Basement Foundation Repair Costs

♦ November 17, 2012 ♦ Leave Your Comment

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Cracked basement foundation – cost to fix?
I have an old home. Visible crack in the basement foundation and a pencil sized stream of water when the ground is soaked and a heavy rain.
I have been told that there is a fix where they inject the crack with a sealer. Is that a decent option?
I know the best fix is to dig up the outside and seal it well. But i have a concrete sidewalk on that side of my house and hate having to replace the sidewalk.

What is the cost of these proceedures?

Thanks
- ANSWER:
  http://www.radonseal.com/crack-repair.htm this site may give you some ideas for repair
QUESTION:
I’m considering remodeling my house, do I talk to a construction company first or an architect first?
The potential work includes foundation repairs and converting a basement to a room and possibly adding a second bathroom.

I’m not sure where to start with something like this.
Thanks for all the great answers!
- ANSWER:
  Call a remodeling contractor for an estimate. They will send someone out to give you a ballpark estimate (not binding) of what they think the costs will run. You can also obtain a listing of previous customers (references). Call these people and find out what their experience was like (Did the job get done on time? What did they think of the general contractor’s people or the subcontractors? Was the job done on budget, or did they keep adding on things? Would they recommend this company to you? that sort of thing). The references usually include an address. If it’s close by, go see the work for yourself (from the outside, of course).
  
  Be wary using remodeling contractors where just a couple or handful of guys do all the work. The bigger name builders generally use the same subcontractors for all of their jobs – they have enough work for the subs to work for them exclusively. So, you won’t get your job put on the back burner by some independent subcontractor that works for multiple general contractors. This avoids unneccessary delays. The bigger general contractors also have connections with suppliers, since they purchase so much materials. This avoids delays caused by inavailability of specific materials.
  
  For the plans, start with the general contractor. Many of the bigger builders are what they call design-build companies, where they have in-house architects who can draw up all of the plans. They will also know how much each design feature they add costs to implement. If you go to an architect first and get all these cool little design features added, you might find that they’re too expensive to actually implement. You then have to go back to the architect to have the plans changed – at an additional cost.
  
  If you’re thinking of going by price alone, be warned: the cheaper the price, the less priority you will have with the contractor. The two or three guys who do it all may quote you a price about 10% cheaper than a big builder. But, their estimate of 6 months might turn into 1 year. I went with Marrokal Construction here in San Diego for an extensive remodel (gutting and completely rearranging the house). They said it would take 5 months. It took 6. But, many people I talked with before hand said they would be surprised if that much work took less than a year, because delays are all too common with a lot of fly-by-night contractors,
QUESTION:
Anyone have experience replacing a foundation wall?
I have considered replacing the entire basement/foundation wall instead of trying to brace it. There’s a few benefits to doing this. You can make the foundation wall deeper so you have the option of lowering the basement in the future. And you can damp-proof the external foundation wall and put in drain tiles on the outside and inside. But would replacing a wall or two at a time like this likely cause problems with my windows, doors, drywall, etc?
- ANSWER:
  What you are proposing has not been done that I know of. Your foundation is one continuous piece they don’t even pour the concrete for it until it can be done at one time. Then there is the re-bar infrastructure. All of this is dependent on itself any removal or even movement will cause irreversible damage. I must say here I am not an expert or have hands on experience. I have been in the construction industry for 32yrs and as far as I know this is imposable. You will need to completely lift your house off and remove the existing before anything can be altered. Now I have seen foundations repaired and worked on but the amount of work to do this is staggering. The house needs to be supported like 10-15′ on each side of work. That doesn’t sound bad huh? Now take into effect that a crack needs to go back to virgin steel and that crack is now 4′ wide plus the 10-15′ on each side ……in other words a crack requires the entire side of your home to be supported. lol I’m not really knowing where to go on this I know from experience that what you seek is not common I’d go as far as to say very rare and it cost less to build a house. But you know what I cant back up my jaw-wing so I would really appreciate it if when you do find out update and let me know or get my e-mail from my info and feel free to contact me. In the meantime I’m going to get ahold od some GC {General Contractors} friends of mine and pick their brains on this. I am not used to not having the answer when it come to homes. I thought after my years in the trade and experience in the field, and the experience of completely gutting and rebuilding my 4 story ranch style that there was nothing I could not at least BS my way through lol Thank you this has definitely got me going I really need to know now. If or When I do Ill let you know as well. In the meantime let me know about the home the region, weather,
  climate, any earthquakes? I live in N. Calif. SF Bay Area so this is a topic for discussion in regards to stability and costs. Thanks again hope to hear from you.
QUESTION:
How realistic is it to raise a house and redo/repair the foundation? A cost in extremely ball park figures?
My has a very shallow basement, about 7ft from floor to ceiling, not counting plumping and duct work. There is also a large wooden support beam running half the length of the basement, held up by temporary jacks, that drops that down to around 6ft. Also there are many areas where the previous owner tried to fix the basement ceiling with pieces of sheet rock. I have a mild moisture problem. I will be installing rain gutters. The floor is not well leveled. One wall of the foundation also has a slight bulge to it, and it seems that there may have been cracks or breaks in the walls that they tried to cover up. I may also have a problem with settling, I dont know. The home is built on an extremly narrow lot, 31ft face, with only a couple feet to the property line, and less than 10 feet between my house and the homes to the next. How feasable would it be to redo the entire foundation, raising the house (or lowering the basement floor)?
- ANSWER:
  I had my house done about 5 years ago they had to put piers in the front of it. And my house was brand new with wood floors throughout the house. It worked wonderful had to make some drywall repairs but it was nice to have it right. The cost was 6000.00 or a little more
QUESTION:
Limestone foundation: is it worth the cost of finishing the basement?
I have a 90+ year old house with crumbly, limestone foundation. The unfinished basement only leaks in extreme weather (once/year, just enough to stain the floor, but not puddle). I’d like to reclaim some square footage by turning the space into an office/living area. What moisture factors should I be aware of? How can I minimize the threat of water damage? Would finishing the attic be a better idea?

Thanks in advance.
- ANSWER:
  An important factor here is your outside drainage. Another no so important is basement ceiling height (your home’s age usually indicates a lower ceiling).
  
  Hopefully your drainage is such that it can be easily cleaned or updated. If part of the basement is above ground, that is you live on a hill, then you are home free. That is the best way to fix your moisture problem and because this would be a necessary fix to your home anyway, this could be considered a non cost to your project.
  
  Ceiling height is important for comfort, air quality and resale value. If your ceiling is lower than eight feet, consider “digging down”. Look at costs and feasibility. This would also be a repair needed regardless of the finishing.
  
