The homeowner assumed for years he was standing on solid, firm ground as strong as graphene, the strongest known substance on Earth.
His house didn’t agree. He woke up one day and realized what it had been trying to tell him for ages. Those cracks in the walls, ceilings and floors. The doors and windows and windows that didn’t open and close properly. Those uneven floors straight out of a “Beetlejuice” or a Disney “Haunted Mansion” movie. The cracks on the front porch steps.
It all made sense now. His home’s foundation was severely compromised. He and his family were living essentially in a quicksand house that was gradually sinking like a melting glacier.
Suddenly, he could feel the foundation of his wallet collapsing as a monster home save project coldly stared he and his family’s savings down.
“You know those moments in life when you’re absolutely certain you’ve made a terrible, possibly financially catastrophic decision?” Home improvement blogger Natasha Red asks.
“What do I do now?” he wondered in a cold sweat, envisioning himself as Tom Hanks in “The Money Pit.”
It’s essential to know “what to do when you have a sinking feeling about the state of your foundation,” Angi’s Rachel Hoffman stresses.
STEP 1: Contact a Qualified Structural Engineer or Foundation Repair Specialist for a Professional Instruction
This is the essential first step to how to fully assess the damage and develop a solid-as-oak plan to fix it. And time is of the structural essence, because you can’t afford to sit on this critical problem that is threatening the safe livability of your home every day it is left unaddressed.
“A sinking foundation can endanger the structural integrity of your entire home, posing serious safety risks and creating damage throughout the house,” Hoffman notes. “A sinking foundation can also damage utility lines that run under the house, potentially leading to plumbing problems or gas leaks. When a foundation sinks, it can cause separation of walls, ceilings, and the roof, which can all result in leaks and water damage.”
STEP 2: Find a Qualified Contractor
This is, and we repeat, not a DIY project (for reference, see what happened when Homer Simpson tried to repair his home’s seedy foundation himself). If your inspector confirms you have a sinking foundation, turn the project over to a qualified, licensed contractor, who can determine the best foundation restoration plan for your home (helical piers, mudjacking or foundation repair braces).
“We recommend hiring a foundation repair expert to fix a sinking foundation because most homeowners don’t have the tools to fix it on their own,” This Old House’s Stephanie Minasian-Koncewicz writes. “Also, most don’t have the industry knowledge to repair structural damage.”
STEP 3: Know the Financials and Have a Backup Living Plan
No foundation can be saved overnight or repaired for pennies on the dollar. Angi’s reports the average foundation repair costs this summer run from $2,100 to $7,800. Full foundation replacements can cost between $20,000 to $100,000 and will require your family finding temporary alternate housing while the project is completed.
“Foundation replacement involves lifting the house, removing the original foundation, pouring a new foundation, and placing the house back on the foundation,” Hoffman notes. “This process can take weeks or longer, and you might not be able to live in your house during foundation replacement.”
Another compelling reason not to sit on foundation repairs: they are generally considered a part of regular home maintenance as they occur over time. They are not covered by homeowners’ insurance.
You need to have a budget plan ready for any needed foundation repairs.
How Much is Too Much?
All houses settle over time, but a foundation sinking of more than a few inches and more than an inch for every 20 feet is where it becomes a major must-repair-now issue.
Foundations sink due a variety of reasons, such as weather changes, poor home construction, and soil composition.
Telltale signs of your house having a foundation issue include:
- Cracks in Walls or Floors
- Uneven or Sloping Floors
- Doors and Windows Sticking or Not Closing Properly
- Gaps Between Walls and Ceilings
- Visible Foundation Cracks
- Water Pooling Around the Foundation
- Exterior Wall Separation
The homeowner breathed a long sigh of relief when his contractor told him his home’s foundation problem could be solved without breaking his bank account. His stomach and mind no longer had a sinking feeling.
