Foundation Help...

[Altercall]

Anyone here work with foundations? I'm looking at houses and I've found two that I really like. One has a crack in the ceiling originating basically from the front door going diagonally through the formal dining entrance. I would say the main separation in the pic is only 8-12 inches, but then it looks like it was patched 1-2 ft past that in the past.

The second house looks like it might have some separation between the wall and ceiling a couple of rooms, but that's not the main concern. There is a crack along the garage pillar on the top right side of the garage (Pic 2 &3). The brick at the top is set in deeper now than the bottom. There are also a couple of ceiling/wall cracks in the corner of the house closest to that(Pic 4). There are also some cracks on the back side of the garage brick cracks (Pic 5). Also, I didn't get a pic of this, but I can tomorrow if I need to, the corner stone on the left front of the house has dislodged. It's not laying on the ground but it is a decent amount off kilt. My realtor, a guy I trust, said that's not terribly uncommon, but I don't know if that has anything to with the foundation

Everyone tells me that every house in North Texas has some sort of foundation problem because they all settle. We have no bedrock, usually 2-5 ft of soil over clay. I understand that. Most people caulk them and paint over cracks unless there is a more serious foundation problem. My questions... Does either house have serious foundation problems? Does either foundation need to be fixed? How much would the repairs cost?

Thanks in advance!

 

[strife]

Tough to say Jay, the pictures only show the results of the settling. Do you have any actual shots of the foundation problems, ie: cracks in the concrete or separations? What kind of foundation are we talking about? Is the house on a poured slab with a blocked footing or is the footing also poured? Does the slab have any large cracks in it? Is there a basement?

If your only concern is what's in the photos those are all minor repairs. My best advice is to hire a home inspector before purchasing, best money you'll ever spend or wish you had.

 

[Altercall]

No clue on the footing, but I can find out. Didn't see any cracks in the foundation, but I will look closer when I go by tomorrow. Taking a friend to look through the rest of the house. No basements in TX, you know how hard it is to dig through that clay?

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

How old the houses are should also give you a good indication as to if it's just "settling" or something more serious Jay.

 

[Altercall]

The first one is 1985, but a block from the lake. The second is 1975 and 3/4 of a mile from the lake.

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

I've never lived in Texas so, a 24 yr. old and a 34 yr old house....were these problems new or recent, and if they were, I would think that it's more than settling but that's just my 2 cents Jay.

 

[Altercall]

We don't have 100 year old houses out here. Most everything is from within the last 50 years in Arlington, especially in the nicer areas of town. There is alot of foundation problems since there isn't any bedrock, and then there are also alot of surface cracks that I'm told aren't a big deal. I'm just trying to figure out which I'm dealing with.

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

I'ld go with inspector recommedation. Best money you could spend. The inspector will take pictures of everything questionable and provide an estimate range to correct. You actually put a "favorable inspection" as part of the purchase aggreement. That way you determine what "favorable" is or isn't. Could impact price.

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

Pic 2 and 3 look to be the more serious problems, and in Pic 3 it definately looks like someone tried to fix the bricks at least "once" before to me.

I would personally check to see what a "Home Inspector" would charge you to inspect it, or if you really like either home have the owner pay for a "Home Inspection".

 

[Altercall]

I am definite;y going to have an inspector look at it, but I'm trying to figure out which house I want to offer on first. I don't want to offer on one that is going to have $10,000 worth of foundation repairs to do unless they both have big problems. Then I'll try and work it into the contract. I'm basically trying to figure out if I should eliminate the second house because of foundation problems.

 

[Altercall]

Sorry if it sounds like I'm being argumentative, I'm just trying to explain what I know and I feel like I'm leaving stuff out. All he advise is helping.

 

[Wasch_24]

Everyone needs to keep in mind that these sort of things are very prevelant in Texas.

What would be an instant no-buy else where in the country is workable in Texas.

At least it seems that way from watching HGTV, TLC, and the like.