  My preference would be to finish the basement and would do so unless either of these improvements show to be cost prohibitive.
QUESTION:
Can rubber undercoating be used to stop my basement from leaking?
My basement leaks. And the liquid rubber paint costs like 150 bucks a can. So i was thinking I could buy a can of rubber undercoatin and it would do the same thing. Would it?
- ANSWER:
  Here are the most effective ways to repair the cracks and waterproof your foundation or basement floor:
  
  * patch the cracks with hydraulic cement compounds and apply waterproof paint or hydraulic cement on the inside wall
  * injected the cracks with specially formulated epoxies or polyurethane grouts and apply waterproof paint or hydraulic cement on the inside wall
QUESTION:
How much does it cost to waterproof a basement?
I have seepage in my basement through cracks in the cement foundation & through cinder block walls.
- ANSWER:
  Stop any leaks from the edges of your home. Check around the outside of your house. Make sure the ground does not slope towards the foundation. If it does, use a shovel to raise it. You can do this by adding dirt sloping away from the foundation. The dirt should be slopped between 1 and 2 inches per foot, and extend approximately 10 feet out.
  Step2Maintain downspouts and gutters. It is very important to have properly working gutters and downspouts. Clear the gutters of any debris. Check to be certain your downspouts release the water 5 feet or more away from the foundation of the house. You can use a splash block at the base of your downspouts to do this.
  Step3Check your landscaping. Make sure any type of landscaping (trees, bushes, flowers or any other plants) is no closer than 1 foot from the foundation. Also be sure to slope around landscaping to keep water away from the house.
  Step4Get rid of condensation. If moisture gathers on the surfaces of the basements floors, walls or cold water pipes, the basement needs better ventilation. Insulate the cold water pipes and make sure you maintain the ventilation of your basement by using heat in the cold months and air conditioning in the hotter months. Sunlight and a dehumidifier will also help get rid of condensation in your basement.
  Step5Fix any holes or cracks. Check the interior walls of the basement for cracks or holes. The area around pipes is a common leakage area. You can use regular patching mortar and a trowel for these types of small repairs.
  Step6Waterproof your interior walls. You can use specially made cement formulas to waterproof the interior walls of the basement. Many of these unique formulas will even stop small leaks.
  Things You’ll Need:
  Shovel
  Dirt
  Gutters
  Downspouts
  Splash block
  Pipe insulation
  Dehumidifier
  Patching mortar
  Trowel
  Cement formulas (epoxy or latex)
  
  Repair hairline cracks smaller than 1/8 inch using a waterproofing mix. You need to clean out and patch larger cracks. Make sure you wear work gloves when handling chemicals.
  Step2Make your mortar fill cracks and holes. Mix one part cement and two parts fine sand with enough water to make a fairly stiff consistency.
  Step3Apply your mortar using a trowel or putty knife into cracks where water simply seeps through the wall. If outside pressure forces water through the wall, chip out a dovetail groove using a chipping chisel and hammer along the entire length of the crack.
  Step4Fix holes in the wall the same way by chipping out the broken area in a dovetail groove. Once you’ve chipped away all of the broken area around the hole, fill it with your mortar mixture and smooth it out with a trowel.
  Step5Insert a weep pipe through the wall if the outside water is trapped against the wall and is under pressure to escape. Insert the weep pipe where the wall and floor meet or where the pressure is greatest.
  Step6Fill the crack completely with mortar where you installed the weep pipe, beginning at the top and working to the bottom. Set the mortar until thoroughly dry. If the water running through the pipe slows to a trickle, remove the pipe and fill the hole. Leave the pipe in place if water is still significantly running and run this water into a sewer drain with a hose.
  Step7Remove the pipe, patch the hole and make a cement plug by rolling your mortar mixture into a cone shape that’s a bit larger than the hole. Put the cone’s smaller end into the hole where you removed the pipe and tap it into place. Hold the plug for five minutes until it’s set. Now you’re ready to waterproof.
  Waterproof the wall and floor
  Step1Moisten the basement walls with a gardening hose set to a fine spray. The walls must be damp with no water standing on the surface before applying the waterproofing mix.
  Step2Purchase epoxy or latex waterproof mixes to treat your walls and floor. Follow the product’s instructions carefully. You also can make your own mixture of plain cement and water to coat your walls and floor. The mix should be the consistency of cream.
  Step3Rub your waterproof mix into the wall using a stiff brush in a circular motion. Be sure to fill every pore.
  Step4Begin by applying your coat at the bottom of the wall, then brushing your waterproofing mix to the top. Slowly move back down to the bottom, applying additional coats. Apply only over the area where leakage was a problem, and be sure to completely cover the area.
  Step5Spray the area with water after the coating dries. Soak it completely and let it set for 12 hours.
  Step6Wet down the area with a garden hose once the wall has dried. Apply a second coat of waterproofing mixture to your basement.
  Pack a leaking floor joint
  Step1Determine if your leaking problem is near the joint at the floor and wall. Clean the area on the floor before applying your waterproofing mix.
  Step2Chisel out a a dovetail joint where the wall and floor meet if the leaking is heavy. Chip along the entire floor joint a
QUESTION:
How necessesary is it that we put DryLok on the walls and put in a sump pump?
We bought our house three years ago and hold mold remediation done to the basement. There was a dirt floor, cement walls and we had a dehumidifier running all the time. We just poured cement to finish off the basement yesterday. How necessesary is it that we put DryLok on the walls and put in a sump pump? If it is important to do so, how soon should we do this after pouring the cement?
- ANSWER:
  Insulate all cold water pipes to prevent condensation. When possible, insulated ducts are a great idea too to prevent condensation from accumulating on the ducts in the ceiling when the air conditioning is running. But this is not always practical.
  
  DO NOT PAINT YOUR WALLS, even with Drylok or waterproofing paint. Concrete does not support fungal (mold) growth. Paint does. Even most antimicrobial and antifungal paints and coatings will eventually grow mold if the conditions are right. Also, do not attach insulation directly to the foundation walls. It behaves as a moisture trap and can also hide structural problems and cracks in the foundation. Bottom line: basement walls need to breathe too.
  
  How ‘bout a little elbow room?: Although this is sometimes impractical and you can lose a lot of square footage, building the wall at least 18 inches away from the foundation gives you permanent access to your foundation and allows enough air movement that ventilation and dehumidification can work together to the fullest. Also, if you ever need to perform any repairs to the foundation, it can be done with little additional cost and destruction. It also makes upgrading wiring, plumbing, sound systems etc. much easier and less expensive.
  
  Use metal studs or, if you use wooden studs, make sure to put in a pressure-treated sill plate. As a rule, untreated wood and any porous or absorptive building materials should never be in direct contact with concrete. A concrete slab and foundation can contain thousands of pounds of water and will gladly transfer that moisture into anything porous and absorptive it touches. Once the moisture gets in and stays, mold growth, and eventually rot, are inevitable. So keep wood, drywall, carpet, carpet padding, tack strips, etc. away from direct contact with concrete.
  
  Insulate properly: Although some building code officials do not like rigid insulation, it is a preferred material for moisture-prone areas such as basement. Unlike traditional fiberglass batt insulation that you will find in most attics and wall cavities, rigid insulation will not absorb water. Also, rigid insulation contains no nutrition to support mold growth but the paper backing on many kinds of fiberglass batt insulation does. Building code officials don’t like rigid insulation sometimes because in the event of a fire, the gases are deadly. So if that scares you or your local building code official too much, then fiberglass batt insulation is your best bet. Johns Manville makes a Formaldehyde-Free fiberglass batt insulation that is great for families concerned about indoor air quality. You’ll know you’ve found it because it is white, fluffy and encased in plastic.
  
  Heat and air condition the basement just like the upstairs. Consult with a NASE certified HVAC technician to prevent losing heating and cooling efficiency upstairs.
  
  No carpet. No hardwood floors. Ceramic tile is the preferred choice. Pergo is often recommended but I have my reservations. Pergo, as with all laminate flooring, is made by taking fiberboard planks and wrapping decorative laminate sheeting around it. The fiberboard inside is a favorite on the menu mold likes to eat from most. If you insist on carpet don’t overspend, seal the slab with an epoxy-based concrete floor sealer, use no carpet padding, and install Dri-Core (www.dricore.com) or Sub-Flor (www.subflor.com) raised-floor systems on the slab. Then put your carpet over the raised floor system. If you flood, for whatever reason, the carpet will need to be professionally dried within 24 hours, or it is garbage. Period.
  
