As a building owner or owner’s representative it’s often difficult to tell if you have a foundation problem. Let’s assume that while on a property walk, you notice multiple cracks forming along an exterior building wall. Obviously, you want to take care of this issue ASAP as it does not look aesthetically pleasing. It may only be normal thermal movement, but there is also a chance you may have foundation movement, which is a serious issue and needs to be addressed for the integrity of the building.
How do you distinguish a potential foundation repair problem? Some of the most common problem signs along the exterior of the building may include cracks in the stucco, cracks in the foundation, stair step cracking in block buildings or shifting in the walls (rotating in or out). Along the interior of the building some of the most common problem signs are doors and windows that stick, cracks in brick or sheetrock, and floors that slope or are cracked.
As discussed previously in Guarding Against Bogus Claims in Foundation Repair, foundation sales personnel make some pretty outrageous claims and unfortunately, most are made verbally where they...
Over the years, I have heard many objections to conducting a floor elevation survey with a manometer. Today, I would like this discuss a few of those and share critical information about these...
A couple of weeks ago, we were called by the largest structural engineering firm in Phoenix to help a homeowner who had previous repairs on the stem wall of their house. Repairs were done less than...
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