Does anyone have a foundation repair experience or anecdote? (sale, new home)

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

What recourse does one have, if a home inspection fails to detect foundation problems that become apparent shortly after the closing?

I am not trying to defend any Inspector but the answer to your questions is in the key words in red. If it was not visible, apparent, or detectable during the inspection and only manifested itself after the inspection then it becomes an issue for the buyer (new owner) to handle. You can easily have a large time lag between the inspection and closing. In our weather conditions in Texas even a week long period of heavy rain, or a couple week period of extreme heat, both without proper attention to the foundation can potentially cause significant issues. If the foundation was not properly maintained during that time then the buyer would need to speak with the seller about the issue.

If there were signs of foundation movement noted during the inspection then section I. Structural, Subsection A. Foundation, should have listed those signs and the Inspectors opinion regarding the performance of the foundation. Would you care to share with us what was noted in that section of your report? Also when was the month/year of the inspection? What signs did you, or another Inspector/Engineer/Foundation Repair Specialist find after the closing that would potentially indicate it was missed during the inspection? How long after closing did you see the issue?

[PeriwinkleBlue]

How can you tell if the house is simply settling or there really is a foundation problem? Can you trust these foundation companies who come out to tell you the truth? I guess I'm asking how you can be sure you're not being scammed?

[modster]

Originally Posted by PeriwinkleBlue

How can you tell if the house is simply settling or there really is a foundation problem? Can you trust these foundation companies who come out to tell you the truth? I guess I'm asking how you can be sure you're not being scammed?

Get a structural engineer report.

[PeriwinkleBlue]

Thanks Modster.

[MrSam]

Originally Posted by modster

I deal with a lot of 50's and 60's era homes and pretty much ALL of them have had to have pier work done at some point. It is extremely common.

I have more experience with this than I care to admit.

Typically foundation repairs can run around $300 a pier from the big companies. Personally I have found Jericho to be one of the better ones at not "over bidding" on repairs. Interior piers vs. exterior piers makes a difference in cost.

There are some small independent guys out there that can do it for a LOT less. I have one I have used personally and have had clients and friends use and so far so good. He was considerably cheaper than the big companies.

Hi,
Would it be possible to share some contact information on these "small independent guys out there" ? Preferably some that you have heard or know of.
Thank you,
Sam

[bamba_boy]

I had foundation problem experience with my first house. It was in Sharpstown but not on a fault. However, like many houses all over Houston it was on montmorrillinite (sp?) clay or gumbo that swelled and contracted with water introduced and settled (contracted) quite a bit under the house's rain shadow. Also the house had a big fireplace in the back of the house with a huge two+-story chimney making the back of the house quite a bit heavier than the front. The house listed like a freighter in rough seas and all the door frames got bent into slight trapezoids so the doors wouldn't shut any more. Also minor cracks opened up in the walls, ceiling, and one place in the exterior brick.

The house was a corporate-owned house due to the previous owners forced transfer. I got a tremendous deal on the house ($50+k off what they gave the previous owner) and a promise to fix the foundation and issues resulting inside the house. Those repairs were about $12,000 on puting in 20 or so bell-bottom piers after levelling the house and another $15,000 repairing all the interior damage and repainting.

As daunting as that sounds, I ended up with a "like-new" house that I lived in for another 20 years and nearly tripled in value from my original purchase price. I'd even go so far as saying this might be a good strategy in home purchase for self or investment purchases if you can obtain the steady services of a good home foundation repairman for a good price. I've heard horror stories about poor or over-expensive jobs but I'd say that soil-settling and other foundation problems aren't insurrmountable here in Houston.

One big gripe I really do have is that Houston builders cheap-skate on foundation quality even knowing the faulted and drained-swamp gumbo soil conditions that they build on. Nearly all construction here in the last 40-50 years is just plopping a moderately-reinforced with steel rebar concrete slab onto the ground and building the house on it. WWII era back they used the more expensive but infinitely better pier and beam construction with the house built on strong treated wood beams and raised off the ground on piers. Not only was the house raised off the ground in flood-prone Houston but differential soil settlement and leaning of the house good be easily corrected by adjusting the height of individual piers or applying shims with most of the foundation exposed above ground level.

With all the development that went on since WWII such continuation of wood pier and beam construction probably would have denuded all the forests of N. America but builders should at least make original foundation construction with concrete piers so houses would remain intact for decades after original construction without repair. I think it would be a big selling point with buyers, too.

[HoustonRonnie]

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

If you could assign a number in % terms, what would that number be? Have you heard any dollar numbers for repair costs?

37.296% with an average cost of $4,483.42.

[bamba_boy]

Originally Posted by HoustonRonnie

37.296% with an average cost of $4,483.42.

Wow, that was very impressive. However, you didn't just pull those numbers out of your a*s, didya, H-Ron?

[HoustonRonnie]

Originally Posted by bamba_boy

Wow, that was very impressive. However, you didn't just pull those numbers out of your a*s, didya, H-Ron?

Why yes. Yes I did. Ask for unsolvable minutae, get a BS answer.

[ethicalhelp]

Foundation issues are all too common in all areas of Texas. Especially in North Texas where I reside. My post is more of a causionary tale as I am no foundation expert (I work in banking) and I would hate to see even 1 more good person (other than myself) get swindled and left feeling robbed and taken advantage of. I started noticing cracking in the brick and mortar around my home about 18 months ago and finally decided to do something about it 6 months ago. I had 3 or 4 companies lined up to come out and give an estimate the 1st of which was PERMA-PIER foundation repair. Long story short the "evaluator" / (salesman) ended up talking me into $6,000 worth of repairs saying it would fix all of my problems and had a lifetime/transferrable warranty. Currently my home had started sinking again and the only warranty work Ive been able to muster up is $200 per pier adjustments on the ones they installed 6 months ago (which were supposed to be free adjustments) and Ive been told the only way they will adjust their previous work is if I pier the rest of the home, $10,000 more in new piers because the reason the old work started sinking again is because the entire home should have been piered in the 1st place. Now when I try and contact Perma-Piers warranty department the only return call I can get is from the new installation dept trying to add $10,000 worth of work in addition to charging me for adjustments that were supposed to be free with my initial $6,000. Moral of the story is dont choose Perma-Pier. They are higher in cost per pier, $400, when other companies are $300 per pier at most. Plus the warranty department is really the new sales dept and wichever loophole they choose to get out of the initial agreement in order to try and get more money out of you. This company is completely dishonest, unethical, and the perfect example of how businesses should not operate. Good luck to anyone reading this and youre off to a better start than me if you simply rule Perma-Pier out of your list of potential service companies.