  No drywall on exterior walls. This includes “green-board”, “blue-board” or any paper-faced gypsum wallboard. All of it will get moldy in a wet environment. On exterior walls, Dens-Armor Plus by Georgia-Pacific is the only way to go. It has no mold-friendly nutrients and is just as easy to work with as standard drywall. At this writing, the only problem with Dens-Armor Plus is that it is has a slightly different surface texture when compared to traditional drywall. It requires more primer and more paint to even out the surface. When I called Georgia-Pacific to ask them about this they assured me that they are working hard to remedy this.
  
  Get it up: Regardless of the type of wallboard you use, keep at least a 2-inch gap between the bottom edge of the wallboard and the slab to prevent wicking in the event of water intrusion or release. Use molding along the bottom to cover the gap for aesthetic reasons. Do not let the drywall touch the foundation walls either.
  
  Get exhausted: If bathrooms or a kitchen are part of the plan, exhaust fans vented to the outside are a must.
  
  Stuff it: Anything stored in the unfinished areas should be in Rubbermaid containers or, at least, up on shelves.
QUESTION:
My basement has severely bowed and shifted cinderblock walls, what kind of contractor do I call for advice?
I purchased a home that was built in the mid 50s it is a very small house and the basement has cinderblock walls, they are bowed in very badly, I never realized how bad until I stripped the walls for renovation. I don’t have alot of money, but want to find the most affordable way to repair this properly. Would I call a structural engineer or who would I contact?
- ANSWER:
  You need a foundation repair contractor. Most likely, you have clay soils around your house that are pressing in on the walls- possibly you have a leaky basement as well, or there are lots of trees and shrubs around the foundation?
  
  Unfortunately, bowing foundation walls are an expensive repair that costs 20-30 thousand dollars. If you rebuild the walls, the soils that caused the first problem will eventually damage the replaced walls, and the new walls are going to be even more expensive to do.
  
  I reccomend that you install foudnation wall anchors on the home- and be sure that you have an expert do it. The will remove a block of the wall, and send a steel shaft through the wall. On the outside, they dig a small hole in the ground and place an anchor that mounts onto the steel shaft. Another steels shaft is mounted on the wall inside. Several of these are installed and then tightened- you can straighten your walls over time by periodically retighteneing them. A good contractor should be able to give you a free estimate on what it would cost to repair them, so there’s no risk to learning more. If you ignore it, it’s going to get worse.
QUESTION:
Is structural damage to the foundation a reason to break a lease?
I went to the basement, which is locked and the landlord did not give me a key, to fix the cable. My dad was with me and told me that the foundation of my rental house is damaged. Joists are rotted, there are termites, and the floor is being jacked up.

I don’t feel safe living here. Do I have a valid reason to break the lease? I doubt there is a Certificate of Occupancy, either.
- ANSWER:
  OK, I’m a termite guy, not a lawyer but I do an awful lot of work for them and here’s my take . . .
  
  You should be able to get out of it but it might be a bit messy. First up, ask nicely and request a letter of reference. Just might work if the landlord has a brain.
  
  In most jurisdictions (=states) what yo rent has to be suitable and safe and it is the landlord’s duty to control structural pests. So a visit to the right people can lead to them forcing repairs.
  
  On the other hand, if you can show that the
  1 the place is unsafe (doesn’t meet the codes), and
  2 the landlord knew that to be the case when it was rented to you, then it is a fairly simple thing (in most jurisdictions) to break the lease. A tribunal or court may even award some costs to you.
  
  So, assuming you didn’t force a door, first up see if you can get out of it nicely. If not, check your local laws (look up cases on the net as well as searching on things like ‘tenant, law, termite and your state’ to get to all the local help pages and speak with an experienced legal adviser. It is local law that matters, don’t get sidetracked.
QUESTION:
What is the best way to repair cracked cinderblock basement?
We are thinking of buying a house with a bad cement block basement,it has vertical & horizontal cracks.We want to do it cost effective but lasting.
- ANSWER:
  First you have to ensure that this is not due to the foundations sinking? if that is the problem then Underpinning $$$$$$ is the solution, its a worry that you have both the vertical and horizontal cracks, good luck
QUESTION:
Is there an inner DIY foundation leak repair?
I’m looking for something worthwhile and durable. Not a big crack at all and I have some extremely handy bros. Whats the cost for materials?
- ANSWER:
  I once had a crack in my basement wall that let water from rain in, sometimes alot. I located the crack on the outside by digging down to find it. Chiseled it out a bit to create a V groove and then plugged it using hydraulic cement that I got at Home Depot. I also did the same on the inside and that was 10 years ago and it has not leeked a peep since…
QUESTION:
How much would it cost to add a sink? Is it even possible?
I want to add a sink to a room in my house that is adjacent to a bathroom. I want the sink to be against the same wall as the bathroom’s sink, and about ten feet away from it. Can the water and drain pipes for the new sink just be connected to those of the bathroom sink? I don’t want any fancy counters built or anything; I just want a 30 in. base cabinet put in. If this is possible, how much would all of the labor cost? Thanks!
- ANSWER:
  The only way to give a close estimate ball park is to know location of plumbing and whether it is accessible to extend the feed and the drain, is the location 2nd story if so all plumbing would have to be exposed typically cutting wall section for extensions then repairing? Run and pitch of drain extensions are considered here. is the location 1st floor level, then it’s a snap, easier to typically access pipes from crawl or basement.,
  
  If 1st floor and slab foundation, that’s a different story, more walls to demo.
  Get a free estimate from you local plumber, the have the experience to give you an accurate quote.
QUESTION:
I close on a house in 20 days and need help?
Here’s the scenario. I have a contract to buy a home for 125K. Three days ago my area was pounded w/ 5-6 inches of rain in a 24-48 hour period. The basement of the property leaked into the finished part of the basement. There were a lot of problems w/flooding basements in the area due to the rain and sewers backing up (no sewer water in this property) Seller had a contractor out to the home and advised that they need to get a bobcat in the backyard to re-do the dirt work against the foundation and replace the gutters on the back of the home. This requires the removal of 26X18 wood deck. Seller has offered to reduce price of the home by 2K or produce 2K at closing (this will approx cover the price of the dirtwork and gutters). This does not address the replacement of the deck or potential for replacement of carpet in the basement. I have a contractor going out tomorrow to estimate replacement cost of the patio. Thoughts?
- ANSWER:
  Same thing has happened to me. Sounds like you don’t have a real estate attorney handling this for you. PLEASE get one. He’ll probably charge you between 800 to 1500 bucks but it will be money well spent. What has to happen is money has to be put in escrow to cover repairs with a contract that if it’s not enough, the sellers are responsible for other money needed to put it back to original condition. The sellers have probably collected money from their insurance company already for the repairs. Since you have a signed contract, the seller can’t just say forget it. They must sell it to you in orig. condition at time of signing the contract.
  By the way, the damage done to my house was some shingles missing, and a tree down in the back yard. The seller’s offered us 00.00 reduced price. Our attorney found out that they had received a ,000 from their insurance company. The repairs were almost .000. And because our attorney had the money put in escrow at closing, the money was there and the sellers weren’t very happy.
QUESTION:
Want to sell my house, but the foundation has sunk -cracks. Should I repair it first?
I’d like to sell my house. However, it’s definitely sunk. I think the term is “settled.” You can definitely feel the slope when in the house. Will it get worse? Is it worth it to repair the the foundation before putting it on the market?

I want to do the right thing and not swindle someone like my family got swindling purchasing this sunken house.

