation. If water has been collecting near your foundation then this water may have seeped under your home causing foundation damage. It would then be in your best interest to take a precaution and have your foundation inspected.

Cracks in Your Foundation

In order to catch foundation damage as early as possible, you should occasionally inspect the exterior of your home. If your home is on a slab foundation then you may be able to see exposed concrete at the base of your home where it sits on the foundation. If you notice cracks in this exposed concrete, there may be foundation damage. While small cracks may not indicate structural damage, it is best to have them inspected just in case there is a bigger problem.

Contact us to learn more about foundation inspections and how you will know if you have foundation damage.

Foundation repair sounds pretty serious, but it is a regular part of any home maintenance. Foundation repair comes up less often than other home repairs so it seems like a bigger deal than it is.

However, if you don’t take care of small foundation problems you could face bigger and costlier foundation issues down the road. Let’s take a look at some of the signs that signal it is time for you to look into getting your foundation repaired.

Cracks

If you see cracks on your home’s exterior or on the inside walls you have a foundation issue. Specifically, this is indicative of your foundation settling off balance. You will see diagonal cracks in your brick exterior or on your drywall inside. This is a problem that can be fixed relatively cheaply, but if left to continue settling in this way it could cost you a lot more. Plus, cracks in your walls is aesthetically displeasing so get it fixed as soon as possible.

Stuck Windows and Doors

Have you noticed that your windows and/or doors are sticking a lot more than they used to, or are completely stuck shut? Besides cracks in the walls and on the outside brick, this is one of the most common signs that your foundation is settling wrong. The good news is that it is still early enough to repair your foundation without major cost or production.

Gaps

If you notice gaps on your ceiling between the molding and your ceiling or around the caulking of your doors and/or windows, you are more likely than not experiencing a settling or shifting foundation. Luckily, this is a small problem and can be taken care of before it gets out of hand.

These are a few common things to look that indicate you are experiencing foundation problems. Don’t wait until it is too late to get repairs.

Please contact us if have any foundation concerns or issues in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

When homeowners suspect that they may have foundation problems, it can be easy to ignore these problems as a home’s foundation is out of sight, and addressing these problems can be costly. However, foundation problems progressively worsen, and if left unfixed they can cause costlier and more complex damage to your home. This makes it important that you do not ignore foundation problems issues. If you believe that your home may have foundation damage, here are just a few of the reasons to have your foundation repaired as soon as possible.

Prevent The Damage From Spreading

As we previously mentioned, foundation problems tend to be progressive. Thusly, the longer you let these problems go unchecked, the worse the damage will become, and the more problems your foundation will cause throughout your home. What might start as inconveniences such as doors and windows sticking will quickly turn into major structural damage such as lifting floors and cracking walls. For this reason, while having your home’s foundation repaired may sound costly and inconvenient, the longer you wait the more expensive and stressful this process will become. Thusly, if you suspect foundation damage in your home, it is in your best interest to have your foundation inspected immediately.

Save Time

Not only will waiting to have your home’s foundation repaired cost you more money, but more expensive repairs also take more time. The longer you wait to have your foundation repaired, the more difficult and time-consuming it will become to restore your home to its original condition. Additionally, large-scale repairs could mean that you and your family may be displaced for a period of time. It is then important to act on foundation problems as soon as you discover them, as waiting even a few days can mean more work.

Increase Your Home’s Resale Value

Should you continue to ignore your home’s foundation problems, it can make it difficult to sell your home down the road. Home buyers want to move into a home that will not require extensive structural repairs, which can make your home harder to sell. Additionally, in the event that you do find a buyer, you may get a low offer due to the structural damage. Having your home’s foundation repaired can then help to ensure the value and salability of your home.

Contact us to find out more about foundation damage and the importance of having your home’s foundation repaired.