Signs that your home has a foundation problem include cracked walls, sticking doors and windows, and unevenness in the floor. If you see these things, you need to call for help before the problem gets worse. Foundation repair isn't a do-it-yourself project because it requires a large crew and special equipment, but a good foundation repair company can create a plan that will get your home back on firm ground in only a few days using this five-step process.
After you've approved the plan and estimate, the repair company will prepare your property by protecting or temporarily removing shrubs and other plantings near the foundation. Some plants may not survive the process, but it's a small price to pay for a stable home. Inside your home, fragile or valuable pieces may need to be moved elsewhere.
Repair involves inserting peers under your home, and workers must dig holes outside in several locations near your home's foundation. They will save the excavated dirt on tarps or sheets of plywood to fill the holes after the peers are inserted. You must be sure that children and pets can't get into your yard while the work is underway.
The heart of foundation repair is steel pier insertion to stabilize your home's foundation and raise it to its original height. The piers are secured to your foundation to make sure your home remains level and stable for many years. Foundation repair often leaves a home steadier and firmer than it was when built because weak areas under it have been permanently strengthened.
The job isn't complete until the repair company's experts check for level at several points inside your home. Once they're satisfied, the pier installation process is finalized, and holes around the foundation are filled. If cutting holes in concrete driveways or patios was necessary, crews repair the concrete so that you can use the area as you did before.
Site cleanup includes removal of landscape coverings, replanting of surviving plants and sod that was removed for digging, replacement plantings in some cases, and removal of all tarps, lumber, metal debris, and trash. Your property should look as good as before the foundation work or perhaps better, but you'll be able to see where the digging was done.
Foundation problems don't get better without repairs. While the idea of foundation repair may be scary and the scope of the project can seem daunting, the right repair company can do the job quickly, efficiently, and accurately so that you can get back to using your home however you like.
About the author:
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family, and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn't writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
