Buying a House – How to check the Foundation?

If there are suspicions of a damaged foundation then it is important to obtain certainty about the foundation and the current situation. It is often wise to first sit down with possible co-owners and discuss the situation. By entering the research process together, the chance of retrospective discussions is considerably smaller.

Type of foundation

After all owners have been mobilized, it is important to find out what type of foundation applies to the building. This can be traced through archival research at the municipality. Different types of foundations are possible in different designs. However, the most common foundation with problems is the wooden pole foundation.

Cause foundation problems

With the information in hand, it is important to sit down with an expert. This may also be possible before the residents’ consultation or the investigation of the type of foundation. With the help of an expert you can see what possible causes are and how these can possibly be solved. With the help of the expert, the correct next steps can often be determined. These experts are often prepared to hold an introductory meeting free of charge and to give advice on what to do without obligation.

Step-by-step foundation improvement

When it is determined together with the foundation repair expert that the suspicions of foundation problems are justified, a choice can be made to start the follow-up process.

This is often used with a foundation study to see the seriousness of the situation. This is generally the first cost item.

Requesting multiple quotes and comparing them with each other is therefore advisable. Important in this research is that it is independent. This is because of later discussion that there might be with neighbors or co-owners about whether the recovery is actually needed.

It is advisable to have the quotes and the compare one by one.

State

After determining the actual condition of the foundation, you can choose whether or not to restore the foundation. The investigation often reveals a enforcement term for the foundation. If it is less than 10 to 15 years old, it is advisable to do something about your foundation.

Cost

There are different ways to solve these problems for each foundation and its condition. Here too, the expert can support you. The costs are just as different as the solutions. However, it is true that cheap can quickly become expensive. In Texas, in particular there are sufficient examples where the cheaper pile head reduction has been chosen (that is, placing concrete trailers on existing wooden posts that are being sawn off) and where the foundation must be replaced after 10 years with a version with completely new concrete posts.

Solution

Foundation repair is quite specialist work and is a trajectory with risks. Therefore, be well informed in advance about foundation repair from experts. A good foundation repair company / consultant can support you during the entire process or parts of it.