Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
13y
It's impossible to know without actually seeing the house and knowing what it's built on (slab, crawlspace, basement). Your best bet is to get an engineer out there to take a look and help determine what the issue is and what -- if anything -- needs to be done.
Fort Smith, AR · Member since 2013 · 5 posts · 1 vote
13y
Hi Travis,
Stair step cracking like you see in the brick wall photo can be caused by minor settlement in the footings. Many factors go into the evaluation. Since it seems the cracks were previously filled and are now separated, that would indicate ongoing settlement. Follow the crack to the foundation wall or footing and move some dirt away if you can and see the it goes through the footing and how much separation or deflection is present. Questions you need to ask are. 1. Does the wall show any kind of deflection or an offset between the two sides. Look down the wall with the side of your head against it and see if the wall looks smooth or if there is some kind of shelf effect. Smooth is good, shelf effect is not so good. 2. Is the wall a brick veneer or a structural brick wall? If it is veneer (meaning only brick on the face with a framed structural wall behind.) It is probably cosmetic and not a big deal. Cracking in masonry and drywall is common at the lintels above the window and door headers and at the window sills due to minor settlement. If is a structural brick/block I would recommend spending 500-1000 dollars for a qualified structural engineer to evaluate. Finally correlating damage to the interior surfaces and evidence of ongoing repairs can be a red flag.
Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
13y
Originally posted by Jay Poppe:
Stair step cracking like you see in the brick wall photo can be caused by minor settlement in the footings.
Agreed if it was just the brick. But given the first picture (of the cracked foundation wall), and given that the brick is on the same side of the house as the foundation wall, it's probably not just minor settling.
Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
13y
Originally posted by Travis Sun:
He said that because the foundation is block, the blocks will shift at different speeds - thus generating the cracks.
True, but not necessarily enough information. For example, are the footers damaged? Did some structural, load-bearing component shift to the point where there's more risk to the structure? Etc...
You should have an engineer take a look if you have any further concerns...
Fort Smith, AR · Member since 2013 · 5 posts · 1 vote
13y
I think Scott and I are on the same page. Due to the condition of the hard (bearing) corner in the foundation picture, I would recommend a review by a foundation repair specialist or an engineer. Do not be surprised if you have to dig to the footing to get your answer. If this is a good deal you will be well served to spend the money on this professional evaluation. Skip the basement waterproofers opinion.