Conroe Foundation Repair
Watch for These Signs of Foundation Movement
Should You Have Your Foundation Repaired?
Foundation movement is a common problem with Cypress homes and buildings. Whether you are the owner of property or considering a real estate purchase, knowing the signs of foundation movement is important. Determining if a foundation has moved and what has caused it to shift is a job best left to the experts – structural engineers.
Many of the signs of foundation movement can also be caused by other issues. The best way to rule out foundation movement is to hire a structural engineer to do an inspection. Although this inspection is usually referred to as a foundation inspection, a thorough engineer will examine several other areas of your home that may provide evidence of foundation changes. Some of these would be cracks running through several floor tiles, gaps in wood flooring, doors that don’t close correctly or swing open, windows that are difficult to open or shut, and cracks in walls or ceilings.
For concrete slab foundations, your structural engineer will also look for humps in the floor, concrete spalling, and cracks in the foundation. If you have a crawlspace, the structural engineers from Crosstown Engineering will always do a visual inspection of the entire foundation. (Note: Many foundation inspectors do not take the time to perform this type of thorough foundation inspection in a crawlspace.)
With a thorough foundation inspection by a structural engineer from Crosstown Engineering, you will learn whether there has been foundation movement or whether other factors are creating the issues in your home. If we determine that foundation movement is the source, we will provide a full report of our inspection findings. The report will also include our suggestions for foundation monitoring or repairs.
Who Should Perform Your Foundation Inspection?
How Third-Party Inspections Protect the Property Owner
You will find that many foundation repair contractors advertise foundation inspection services. They may even offer their inspection services at no cost. This may sound like a good deal, but there are risks involved when your foundation inspection is done by someone who could also profit by recommending repairs. It is generally in the best interest of a Cypress property owner to hire someone other than a foundation repair company to perform your foundation inspection.
By hiring a structural engineer to execute the foundation inspection, you have the confidence that the resulting opinion is unbiased. When a structural engineer from Crosstown Engineering does your inspection, you get so much more than you realize.
Accuracy: Our inspections have the foundation of years of training and experience backed with new technology like the manometer for extremely accurate elevation measurements.
Forensic Engineering: We don’t stop with finding the problem; we use forensic science to determine the underlying cause or causes for your foundation issues.
Respected Professional: A foundation inspection report signed by a structural engineer may be required should you decide to sell or refinance your home.
Unbiased Recommendations: We don’t profit in any way from our foundation repair recommendations. The best interest of the property owner is the goal of every service we provide.
Engineered Foundation Repair Plans: Should repairs be needed, Crosstown Engineering can execute the engineered plans required for obtaining a permit for the repairs.
Repair Contractor Recommendations: We can give you a list of foundation repair companies in the area who have a reputation for fair prices and high-quality work.
Hiring a structural engineer for your foundation inspection can save you money by protecting you against unnecessary repairs, improper repair work, or repairs that don’t address all the sources of your foundation problems.
Don’t trust your foundation inspection to anyone else. Call Crosstown Engineering for foundation expertise.
Cypress Foundation Repair Contractors
Signs of a Reliable Texas Contractor
When we recommend foundation repairs to property owners, we always encourage them to vet potential foundation repair contractors thoroughly before making a decision. Some of the things we look for in a reliable contractor are:
- Appreciating engineering oversight
- Providing a foundation repair warranty
- Business longevity
- Comparable pricing to the competition
- Structural engineers on their reference list
- Experience in the type of repairs needed
If you would like contractor recommendations, we are happy to provide the names of those we trust.
Different Types of Foundation Repair
Understanding Your Repair Options
When repairs are recommended following a foundation inspection, there can be more than one repair solution that might work. A particular foundation repair contractor may or may not offer all the different types of repairs listed below.
Pressed Piles and Steel Pipe Piles
There are two different pile options for foundation repair. They each have their pros and cons. Pressed piles offer the most affordability and can adjust to future soil movement. However, they have a higher failure rate than steel pipe piles.
These piles are installed with specialized equipment. Besides a significantly higher price tag, steel pipe piles do not easily adjust to downward soil movement like pressed piles. However, they have a lower failure rate than pressed piles.
Drilled Piers for Foundation Repair
Drilled piers offer strong support for slab perimeters and are well-suited for a variety of soil types. However, the equipment used to install drilled piers has a limited reach, preventing the placement of drilled piers under the interior portions of a concrete slab. Their high price tag and the fact that they cannot be adjusted or repaired have further limited their choice as a foundation repair solution.
Spread Footings/Block and Base Repairs
When pier-and-beam foundations need additional support, spread footings/block and base repairs are one option. It is vital that these repairs be properly engineered and maintained.
Foam Injection for Slab Remediation
This type of foundation remediation is used to lift the interior area of a concrete slab foundation temporarily. A well-trained and experienced foam injection contractor is critical for this application.
Mud Jacking of Concrete Slabs
Like foam injection, you will want your mud jacking contractor to be well-trained and experienced at controlling the flow of material. Mud jacking is best used to fill voids under concrete, such as under a concrete step where the soil has eroded. We don’t recommend mud jacking as a foundation repair solution.
How Long Do Foundation Repairs Last?
Pair a Structural Engineer with Your Repair Contractor
Unfortunately, not all foundation repairs last as long as they should. When foundation repairs fail, many times, the failure could have been prevented. The involvement of a structural engineer throughout the process is one way to give your foundation repairs a better chance at a long life. It starts with having the foundation repair plan prepared by the engineer. As the repairs are performed, the engineer should provide oversight to ensure the repair contractor understands and performs the repairs per plan. After the repairs are completed, there may be testing and maintenance required to make sure your repairs last as long as they should.
Foundation Repair Experts Servicing Cypress
Foundation Repair Inspections
Every foundation repair should begin with a foundation inspection report by a structural engineer and end with another foundation inspection after the repairs have been completed.
Contact Crosstown Engineering to learn why we’re the foundation inspection experts.