Thanks in advance.
- ANSWER:
  All states require the seller to disclose known problems when selling a house. You can make the repairs and add the cost into your asking price, or you can let the buyer know about repairs that need to be made and let them deal with it. Most mortgage lenders will require a home inspection and certificate of occupancy. The cost of repairs may also be escrowed by the lender. You may want to contact a civil engineer and discuss what repairs need to be made, whether you do the repairs or the buyer handles the repairs. You didn’t specify if the whole foundation has settled, which may require ‘mud jacking’ or if the house flooring has settled which can be fixed with a house jack in the basement or crawl space.
QUESTION:
how do insurance companies estimate the amount of coverage for your home?
That is, how do they estimate the amount of living area of your home (sq foot), the cost to repair, etc.
- ANSWER:
  We have a computer program put out by Marshall Swift/Boeckh. We put in the zip code, year built (yes that matters), # of families, length x width (outside measurements), # of stories, additions with size, foundation type (slab, crawl, basement, walkout, finished, etc), framing type (studs, post & beam, steel, etc), ceiling height (8, 9 or 10 ft), general shape. Also, siding type, roof type (asphalt, metal, slate, etc – whether it is elaborate), any cathedral ceilings, attached structures like garages, porches, balconies & decks (with size). As for the inside we put in quality of kitchen & baths (basic, builders grade, semicustom, custom or designer), # of full, 3/4 & half baths, flooring, wall coverings, ceilings, fireplaces, heat type (hot air, hot water, radiant, including fuel type), any hot tubs or jacuzzis, spiral staircases, elevators, chair lifts, built in bookshelves, special millwork, decorative beams. That is all I can think of off the top of my head. It is a pretty comprehensive program.
  We can also add in architect fees and contractor overhead. It is pretty accurate for most houses. When you start getting up towards 0,000 to ,000,000 plus, it is still best to get a builder that specializes in custom homes to do real appraisal on the rebuilding cost. It may also estimate low if you have an old victorian with turrets, fancy siding & gingerbread & lots of custom woodwork inside. You would want a builders estimate in that case too.
  I hope this helps.
QUESTION:
buying a house on a slope higher than the road?
I am first time home buyer and looking to buy a house on the slope.Hill extending above behind the backyard and road below the house in the front. Will we get a flooding issues as water can come from behind due to gravity. There was one known incident of a puddle in the basement. What should I worry about or ask? Will it be difficult to fix such leakages> How much they cost typically? How us 60 years old.
The house don’t have a sump pump. The current owners are second and they had it only once. There is no river above so there is path to water. almost all houses in the area are 50-70 years old. can’t afford the new house as in this town anything less than 10 year old goes for atleast a million and this one will be in 600K
thanks for all those responded.
I am going to have a pro check anyway but wondering if it is even worth considering buying the house if there is a problem which can’t be fixed below 20 grand
- ANSWER:
  the puddle in the basement could mean you have a cracked foundation, this could be a small issue or a large one depending on how bad it is cracked, to fix such a leak could cost as little as 0.00 up to 000.00 depending if they have to dig out foundation and install weeping tile and proper drainage, get a pro to check your basement out first before you buy.
  Flooding will not be an issue if proper drainage is already existing or can be installed.
  A 60 year old house is not old at all, have a electrician check out wiring, a plumber to check plumbing and have a house inspector check out the rest of the house, the house will be settled so once the leak is repaired you will be OK.
  You did not mention if you had a sump pump or what type of drain is in basement, the water on the floor could be as easy as a burnt out pump.
  Like I suggested have it professionally checked out.
  Good luck
QUESTION:
Should I make repairs or rebuild my home?
I am almost finished paying my house. I was wondering if I should make repairs on my single family home or just rebuild it. I am thinking about a two flat. My home needs to have the washroom re-done. My basement does not have a tall enough ceiling. My house also does not have central air.
- ANSWER:
  Mary: That is pretty much an impossible question to answer in this format. There are just too many variables that only YOU can resolve. For example, in no particular order:
  
  1) Is the house WORTH fixing.
  2) Is the neighborhood still compatible with yours.
  3) Estimated costs of the repairs and related work (to get that ceiling taller you either have to raise the house or lower the floor both ways require a strong foundation).
  4) Related costs… will your tax base be altered on the property
  5) Financing for the repairs… will that impact anything else.
  6) Local zoning issues… CAN you do some of the things that you want to.
  
  and so on…
  
  Find a good architect or contractor and discuss the matters to see if what you want to do is even possible . He/She can also give you an idea about the costs.
  
  Good luck and Merry Christmas
  
  g
QUESTION:
What kind of house to avoid buying?
I am interesting in purchasing my first house (a single home) and I am doing this on my own. I am okay with a fixer upper that has cosmetic issues, and even a place that is lacking counter space, appliances, and no garage because I can work on all of this as I go. But I am not interested in a home with serious problems. What are some things I can avoid?

I am not looking to do a fast flip. I am planning to keep this place for years.
- ANSWER:
  1 stay away from govenors homes, trailers, and manufactured homes. They are not built to last and as an electrician I hate the way they wire them. Cheap and unsafe.
  
  Make sure the wiring and plumbing are up to date and to code. Alot of old home owners would do their own repairs and add ons. If an add on is obvious walk away. Ask a plumber and electrician for their opinions. Most will be straight up with you since they are in the business of safety.
  
  Ask for any records of work done to foundation, structure, roof, or anything else.
  
  If anything inside looks like it was done un professionally walk away. These are signs that it was a DIYer and chances are it wasn’t done right.
  
  What kind of heating / cooling system does it have. What shape is the water heater in. Look under the sinks, does there appear to be damage from water?
  
  Get dirty! Get in that attic and look for signs of leaks and in the basement for cracks and moisture problems.
  
  Find out who the previous residents were. how long they lived there. If it was ever a rental. Ask questions.
  
  And if someone is showing it and there is furniture and rugs. move em and be snoopy. Take your time on your grand tour. Make several passes looking up and down.
  
  I always check the doors and windows first. If they are in bad shape it already has failed. If they arent efficient the whole house is a $ pit and will drain you through heating/ cooling costs.
QUESTION:
Can a proper home(roof) inspection be done when the roof is covered with snow?
Does the exterior of the roof have to be thoroughly inspected as well to verify the actual condition of the roof, or will an interior inspection be sufficient? If it’s not possible to inspect the exterior because of the snow on the roof, then what can the buyer do to ensure that he is buying a house which has a good roof? How can the buyer’s interest be protected when buying a home in the winter?
- ANSWER:
  The exterior roof inspection is a relatively small part of the overall home inspection. The inspection contract will generally say the inspection will only cover what is visible. If you want to make sure the exterior of the roof is inspected, you can arrange to have the snow cleaned off. But the inspector can tell a lot about the roof by inspecting it from the inside. Some inspectors will clean off enough snow to at least inspect parts of the outside. Most won’t.
  
  The most important things to get inspected before buying a house usually aren’t, because the inspection would cost more. If it’s a slab foundation with no basement, it’s very important to get the plumbing inspected extensively. That’s because plumbing work can be very costly with a slab foundation. A typical inspection only tests the functionality of the plumbing, but not the actual condition of the pipes under the slab, nor the condition of the sewer line. Compared to those, a roof is relatively cheap to repair. Something that typically happens with moderately old houses on slab foundations is that tree roots grow into the sewer line, causing frequent sewer backups. The only permanent way to fix that is to replace the sewer line with a more modern one. Otherwise you have to get rid of the tree roots on an ongoing basis, year after year. Replacing the sewer line requires breaking the foundation slab with a jackhammer. But if the roof leaks, you usually only have to replace some shingles.
  