 

[strife]

It doesn't really appear that the problem is the foundation, just simple settling. The repairs seen weren't really true repairs just some caulk podged in to fill gaps. The garage door and frame should have been removed and reinstalled. If what you say is true about no cracks in the slab then the foundation, unless there is a soil problem, should pose no further threat. Most inspectors here in the NE will give prospective buyers a multiple home package deal for only a few dollars more than a single home inspection.

Hope this helps.

 

[Electric Sheep]

Everyone tells me that every house in North Texas has some sort of foundation problem because they all settle.

That's only true to an extent; every house with a SLAB FOUNDATION in North Texas has some sort of foundation problem. Pier-&-beam foundations don't have those kind of issues. My pier-&-beam house in Dallas was built in 1955 and doesn't have any issues like that. My detached garage with a slab foundation in my backyard, however, split right in the middle and buckled, with the back half falling 6" lower than the front. We're talking about two structures of the same age on the same piece of property here...one has issues, one doesn't. It's all due to the type of foundation used.

Check this out:

Two foundation choices that a new homeowner should be aware of are slab-on-grade foundations and pier and beam foundations. The two are quite different when it comes to construction, cost, and longevity.

Slab-on-grade foundations are constructed with reinforced concrete and are usually shallow, quickly built, and inexpensive. For a builder that doesn't have to live in the homes that he builds, slab foundations are a dream. Slab foundations are used with homes that do not have basements. A major disadvantage to slab-on-grade foundations is that they are not resistant to seasonal movement changes and moisture disbursement due to root growth. In other words, slab foundations are not a long-term option for homes in North Texas. Another disadvantage is that generally all piping is placed under the slab foundation causing a very costly procedure should a water pipe burst.

Pier and beam foundations, on the other hand, rate a few steps above a slab-on-grade foundation. Pier and beam foundations incorporate a crawl space (usually at least 18 inches) beneath the home and footings filled with concrete to support the slab. This type of foundation is not considered a time saver, but it is safer and more convenient. The crawl space allows access to heating and plumbing utilities without having to break through the concrete slab. The piers mean foundations are less susceptible to damage due to ground shifting, a problem many North Texas homes with slab foundations experience. If extreme ground shifting does occur, the foundation is easily adjusted, a process that is much less expensive than slab foundation repairs, a process most homes in North Texas will have to undergo.

Since pier and beam foundations leave homeowners walking on a suspended wood platform, they are much easier on the body's joints. Pier and beam foundations are preferred by back pain suffers over slab foundations.

Pier and beam foundations are generally used for homes built in the Northern part of the country because the climate consists of the freeze and thaw conditions. This condition requires that the foundation be built deeply in to the ground. The safety feature here is that deep foundations are very rarely affected by climate changes. But, the shifting grounds of North Texas make pier and beam foundations the best, longest-lasting choice for foundations in the area.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Choose-a-Pier-and-Beam-Foundation?&id=1089536

Builders (especially in the suburbs) slap together houses on slab foundations because they're piss cheap, which of course means more profit for them....and they don't give a shit that the slabs start buckling and cracking in 5 years because once they've built and sold it, it's not their problem anymore!

There's a REASON homes in the suburbs are so affordable: because they're built cheap. :noemotion

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

Duane, that is definately "good to know" information, I for one was not familar with the difference of the two.

 

[Altercall]

Good info Duane, but that does the opposite of helping me!:hanghead:

 

[Electric Sheep]

Good info Duane, but that does the opposite of helping me!:hanghead:

No, but it does give you a little more info on how I developed my anti-suburb/pro-city stance. I used to have a house with a slab foundation in the suburbs. Everything about living in the 'burbs made me wanna blow my freakin' brains out. LOL

:crytears:

 

[hdroadglide]

but your turntable won't skip when it's on a slab!!!

 

[Electric Sheep]

My turntable doesn't skip because (A) it's already got a built-in suspension system, and (B) I'm using a Shure DJ cartridge that tracks like a mo-fo. It's almost impossible to make it skip!

 

[Hendy]

Definitely have it inspected. But, if it were me, I would pass it up in a minute.