Noticing cosmetic and structural problems in your home can be an eyesore, but some live with it better than others. However, it becomes a problem for people when it compromises their peace of mind.
A common reaction is to ask yourself, “do I need foundation repair?” and compare your circumstances to others.
Everyone’s situation is different. Foundation issues that bother you might not be a problem for someone else. Then again, what bothers someone else might never cross your mind. There isn’t a tier system for wanting peace of mind. What matters is that you can have it.
Dalinghaus Construction has inspected over 10,000 homes, giving peace of mind to over 2,000 homes through foundation repairs. We’ve interacted with thousands of people enduring various circumstances in their homes. Everyone has their reasons for wanting their repairs. In the end, the people whose homes we’ve helped have a better quality of life.
In this article, we want to help you figure out who needs foundation repair and see if any of these circumstances may pertain to you.
Who needs foundation repair?
Those whose homes have settled or have their foundations compromised.
I can acknowledge this is a broad answer. There isn’t a way to get more specific than that. There’s a misconception that some conditions require more foundation repair than others.
This is not the case.
The factor that determines when you need foundation repair is when the problems affect you personally. Is it a factor adding stress to your life? Consider foundation repair with a reputable company.
By the way, this isn’t to say you have to go with Dalinghaus Construction. We might not be the best company for YOU. This is why we always recommend getting multiple bids before making a decision.
That way you’re comparing companies and making the most informed decision that best fits YOU. Your peace of mind is what matters the most.
Who doesn’t need foundation repair?
The simple answer is those who don’t have foundation issues.
The more complex answer: you don’t need to be sold on the slogan “secure and protect.” Unless you’re that cautious and want to take unnecessary precautions.
The “secure and protect” slogan is an oversell some foundation repair companies like to make.
Let’s say you don’t have foundation issues. Some companies say, “You don’t have problems now, but you COULD later.” So to say the foundation repair isn’t necessary, but it could be.
Companies that “secure and protect” will try to convince you to have a push and helical pier underpinning all around your house when you don’t need it. The project is more expensive compared to what we do.
As the expression goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
But if you have the money and you’re paranoid about foundation settlement, you can totally have push and helical underpinnings all around your home. The choice is yours.
With Dalinghaus Construction, we will never give you the oversell. We’re in the business of fixing your problem. We won’t scare you to pay for something you don’t need. We’re very against that.
Plus, when you experience foundation settlement, it’s a specific area of the home that’s affected.
You don’t need to address the foundation settlement issue until you are experiencing signs and symptoms such as:
- Sloping floors.
- Drywall cracks.
- If your drywall crack looks like it’s stair-stepping, this is a huge sign of needing foundation repair.
- Stucco cracks.
- You have window frame and door frame cracks.
- Ceiling cracks.
- Concrete slab cracks.
- Concrete footing cracks.
- Floor cracks.
- This is especially with tile.
- Doors and windows are difficult to open.
- Your chimney is leaning.
- Gaps between window frames, door frames, and walls
- You can also see gaps between the island in your kitchen and kitchen cabinets.
- Water leaks.
- Mold.
- This isn’t necessarily a foundation issue, but it could mean excess moisture is present.
Note – You’ll usually never find ONLY one of these symptoms that indicate needing foundation repair. If you have multiple symptoms at the same time, we recommend you have your foundation inspected at the very least.
We Address the Area That Needs Looking At
In most cases, the area affected will only get worse. As it worsens, more of that area will be affected, which will drive up costs.
One area of the house being affected does not mean the other side of the house will be affected.
Are There False Signs of Foundation Issues?
Any one-off issues you see that could constitute a sign and symptom of needing foundation repair might not be a big deal.
You might have smaller cracks in drywall or stucco. These by themselves are likely separate from foundation issues.
Your home is constructed with organic materials that naturally expand and contract. Maybe it’s more humid than usual, which sometimes happens in Southern California and Arizona. You might see those cracks and worry one day only to see those cracks disappear.
Note – If they’re cracks that reoccur after they’ve been patched and grow bigger, you’re likely experiencing foundation settlement.
Sometimes your windows and doors might be sticky one day to have them be fine the next. You’ll see this happen commonly during the rainy seasons, as seldom as they are in California and Arizona.
When Foundation Issues Need to be Addresses
Foundation issues affect the value of your home and your family’s largest investment. If you want to sell the home for its original value, foundation repair is necessary.
Note – Foundation issues can decrease the original value of your home by at least 30%. So your one-million-dollar home would be worth $700k at most. Foundation issues have to legally be disclosed when on the market, which banks won’t loan on. You’ll be limited to cash buyers.
If your home is red-tagged, you need foundation repair. Though the damage has to be significant before a city condemns your home.
If you want to remodel or add additional rooms to your home, foundation repair will be necessary. It doesn’t matter if you’re expanding a single-story home or adding another story. You’ll want to address your foundation.
Fun tip with Brian – remodel your home after your foundation repair. Foundation repair will cause the remodel you installed to be damaged.
Most importantly, you’ll want foundation repair when you’ve become emotionally compromised. If the foundation issues are bothering you to the point where it’s stressing you out, affecting your work, and compromising your peace of mind, it might be beneficial to have your foundation fixed sooner than later.
If the financial aspect of the foundation repair stresses you out, that is completely reasonable. Our average foundation repair cost is around $30k. However, that stress can be relieved with our 0% financing options.
While it might not be necessary to have your foundation repaired immediately, keep in mind prices can go up. Foundation settlement tends to get worse before it gets better, requiring more extensive repairs. That will drive the price up. Plus, you have the price increase of labor with inflation with any foundation repair company you go with.
And there is a possibility the price of materials can increase. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we started making our proposals valid for 30 days due to the price increase in steel over a span of 18 months.
Foundation Repair Benefits Everyone
Like I said, your peace of mind is what’s most important. Not just for you, but for your family. You can feel at peace knowing you and your family are living somewhere stable, eventually void of issues in the place you call home. You can enjoy your family time instead of worrying about foundation issues.
Your kids can play without having fun-house circus floors you would find at a county fair.
Fixing the slope in your floors will make it so you can lose your marbles without them rolling too far away.
You can have friends and extended family over without feeling embarrassed about the interior and exterior damage to your home.
We’re in the business of fixing your home. Foundation repair makes your peace of mind worth it.
Where to go From Here
Now you know who needs foundation repair after reading this article and can better narrow down if you need it. If you still don’t know or are on the fence, it doesn’t hurt to ask for the opinion of experts, especially for your peace of mind.
You can start by scheduling a free evaluation with Dalinghaus Construction. We can have one of our foundation inspectors out at your home to check out your home. The only thing we ask is for 60-90 minutes of your time.
To get started, you can call (877) 360-9227 or click the button below to book your free evaluation today!