  The important point of all this is to be aware of the risks and costs. The inspection costs money and helps reduce your risks. But you will still have risks. And each risk can be measured by how likely an incident is to happen, combined with how much it would cost if it did happen. So don’t just inspect what seems obvious. Analyze the risks and find the most cost effective way to minimize them, with a very sophisticated inspection that takes such risks and costs into account.
QUESTION:
Watering yard now fix foundation issues?
Due to recent drought, I am seeing cracks along the edges of the walls in my basement and a door is now not locking due to shift. If I start watering the yard frequently, which I have not all summer long, would it help? I’d hate to bring in foundation repair specialist, as I see $$$ leaving my pocket.
- ANSWER:
  Watering your lawn will not take care of the problem unless the cracks are in the dirt. It sounds like the cracks are in your basement walls.
  Your house is settling. There is no DIY fix for this problem. We live in an area where there is peat moss. Many of the houses have cracks because of the peat moss. Professional help is the only way to go. Check your insurance plan. It may cover most of the cost. However, they may claim that it is an act of God and refuse to pay. In this area, some plans cover it and others don’t.
QUESTION:
Need help! Found dream home but it has live termites in basement and needs new roof. Should we buy?
We’re in the process of purchasing what we thought was our dream home. The engineer inspection uncovered live termites in the basement, temite damage to the walls and cracks in the foundation. We also paid for a roof certification, and were told that the house needs a new roof and the current roof isn’t up to code. The cost for the new roof is K, and K to repair the basement. Has anyone had a similar experience?
- ANSWER:
  The problem with the termite infestation is that you can not see through the walls. You don’t really know how extensive the damage is. Its possible that the roof has also been damaged by the termites. My advice. Walk away from this train wreck.If the seller is not willing and has not fixed the damage theres probably good reasons. Too expensive. You will have a very difficult time obtaining a mortgage on this house. Its not gonna happen until damages are repaired. No lender will take on this liability. You shouldn’t either.
QUESTION:
What to do with a leak in basement?
There appears to be two leaks that have developed in my basement. I am pretty sure that I will be required to hire a contractor to dig the length of the house to repair the breach. Has anyone experienced a similar situation and what was the cost associated? The house is approx 3800 sq ft.
- ANSWER:
  generally the best way to stop a leak is from the outside…but there are a lot of factors not covered in your question…what foundation is made of, is there a lower spot to run your french drain to…some folks have to install sump pumps as a means to get rid of water…see if there is a waterproofing specialist in your area…
QUESTION:
I have a question about concrete/foundation…I have a little porch in the front of my house about 3 steps?
high & about 5’x6′. It is solid concrete & the front was starting to crumble so we bought some concrete in a buchket type stuff to patch the front only to discover that there was a huge crack running through it and water , I guess, has been seeping in and destroying it. My husband wants to rip it all down & put up a wood porch. I want to re-do the concrete. Does anyone have any suggestions of effective yet inexpensive ways to fix my porch? Also there is a roof over it so I imagine it’s important to have something to hold it up.
We do have a basement and we do have slight water problems, but the water that occasionaly seeps in down their is coming from the back of the house, not the front.
it’s not the steps that are crumbling, ….maybe I will take a phot & repost my question.
- ANSWER:
  If this porch is required to hold the weight of the roof over it, filling in the crack is only a temporary solution. It is cracking for a reason! Either the weight isn’t distributed evenly or the ground has shifted. Too, the area under the porch where the crack is has been affected by the water as well so you would need to be concerned about just how bad it is under there.
  
  As a property specialist, I suggest you remove the damaged porch and replace it with either wood or the new “plastics” porches. Maintenance wise these new composite porches are a breeze. They cost more but will last five life times.
  
  I have repaired many porches in the temorary manner, with crack fill from Menards. Then, painted the porch. It is for cosmetics only! I always tell the buyer about the crack so they can watch for what needs corrected.
  
  PS…I do so hope you don’t have a basement!!! If so…remove the porch NOW! The water damage may not show in the basement yet..YET… but it will and boy will you have some costs over that one~
  
  If it is a crawl space, just know that the joists under the house in that area are subject to termites, carpenter ants, rot and mold. As you can see…a small crack is just the start of the problem!!!!!
QUESTION:
what can i doo about creaky floors throughout my house? seems excessive dryness would cause this?
my basement is very dry and the mortar in the old foundation is even dry and deteriorating and will need attention soon.
- ANSWER:
  nope nope and nope…. having a dry basement will not cause your floor to squeak.
  
  Ive repaired, literally, hundreds of floor squeaks. So, I am very surprised to see a “certified home inspector” suggesting that you just screw another piece of wood from underneath the floor. If you are dead set on just sticking another piece of wood underneath your subfloor… use construction adhesive! Glue the length of wood to the floor joist, and pre-glue the top of it, so that it adheres to the subflooring. This lasts much longer than just screwing a stick of wood to the underside.
  
  Ok…. here are some typical causes of floor squeaks….
  
  The subfloor has seperated from the floor joist. This often happens if the subfloor was nailed or stapled in place. The nail or staple backs out a bit, letting the subfloor actually pop up just a bit… then, when you step on it…. it squeaks as it rubs the nail or staple.
  
  The floor joist itself, is damaged. Sometimes you get a floor joist that has split, and will often make a noise as the two sections rub against each other…. this sounds more like a ‘creak’ tho, than a squeak.
  
  If you have an older home, with slat flooring, instead of plywood subfloor, then the slats, may have warped, so that they are rubbing against each other. Or, you could have a raised nail, as in the first example.
  
  Ive seen talcum powder recommended often as a ‘simple fix’ for this type of problem. If you have a LOT (as in the ‘whole floor, everywhere you step’) of squeaks with this type of floor, I seriously recommend stripping the surface cover off, and repair the wood from above.
  
  I’ll take a moment here, to mention one more type of floor noise, for those who have mobile homes…. the lag bolt holding the steel frame to the floor joists can often come loose. Tighten the lag bolt, and it will eliminate this type of floor noise.
  
  For homes with plywood subfloors, I recommend using a product called SquakEnder… this is a bracket that is specifically designed to eliminate floor noises. And it is MUCH more effective than simply screwing a piece of wood to the underside of your floor. Here is the link to their web page… on it, you will find several models of the product, that will help with various problems….. they are easy to install, and very cost effective (the Squeak Ender runs about ). You can find them in the flooring department of Lowes, and other building supply stores…even some hardware stores carry them.
  
  These things WORK.
  
  http://www.squeakender.com/html/squeak.html
  http://www.squeakender.com/
  
  Have Fun!
QUESTION:
We are looking for a grant or foundation help for our home basemnt on a self help home & assist for disability
We are approved for a self help home..like Habitat 4 Humanity. Spouse is wheelchr bound, 3 of 4 kids have medical issues I am the bread winner. I am looking for help thru grant /foundation to cover the cost of the basement. Home is only 3 bedroom & very small. We now carry my husband upstairs to the bedroom. This home at least will allow the wheelchair to get to the bed so I can transfer him. I can’t afford the basement but need it to put additional rooms in the basement and an area for range and motion exercises for my husband. We are looking into a grant for a therapuetic tub for him that has to go in the bsmnt. He is a quadreplegic and was has been disabled 14 years this summer. I just learned of home health that he started getting 2 years ago. B-4 then I provided all of his care. (He has never had a bed sore!) I would appreciate direction on where I can get help. I have written everywhere and will continue to date I have no answers or assistance. Thank you, have a blessed day.
- ANSWER:
  here is the link : http://cmhc.ca/en/co/prfinas/prfinas_003.cfm
  
  here is what they say…
  
  Consumers > Programs & Financial Assistance > RRAP for Persons with Disabilities
  
  ——————————————————————————–
  Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Persons with Disabilities (RRAP-Disabilities)
  
  The Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) for Persons with Disabilities offers financial assistance to homeowners and landlords to undertake accessibility work to modify dwellings occupied or intended for occupancy by low-income persons with disabilities.
  
