You are not alone. Below are more of the most Common Foundation Problems in Houston page 6. These images of emails from Houston area homeowners illustrate the many foundation issues they are confronting. We have added our comments where we thought it might be beneficial. Many homeowners in other Texas cities are experiencing similar foundation problems.
Thank you for the compliment. Dawson provides the Highest Quality Foundation Method (Bell Bottom Piers) available in the state of Texas.
? NEW home with Foundation Problems ? Immediately call your home builder and ask for any foundation problem to be corrected. Document all of your conversations and if you are not satisfied with the results then you should contact a lawyer.
Unfortunately we do NOT offer foundation services for townhouses, condos, or apartments. These residential structures share a single large slab foundation and we can not install support structures (Bell Bottom Piers) and level your townhouse without affecting the slab foundation of your neighbors. We suggest you contact the previous contractor and ask about his (limited) warranty and solution. However, the only “good” solution is to stabilize the entire slab foundation with Bell Bottom Piers – your townhouse and all of the others.
Yes, this could be the start of a sink hole. Or perhaps a plumbing leak. A closer inspection will be required by Dawson and a plumber.
This email from a Spring, Texas homeowner is another example of a failed foundation repair job. It is a virtual certainty that this homeowner had another contractor install pushed piles. Pushed Piles are a cheap and quick method that is usually temporary. Pushed Piles are very limited in the weight bearing capacity and their Factor of Safety. Now this homeowner is contacting us because we offer the Highest Quality Foundation Repair Method in Texas – Bell Bottom Piers. They are Permanent and can support very large weight loads.
This homeowner should have had his house and foundation inspected some years earlier. His house has suffered additional damage due to his inaction. The structural damage to his roof is very concerning and could be very expensive to repair. The homeowner also mentioned drainage problems that apparently have not been corrected. This is a good example of failing to take action and they having to pay more in repairs because of continuing damage to the house.
Many foundation inspections by Dawson Foundation Repair result in a “No Repair Needed” conclusion. Sometimes interior cracks are minor as well as the exterior cracks. Elevation readings throughout the house often indicate that the elevations – or level of the house – are within accepted tolerances. In these cases we suggest that the homeowner observe the cracks over time and not be concerned unless they begin to enlarge. Small cosmetic cracks are “normal” for concrete slab foundations resting on clay soils.
Yes, we will inspect this house for foundation issues. However, the owner would have been better served by an inspection from an independent structural engineer prior to buying the house. And he would have been in a better negotiating position with the house seller.
These problems did not happen overnight and the homeowner has failed to take action in a timely manner. Now the house has more damage and it is significant damage if the windows have “dropped” two inches and the midsection is sagging. Remember, our foundation inspections are free. We have been in business more than 30 years in the Houston area. Call us today if you see any warning signs of foundation damage.
Well, we are a little surprised that several companies have not responded to this homeowner’s concerns. If one side of the house is lower than the other side then some type of repair and/or leveling work should be undertaken.
This Richmond, Texas homeowner has observed a classic case of settlement. A portion of the home’s foundation has “dropped” or settled. That also means that the foundation has suffered a severe crack – probably in a corner. The steel rebar that was placed in the foundation during construction should be “holding” the cracked portion of the foundation close to the rest of the foundation. Many newer homes are constructed with tension cables rather than steel rebar and may not offer the same rigidity of steel rebar. Regardless, at a minimum this portion of the foundation needs support and we would recommend the installation of Bell Bottom Piers.