Good afternoon Folks: If my foundation appears to move up when we get heavy rains and then back down when we have no rain for months – other than this being an irritant ; does this generally mean there is a foundation repair issue? I ask because I am concerned about a contractor giving me a FREE estimate and telling me that because my foundation moves up or down then they ( I ) need to repair it. I have heard all my life that ALL foundations in Texas move, but that does not mean there is a repairable condition.
Thanks
Kuldeep Singh
Hi there!
I’d like to point it out that if foundation movement doesn’t necessarily mean repair is needed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that repair is not needed. Does it?
Foundations undergo differential or non-differential settlements. Non-differential settlement is not such a big cause of worry, but differential settlement can take your foundations beyond repairability in a few years’ time. They’d need to be completely replaced, which could be very costly. Also, it’ll need underpinning which is not very suitable in some kinds of soil.
Apart from this, there’s another question that how much is your foundation moving. If it’s a lot then it’s a no brainier. You need to get it repaired. Your country’s codes for Settlement calculation in buildings and foundation design will help you out in this. You can look them up.
Also, your foundation may either bulge or tilt. That factor also plays a role in deciding whether it needs to be repaired. Lastly, look up if there is a crack developing in the foundation if you could. If it’s a vertical crack, it’s an indication that vertical movents are causing serious problems. Even if there are horizontal cracks, it’s better to get the foundation repaired.
PS : It’ll be best if you took an experienced foundation engineer to look into the matter.
Komal Bhandakkar
The vertical movement in foundations is caused by :
Thank You.