Repair My Foundation-A Homeowner's Look at the Options

In 2006 I had my concrete slab foundation inspected by a local structural engineer and wrote about it on this blog. I also scanned his report into a PDF file and posted it. However, in the throes of changing hosting companies the link to this report was broken and remained so for some time.  The [...]

A friend of the family is down-sizing and has put his home up for sale. He and his wife have too much house and are looking to move into a condo. A real estate agent was engaged and the process started.
The home inspector said there was a “dome” on the floor of the master bedroom. [...]

This little blog is written from the Dallas, Texas part of the globe which happens to be in one of the busiest areas for foundation repair companies. Why?
Most of the residential neighborhoods are built on what used to be black prairie farmland.  Where once they grew cotton they now grow housing developments planted in the [...]

The money wizards over at MSNBC are saying that consumers will spend 13.7 buh-zillion US dollars on Valentine’s Day gifts this year, an increase over last year’s sales.
So I have to ask, “Where are the Valentine’s Day tie-ins for foundation repair advertising?” I have not heard one radio commercial or seen one print ad from [...]

I was running the soaker hoses around the foundation a few days ago and noticed a pretty bad crack just above the southwest corner of the foundation. Tapping at it with the toe of my shoe caused a chunk of concrete to fall away. I had no idea I possessed such power in my shoes.

I [...]

The structural engineer who inspected my concrete slab foundation recommended tree root barriers be installed to stop foundation settlement due to loss of moisture in the clay soil that my home sits on. The thinking is that trees can suck a lot of water from under a foundation and contribute to the shrinking of clay [...]

Dr. Harry Williams, an associate geology professor at the University of North Texas says that too many new homes in the area are being built on soils that are poorly suited for housing development because of the high expansive clay content of the land. Texas could become “the possible leader in foundation repair.” Here’s the [...]

Oh, all right. I had my concrete slab foundation inspected last month by an engineer. The resulting report has drawings, measurements, recommendations and enough engineer talk to make me wish I had a pocket protector and white tape on my glasses. While we are not in danger of the roof falling in about our heads [...]

Yesterday just before 1 p.m. there came a light rapping at the front door. “Be still my beating heart,” I told myself. The inspector is here!
His name is Mike and he is a licensed structural engineer who’s website described him as just the kind person you want inspecting your slab foundation: unbiased, independent, yet with [...]

You hear a lot about tree roots causing concrete foundation problems for houses that sit on expansive clay soils and may be wondering how that can be. In my travels around the Internet I’ve learned the trouble is two-fold. Large trees can suck huge amounts of water from the soil. If thirsty roots get under [...]