How expensive is this going to be? (Foundation)

[KBScobravert]

Noticed tiles popping the grout in a line that has gone from one end of the house to the other. Then there are cracks on sheet rock in a corner bedroom and other sings. Outside I look around and you can see the bricks pulling from window frames.

Last week I had the carpet replaced and got a better look. Not happy with what I saw.







Today I was in the flower bed and felt a soft spot. I pulled up the weed barrier and saw this. Ugh!





Anyone have a great recondition on a foundation guy (s)? I am afraid to ask but anyone have something like this fixed before, how much $?

[8mpg]

I would always recommend an independent engineer to recommend how to fix it then have companies bid on the fixing.

[kpc01]

I would always recommend an independent engineer to recommend how to fix it then have companies bid on the fixing.

this is the route I plan to go. I've been needing work done for some time but keep putting it off. let us know your outcome either way you go. I "think" I still have a good engineer one of the foundation guys that i had come out left me. I had 3 companies and none of them wanted to bid it without me having an engineer (mines really really bad).

[KBScobravert]

I am going to soaker hose and water the shit out of the house.

The yard (1.4acre lot) is so dry right now. We have hundreds of cracks. Over the last couple of days we have been dropping in fresh top soil in them and trying to level it out. I think I might explore the foundation for more voids and drop in top soil while we soaker hose it.

[ceyko]

I get some members confused, but isn't that a new house? I'm thinking foundation warranty stuff.

[KBScobravert]

I get some members confused, but isn't that a new house? I'm thinking foundation warranty stuff.

Built in '99 by custom builder. We bought it in '09.

[ceyko]

Built in '99 by custom builder. We bought it in '09.

Just something to consider - but I thought most foundations had at least a 10 year warranty.

If it is transferable or not - who knows.

Personally, I'd also just start calling foundation companies. In my opinion the "lifetime warranty" is behind reputation and cost for these services. It is arguable if the lifetime warranty means a crap for resale.

[bard]

Not any more.

http://www.lonestarlandlaw.com/Builder-warrant.html

[BradM]

You're going to want to get that big toe looked at.

[black2002ls]

An engineer will cost you about $500. IMHO it is well worth it to go ahead and have an engineer take a look at it. I would rather know how bad it is now rather than in 6 months if the soaker hoses don't remedy the situation. Those cracks look like they have been forming for some time with that separation

[Frank]

I hired an engineer, then based on his report, tried to get preliminary bids. Of course I didn't expect anyone to give me an accurate bid without coming and doing their own measurements, but AllPro and Metroplex would not even return my calls. They completely ignored me when they found out I had an independent engineering report. I got a quote from Brown which told me about $12k for 14 piers and mudjacking. I had Structure come out and their report was almost exactly like the independent report. They told me mine wasn't bad enough to justify the mudjacking, and did it all for $6k. Started at 7am, done by 3pm. Lifetime transferrable warranty. I would highly recommend Structure Foundation.

[KBScobravert]

Thanks Frank.

[LS1Goat]

You certainly have some problems that will only get worse due to this persistent drought. The next step will be plumbing problems.

I recently had 14 concrete piers installed and was given a watering plan. We had a crack in the large garage floor and tape cracks everywhere. The lintel started to sag. Frieze board movement along the front of the house. Diagonal cracks over the doors in Master bathroom. Front&back doors were sticking. Closet doors were ghosting. In the worst corner of the house it was -2.8. It was a mess.

I used Crannell Crannell & Martin Engineering to get my before & after report. From there I got 3 estimates, one of them being Structured mentioned above. I went with A1 Guaranteed Foundation Repair based on the best estimate and top reviews on Angie's.

$4,570 w/Lifetime Transferable Warranty. Their work was as advertised. They did a good job cleaning up the mess afterward and replanting landscaping. Now all of the doors in the house are square in the frames. No sticking. No ghosting. All of the cracks in the house literally zipped back together. I just had to have a mason come out afterward to repair the porch, as they removed about 20 bricks in that section for access. Now I just got to figure what to do with all the extra dirt.

[KBScobravert]

Thanks for the post. I need to start getting folks out here to look at this.

[mustang_revival]

Great info in this thread! Keep them coming.

I'm in the same boat(foundation issues), but my neighbor has offered to buy my house as is.

So I'm deciding if I should sell as is or go through getting the foundation fixed and trying to get top dollar.