Property with foundation problems

[Mike Chapin]

I'm looking at purchasing a property with some foundation concerns. Looking at roughly $500o in repairs to install a dozen piers according to a contractor. Has anyone purchased properties with these issues and what type of things should I be looking out for?

[Brian Rossiter]

I second Kevin's recommendation. If you're going only on the contractor's pier design, he may be installing too many piers, not enough piers, or putting piers in less-than-optimal locations. A structural engineer can help you optimize the number and locations of piers.

The $5k bid may be high if your costs are typically around the national average. It might just be a little high in the normal range if you're above the average. The cost varies by the type of pier, too. I'm not an estimator by profession, but in my experience push piers tend to be on the economical side. Micropiles and helical piers are typically more effective, but they are quite a bit more expensive. As always, get bids from at least three contractors.

A properly-repaired foundation can be just as effective as a new, undamaged foundation. Things to look out for are signs of water infiltration in walls and crawlspaces (stains and mildew!). The ground and any pavements directly adjacent to the house should slope down away from the house; sloping back toward the house is a bad thing. Downspouts should also drain away from the house, not dump rainwater directly next to the foundation.

Also look for cracks. Cracks in the foundation, cracks in any floor slabs cast on ground, cracks in the drywall (particularly above doors and windows, the square corners are stress concentrators). These will indicate differential settlement issues or frost heave under footings or slab edges. Again, structural engineers who work in the residential sector are typically well-versed in these types of problems, so retaining their services can save money and headaches in the short term as wells as in the long run.