  Who is eligible?
  
  Homeowners may apply if:
  
  the value of their house is below a specified figure, and
  their household income is at or below established ceilings (limits) based on household size and area.
  Landlords may apply for modifications to units if:
  
  the rents are at or below established levels, and
  the units are occupied by tenants with incomes at or below the income ceilings.
  Assistance is also available to landlords owning rooming houses with rents below established levels. Properties must meet minimum health and safety standards.
  
  What assistance is available?
  
  Assistance is in the form of a forgivable loan.
  
  For homeowners, assistance is provided for one hundred per cent (100%) of the total cost of the modifications up to the maximum loan amount for the area. Homeowners must agree to continue to own and occupy the home for the term of the loan.
  
  For landlords, 100 percent forgiveness is available for accessibility modifications up to the maximum loan on eligible units. Landlords must agree that:
  
  the units will continue to be affordable to tenants, and
  in the case of rental units, new occupancy be limited to households with incomes at or below established income ceilings.
  Maximum Loan
  (Rental) Maximum Loan(Homeowner/Rooming House)
  Zone 1:
  Southern areas of Canada ,000 ,000
  Zone 2:
  Northern areas ,000 ,000
  Zone 3:
  Far Northern areas ,000 ,000
  
  Additional assistance may be available in remote areas.
  
  IMPORTANT: Work carried out before the loan is approved in writing is not eligible for funding under this program.
  Other CMHC programs are available to assist eligible Canadians with repairs to substandard housing, accessibility modifications and adaptations for seniors.
  
  In some areas of Canada, funding for these or similar programs is provided jointly by the Government of Canada, and the provincial or territorial government. In these areas, the provincial or territorial housing agency may be responsible for delivery of the programs. Program variations may also exist in these areas.
  
  Contact Information
QUESTION:
I would like to know what will happen to the victims in the flooding in Iowa?
I’ve seen the houses go down the river, will they be compensated for the great lost?
- ANSWER:
  Sadly, if it’s anything like what is happening here, in Indiana that was hit hard as well, the victims don’t even know the answer to your question.
  
  Here’s an example of what is going on here. Houses were flooded that were not in flood zones, so no flood insurance was offered. The state made agrreements (LONG ago) w/ FEMA that certain rebuilding requirements would be met in order for FEMA to step in during an emergency. No one bothered to tell the homeowners. So, they have spent weeks, barely sleeping to rip their houses down to the studs, if they are lucky enough to have a house left. Then they were told they can’t even repair their homes until they fill in the basement if they had one or raise the entire house up and put a new and higher foundation under it. In a lot of cases, most actually, the homeowners can’t afford to do that. That costs as much as some of the houses! Even worse, some of the 50 year old and up homes couldn’t withstand being lifted and would just crumble, but FEMA doesn’t care about that either. If they don’t agree to raise/ fill, they will be arressted for moving back into their home- even if they make it like it was before the flood. These are 100-500 year flood planes, meaning that’s how often they are expected to flood. The government and esp. FEMA are destroying lives in those cases, as much as the flood did. The governments weak excuse for this treatment of those that have already lost so much? IF, IF, in 100-500 years the homes were to flood again, it would cost tax payer money to have emergency personel so in and rescue them! I see a small point there, but not something drastic enough to remove someone from their home and make them homeless and a financial ruin of their lives. Everyone seems to think FEMA is amking it all better- they are not anymore than they did during Katrina.
QUESTION:
what to do when your basement gets wet?
ok, I have just moved into this house. Today i went down there and found water on the floor wet walls , i have all my xmas and kids clothes.. but its all in plastic bins how can i fix the walls or what ever it is that lets the water in . thanks for any help.
- ANSWER:
  It could be a number of things – cracks, window wells, hydrostatic pressure, over the top of the foundation, etc, etc…Find out exactly where the source of the water is coming in from first- if it’s just one area, it’s probably a crack in the foundation. You can DIY to fix it- but (1) will probably not work, (2) will not hold up for very long if you stop the seepage, (3) cost you more down the road to have it fixed by a professional. If it’s something you don’t want to take on yourself- I’d advise you to call a -or a couple- waterproofing companies and get an assessment and estimate from them. Many are legit, honest, and fair with their costs to repair.
QUESTION:
is it okay to add gravel to a concert foundation?
a friend is planing on building his whole house from start to finish. were younger and i truly believe he is just looking to blow all of his money as he has no skill or experience to complete this project. any ways to my question.he is looking to pour the basement foundation him self. he believes that he can add a bunch of gravel and sand to his concrete mixture to lay this slab. can he do this? and if so to what extent? thanks
- ANSWER:
  You need to learn to find a way to stay out of your friends actions, plans and procedures to build a house. Find a way to isolate any positive or negative input into his operations. Whether you know or not the best answer’s you can have for him and your friendship would be, “I don’t know”.
  If he is considering taking short cuts in the most basic and most important areas of construction he is in for many major and expensive problems. There are many many reasons why he can not do what you have suggested that he believes he can do. This will be his first chance to screw up and his repair costs might as well start with his first operation. (This is not entirely accurate in that many items of work must be completed properly before any concrete can be placed.) Let him do what he wants and get into his problems as soon as possible. That way he will get it over sooner by running out of money or by finding that he can not complete the house without input from someone that knows about building houses.
QUESTION:
who to talk to about your house foundation?
In my basement I have cracks in the wall in different areas and I recently noticed that I have a vertical crack out on the back side of my house in the foundation. I was told to just fill the cracks with caulking and paint with water proof paint but I need to know if that will be enough or do I need to talk to a professional.
- ANSWER:
  If you have broken concrete and cracks are running up and down or sideways on your walls you may have a foundation problem. There are a lot of companies out there that offer repairs. I recommend you talk to a licensed structural engineer and find out what he or she will charge to come out, look at the situation, and offer recommendations. I did that on a previous home with great results. The engineer surveyed the level of the entire house, reported where it was high and low, and provided a scale drawing of how many piers it would take to level the structure and where they should be placed. At the time, it cost a couple of hundred dollars but it’s probably slightly higher now. A structural engineer with no direct affiliation with a repair company will give you an honest answer to your questions because they work on a fee basis and are not getting paid by the number of piers they install.
QUESTION:
pipe replacement – covered by homeowners ins.?
We discovered that we need extensive pipe replacement in our upstairs bathroom….we bought our older home a year ago and found that the pipes are actually leaking water into the wall, down to the ceiling and wall in the first floor, and through to the wall and floor of our basement to the foundation. Estimates on replacement/repair are around 2500 dollars, not including the cost of drywall to replace the ceiling and wall areas that will need to be removed.
Does homeowners insurance cover any portion of this? If they do how does it work….do you just call or write them and submit a claim?
- ANSWER:
  Call your insurance carrier for that answer, since he is the only one who can answer that question.
QUESTION:
What things do you specifically look for when buying a house?
- ANSWER:
  location, value, the condition of the house, the size of the house, i would ask myself if later down the road i decide to sell this house, is it in a desirable, convenient location? what is the value of this house? am i walking in with equity in this home? is this house to small? or do i really need all of this space? can i really afford this house? and as far as the condition of the home, are the wiring needs updating? does the basement leaks? is the foundation sound? does it have a high level of radon? how much would it cost me have all of the repairs done if needed?
QUESTION:
structural engineer costs to stabilize old house?
How much might a structural engineer charge to raise several (3-4?)sagging areas of an 80-year-old house, including the center of the structure? It’s a wood frame house, with no basement, of about 1500 square feet. Also, how much might an evaluation cost? The house is in Central Florida.
- ANSWER:
  I believe Ernie A is on the right track about contractors, but he may misunderstand the roll that a qualified structural engineer will play in this type of renovation. A licensed structural engineer familiar with residential repairs should be either your first or second call. Absolutely no work should begin on structural portions of the home before an engineer has had a chance to evaluate the original condition. Prices will vary, but I doubt anyone will come out for less than 0 and it is more likely to be 0-350 for an observation and recommendation for repairs depending on how many problems and repairs are required.
  
