Foundation Repair - First Step

[Jordan L.]

Two years ago I purchase my biggest mistake.  It's a 1950's ranch home that blew my rehab budget out of the water.  Lots of lessons learned here.

I'm a buy-and-hold landlord, and I'm still ironing out the kinks with this property.  One of the major concerns I have is the pre-purchase inspection noted a number of what they called "aftermarket" piers in the crawlspace.  Some are cinder blocks, and there's a black jug/jack looking thing...

There are a couple of locations around the outside of the home where I see stair-stepping cracks along the bricks. I want to ensure the property is safe for my tenants and head off any potential problems down the road.  

I was thinking about hiring a structural engineer to come take a look and tell me what I need and don't need.  In my research, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors it seems with foundation repair.

Those of you who have experience with older homes and foundation repairs, what would you do first?

I will also mention that I don't have any good contractor connections when it comes to this magnitude of a job.  So, a trusted eye isn't an option at this point.

Thank you all in advance!

[Craig Tripp]

@Jordan L. oops, didn’t realize it was in NC.  

I’m a foundation repairman in TX, and I never get worked up about cracks in ceilings.  Most homeowners like to point them out to me, but they don’t always indicate foundation movement.  It could mean you have a framing issue or some workmanship issue in the plaster or drywall that are starting to show up.

Focus on the following:

- The fit of doors inside the frame.  The reveal on top will tell you if one side or the other has settled.

- Diagonal cracks coming off door frames or window frames at approx 45 deg angle.

- Separation around windows from the exterior. 

- Opening of brick frieze where brick veneer meets soffit.

- Levelness of counters, trim, or finishes on inside and out. 

Studying those cues will point you in the right direction.  The good news is it’s a pier and beam, and depending on access and/or rot/termite issues those are typically cheaper to fix then slab on grade.

I agree with @Logan Russell and google a local REPUTABLE repair company and let them assess it for you