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Buying a New Home?

Buying a new can be overwhelming. Never mind all the houses that you need to visit to find the perfect one but once you have your sights on the one you want, it's important to gather some helpful information on the property for you to understand what you are buying. We are not real estate brokers or realtors, nor do we claim to be appraisal experts, investment consultants or your know it all uncle. Contrary to popular belief, engineers are human and we have the same emotions, feelings and thoughts that any other home buyer has.

Foundation Movement - Explained

Slab on ground foundation with post tension cables

 

Regardless to the type of foundation, there are two common reasons for foundation movement:

 

1)    Response to soil volume change (shrink, swell or settle): Response to soils means that foundation will move in the direction the supporting soils move. The simplest way to understand this is to understand that soils move in four directions: up, down, and the sides (left and right).

Why does my Pier and Beam foundation move?

Why does my  Pier and Beam Foundation move?

Before the use of the conventional slab on grade or floating slabs, the pier and beam foundation was the typical foundation constructed to support a house. Before 1950, the pier and beam foundation was the most economical and practical foundation for homes. With the development and advances in concrete design, contractors and developers started to construct floating slabs as opposed to pier and beam foundations.

MOST FOUNDATION REPAIR DOES NOT WORK!!!

Homeowners should be well informed about what type of foundation repair system is being installed to lift or level a house. Don't be fooled by the sells pitch or the Life Time Foundation Repair Warranty. Get a second opinion from a structural engineer before you decide to invest thousands of dollars on foundation repair that is unjustified and unnecessary.