  Number one, it will keep the contractor focused on fixing the actual problem, not just the symptoms of the problem. Secondly, and just as important, the jurisdiction where your home is will require that structural changes or improvements are approved (and possibly designed by) a licensed Florida engineer.
  
  The engineer will take on the liability of the repair, which means that he or she will do their best to give you a repair that meets or exceeds current building codes approved by your jurisdiction in Florida (such as the 2006 International Residential Code).
  
  The structural engineer will be one cost, several hundred for observation and stamped report (and possibly drawn repair details as well). From the date of observation I would expect to have a report back to you in about five to ten business days, depending on how busy and how complex etc.
  
  The contractor will be a much larger cost. Several thousand for foundation repairs and more for framing repairs or improvements is not uncommon. Getting several quotes is good, but making sure they are quoting for the exact same amount of work is also important. That’s why having the structural engineer come out first makes a lot of sense. You can also have the engineer come back during the progress of the construction to observe the repairs and check to see if the work appears to conform to his repair recommendations.
  
  It would be rare to find an engineer and a contractor to work for the same company, it would be even more rare to find them to be the same person, but it does happen on occasion. It is almost a conflict of interest to have the engineer also be the contractor, it depends on how much you trust the engineer.
QUESTION:
Can we build a larger house on a 50-year old foundation?
We got a 50-year old house. There is evidence that there was foundation shifting. The house itself is in a pretty bad condition so it is possibility that we will tear the one floor house down and build a two-floor house. Now I wonder, if it is possible/desirable to preserve or fix the foundation so we can save some building cost. The house is in Dallas, TX and the old foundation is pier and beam
- ANSWER:
  Funny you should ask … that is our situation exactly. We bought a new, two-story home that was built on the foundation of a 1950s ranch. We are getting a LOT of settling and buckling of floors. The builder used all the original beams and floor joists and they’re just groaning under all of the additional wait. Plus there was a lot of termite damage that they “repaired” but I’m not sure they did a thorough and strong enough job. As far as I know, the cinder block walls are holding up ok, but the builder finished the basement so there may be some shifting that I can’t see. If I were you I just would not proceed without a competent structural engineer at your side. Best of luck!
QUESTION:
Pouring concrete fouondation in Parma Ohio?
I have a slanting foundation in my basement in the back of my house .. The wall is 40 ft long and 7 feet high .. It is made out of cinder block .. I was wondering how much would it cost to replace the foundation with new cinder blocks or would it be cheaper and the price if I poured a foundation instead of cinder block .. What would be better and how much am I looking at
- ANSWER:
  The foundation is NOT of cinder blocks. Below the cinder blocks is the FOOTER foundation and that should be poured concrete with reinforcing rods about 18 inch wide and 8 thick.
  
  Atop of that are the cinder blocks. You will need to dig around the foundation and blocks to expose the entire 40 feet with a backhoe. Then remove the old footer and have a new level footer installed.
  
  Atop of that new and level footer you will need a new row of cement blocks, poured concrete would require forms and be more expensive.
  
  Why not call a company that jacks up houses and have them jack the entire thing to a level position. They dig holes and install permanent jacks in the ground to hold the house level..This is what is commonly done. They are listed in the yellow pages under foundation repairs. You are talking in the realm of around ,000 or more to do even this.
QUESTION:
How does flood insurance pay?
My house (raised ranch) was just hit by Hurricane sandy and flooded the whole basement and 5 feet into the first floor.

While we were gone, department of buildings came by and supposedly inspected the house. I do not know if they entered it or just surveyed it from the outside They put a green sticker onto the door which claimed the foundation has shifted and reported water in the basement.

Many house on the block had a red unsafe to enter sticker.

Examining the house, I do not believe it could be salvaged, everything is completely demolished and soaked through. The foundation shifted and most of the walls are now on a severe angle.

The insurance adjuster is scheduled to come inspect the house this Monday, my question is would the green notice from the department of buildings stop the insurance company from claiming a total loss on the house? Or will they have their own engineer check the place out and determine the damage?

Thanks
- ANSWER:
  Nope, that notice has NOTHING to do with how flood insuranc epays.
  
  The adjuster will come out, and make two different calculations: 1. How much he thinks it would have cost to rebuild your house BEFORE the flood, and 2. How much he thinks it’s going to cost to repair all the flood damage.
  
  You don’t “total” a house, the way you do a car. How it works, is IF your house is FULLY INSURED with at least 80% of the value of the cost to rebuild your home, the cost to repair damages is calculated, and the check is discounted for “depreciation” – you only get “depreciated” value of the repairs, until AFTER you rebuild on that lot. AFTER you rebuild, you then get the “recoverable depreciation” up to 100% of the policy limit.
  
  If you do not rebuild/repair, you do not get the recoverable depreciation back. Any check will be made payable to you and your mortgage company, jointly. You will not be able to “cash” it until/unless your mortgage is paid off.
QUESTION:
Why are houses built on cinder blocks?
I was just curious about this, but how come builders build houses on cinder blocks? If a bank we have doesn’t give us a loan for a home to buy, why do builders build homes on cinder blocks if no one will be able to buy this home because of the bank not letting us? Please reply with the most accurate response!:) Thanks in advance! :))
- ANSWER:
  I don’t think the cinder block is the problem as much as how they are used and the quality of construction.
  Basement walls and foundations use cinder blocks all the time. At the bottom of the wall is a wider concrete foundation that is below the frost line and wide to spread the load of the home above over a larger area. Much older cheaper homes used posts made of cement or cinder blocks to support the floor beams. That wouldn’t be approved today nor would the home qualify for a new mortgage.
  The foundation under the posts were relatively shallow depending on the heat in the home from allowing the soil to freeze under the house. Frost will lift frozen soil several inches depending on how deep the frost goes. Around here you can see metal fence posts pushed upward out of the ground as much as a foot from the frost pushing up against the collar of concrete attached to the soil line of the post.
  When you buy a house and apply for a mortgage an inspector examines the house to see if it is a worthwhile investment. You don’t own the house until it is paid off. The mortgage company does. They need to make sure the house will last in good repair long enough for you to pay for it. If the house collapses, you leave and they have the mess.
  So if they turn down your app. It not only protects them but you as well. Find another house that will pass the inspection or if you can buy the house on a land contract with the seller and have the deficiencies fixed over time, then buy the house that way. Deduct what it would cost you to bring the house up to a point where it qualifies for a mortgage. If the seller doesn’t agree, find something else.
  Don’t fall in love with the house. It is a business decision more than a love affair.
QUESTION:
What are some good resources on how to buy foreclosure properties? Has anyone done this?
Foreclosure props – buying procedures and information
Advice and suggestions
Resources – best books, websites
- ANSWER:
  Some of the best resources for forclosures are:
  www.faniemae.com, www.ocwen.com
  
  But the most effective source is your local REO Agent, this is a real estate agent that gets most if not all the properties that are going into foreclosure in their area.
  
  The best part about it is they know about the property before it even gets listed. If you can make friends with this agent you can be sure that you get what properties nobody even know about and gives you the advantage over other investors looking for these properties.
  
