How common are foundation problems in older homes, and are they worth the effort to fix or sell?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How common are foundation problems in older homes, and are they worth the effort to fix or sell?

Posted: 8/26/2015 4:49:35 AM EDT

My current home was built in the 60's, and added on to in the 80's.
It is on a crawlspace, and pretty much every corner has stairstepping in the joints of the block due to settling.
The carport floor is cracked pretty bad.
House is in the south and the yards in m y area are pretty much red or orange clay.
You can actually see changes in one corner depending on how wet or dry it is.
Anyway, looking to possibly sell the place in the future, and I don't want to sink too much money into gimicky fixes or bandaids.

Posted: 8/26/2015 6:12:20 AM EDT

[#1]

In typical GD fashion, I'll suggest the SSS method... Sell, Settle, Shuttup.

Seriously though, many guys seem to have these problems and usually get it repaired for $5k-10k.

Posted: 8/26/2015 6:23:53 AM EDT

[#2]

Beings as it's built on a crawlspace, I doubt it would be that big of a deal to fix.

It's been about 20 years ago or so but we redid a house that had concrete block basement walls caving in. It cost exactly 10k to raise the house in place, remove the block walls and pour new concrete walls for the whole basement, (aprox. 30 X 30). The top course was finished with one row of blocks to fill the gap from the top of the forms to the sill plate. The house is still in good shape today.

Posted: 8/26/2015 7:30:32 AM EDT

[#3]

you'll lose more in the sale than fixing the house dependent on what you're into it for

very few will buy a house with this issue and very few banks will loan money on it once the inspection
hits their desks..

leveling will run about $2K repairing foundations as described $5K to $10K

Posted: 8/31/2015 5:58:57 PM EDT

[#4]

Who do I need to contact that will fix it right?
I've seen those places that pump sand or whatever under it, but that sounds like a band-aid fix.
I'm thinking my carport needs to be braced up, saw cut, jackhammered out, and re-poured.

Posted: 8/31/2015 8:58:15 PM EDT

[#5]

pretty hard to sell a house with a foundation problem. Most banks are a big NO to that.

Get it fixed, then dell if you want to, but hey if it is fixed, why sell.

Posted: 8/31/2015 10:07:17 PM EDT

[#6]

And you're positive it's settlement? Not a roof truss design that's allowing the walls to push outwards? The weight of the roof can push out on the tops of the walls and create that stepping. I fixed a rental of mine with an engineer's drawings a couple years back.

Extended downspouts away from foundation?

Posted: 9/1/2015 5:04:42 AM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Who do I need to contact that will fix it right?
I've seen those places that pump sand or whatever under it, but that sounds like a band-aid fix.
I'm thinking my carport needs to be braced up, saw cut, jackhammered out, and re-poured.

View Quote

RamJack is either a national chain or franchise..

heres some info to read up..call your local BBB see if they have listings

Posted: 9/1/2015 10:50:04 AM EDT

[#8]

Much easier to level a pier and beam than a slab.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How common are foundation problems in older homes, and are they worth the effort to fix or sell?

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