  Buying procedures; You have to find the property first then find out how much they are asking for it. Then do a market analysis on this property by contacting a realtor to give you comparables in this property area of atleast the 3 latest houses sold and 3 houses currently selling in the vicinity as well.
  
  After you do your market analysis and know what the price is and how much your going to sell for, this will determine if it is worth going to look at the property. If it’s worth looking at it then take a camera and a notebook pad to write everything down that you see needs repairing or replacing and I mean every little detail no matter how small. Make a detailed list.
  
  Make sure you look at the foundation very good and look for signs of water leaks or water coming into your basement. Look at the structure of the house, if you see that the roof is sagging you might have to replace the roof etc.
  
  Even though you might not determine if this might be a problem it will give you an idea if the property is worth even putting in an offer or will give you an idea of how much money it will take to rehab the house.
  
  Then take your notes and contact atleast three contractors to give you a free WRITTEN estimates on how much it will cost you to repair the house.
  
  After this you put all your numbers together and determine what you will offer and remember if you are selling the property after you repair it make sure that take into account your profits, carrying costs ( mortgage payments ), closing costs, title insurance, attorneys fees, advertising and always add an extra ,000 dollars for those unexpected things that show up.
  
  After you calculate all this and have an offer ready make sure you put in your additional contions or better yet in a seperate addendum that the contract is; ” Subject to final inspection by an inspector at Buyers sole discretion ” You want your own inspector and not the banks or the owner of the house. This will give you an out on the contract if the inspector finds that there is foundation or structural damage which are some of the most expensive repairs.
  
  Make sure you ask the agent listing the property if there are any sellers disclosures, like for example : Lead Based Paint, Asbestos Issues, Termite or Radon Gas. Ask the inspector when you go for inspection to educate you on this. Most inspectors would be glad to share their insights.
  
  Most if not all foreclosure properties owned by banks you need either proof of funds or a letter from your lender stating that you are pre-approved.
  
  You can checkout this site that gives you leads in your area for Wholesale, Foreclosures, Bankruptcies and Pre-Foreclosures. You can sign up for .00 and a month free of all of theses resources and also checkout the bonuses area, here he has pre-recordings and free ebooks so you can read too.
  
  The site is: www.hotbargainproperties.com, the owner of the site is Tim Mai and he is loceted in Texas but will help in your area as well.
  
  Also go to : www.reiclub.com and www.creonline.com and sign up for free. Here you will get to know investor clubs in your area and get a lot of free advice as well.
  
  I hope you find this useful and wish you well with all of your endeavours.
  
  Good Luck
QUESTION:
Main drain misaligned?
I have a plumber here. He just cleaned out our main drain which was backing up in our yard. He found tree roots. Says they are gone but the main drain is misaligned and separated in 2 different places. The drains do not run under the house, just in the yard. He recommended a spot repair. How much does this normally cost?
Also, the plumber think that the biggest problem is beyond our yard on city property. Do you know if the city would pay for this?
- ANSWER:
  In my area (NE major city) spot repairs are not done. The old lines are terra cotta (fired unglazed clay) pipe sections about 2′ long with a bell on one end. Tree roots are always a problem. The replacement is 10′ long sections of cast iron pipe with a compression fitting at one end. The sewer lines are typically a minimum of 6′ down, below the foundation wall and footing of the basements here. A backhoe is used to expose it. The homeowner is expected to maintain the line up to where it meets the line in the street. Once the pipe starts to go bad it is not worth a repair.
  
  Roots can be controlled with root tone, a chemical flushed down the drains usually once a month.
QUESTION:
best foundation for a recycled house?
slab or raised? going to frame with recycled lumber, to code, and other recycled materials. is a poured foundation necessary or is there an easier way to foundation the house? thank you.
- ANSWER:
  You haven’t told us what your consider “best.” Although slabs are cheap, in my opinion they cost more in the long run because of the cost of doing repairs.
  
  I like full basements, you get all that storage/living space for not all that much more money. Or you can pour footings and built your house over a crawl space.
QUESTION:
Waterproofing basement/Foundation repair?
We have a 100+ yr old house that we have remodeled. The foundation is brick and the mortar is in terrible shape. The basement leaks, not terrible, but enough that there is water around the edges after it rains. Tuckpointing seems like an impossible job. What would it cost to have the basement waterproofed by a professional? Any ideas that I could do at home on a small budget?
- ANSWER:
  Definitely look outside first. It could be a simple fix such as making sure any landscape beds are properly sloped away from the house. Or if there is a low area you can simply raise it with topsoil. It could be that a downspout is discharging too close to the house also. As far as the inside, you can get hydraulic cement at any hardware or home improvement store. It is inexpensive, cures quickly, and made for wet areas.
QUESTION:
Is it worth it to submit a clm on home owners ins ? I had some flooding in basement and suspect a crack in the?
- ANSWER:
  You are smart to wonder if you should file an insurance claim. Insurance premiums go up rapidly if you file claims. It makes sense. People who want their insurance to cover smaller problems will pay more.
  
  The CNN article linked below states that sometimes your agent will have to report that you’ve inquired about a claim. Water damage is noted as a particular concern.
  
  The most important thing is that you take care of the problem. If you have a crack in your foundation or plumbing, this should be taken care of immediately. If the cost of the repair will substantially exceed your deductible (any number that makes you say “whoa”!) then make the claim. Just know that you are likely to pay some of that money back in premiums.
QUESTION:
within the next yr i plan on moving into my first place can any of you give me any tips?
Next year will be my last semeter of college and hopfeully i can get a job. I do plan on moving out of my parents house and live on my own for the first time. can anyone give me any tips on how to make this move successful and what things i should avoid so i wont end up livin with my parents again
- ANSWER:
  Make sure you live within your paycheck and you will never have to depend on parents again.
  
  If you are going to rent:
  
  *Before you write a check for an application fee or a deposit on an apartment, ask about the length of the lease, the amount of rent, and the amount of deposit.
  
  *Make sure the lease specifies that water service is included, or that it is billed at the prevailing rate in the community.
  
  *Never sign an apartment lease on the spot. Take it home with you and read it. If you don’t understand something, put question marks next to the item and get an explanation.
  
  *If you pay a deposit or an application fee for an apartment and decide not to rent the apartment, you probably will lose the money.
  
  *Always add a clause to an apartment lease giving you the right to terminate the contract before its normal expiration if your circumstances change.
  
  *Many leases renew automatically unless you notify the landlord that you are leaving.
  
  *Make sure to be present for the move-in inspection, and note everything you can find wrong with the apartment.
  
  *Be present for the move-out inspection, too.
  
  More tips check out the link:
  
  http://fullsailmortrentaproperty.blogspot.com/
  
  If you are going to buy then things to be careful of:
  
  In most states, home sellers must disclose any defect they know about that could affect how desirable — and marketable — their home is before they sign a purchase contract. Even in the six states that lack a “mandatory seller’s property condition disclosure” (Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming), the state’s licensing agency may require real estate agents to tell buyers what they know. In all states, real estate agents who belong to the National Association of Realtors are obligated by their code of ethics to disclose any defects they know about.
  
  But you may have fallen in love with a house, and spent hours preparing a purchase contract, before the disclosures are made. You should always make your purchase contract contingent on a professional home inspection (0 to 0). Home inspectors could miss hidden problems, however, such as a basement that floods during a downpour.
  
  Poor water pressure. Aside from issues of comfort and convenience, low water flow may indicate plumbing problems, such as corroded pipes that will need to be replaced down the road. Tearing out old plumbing and replacing it with copper pipes can run ,000 to ,000 or more in a typical 1,500-square-foot home. A less costly alternative is cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) piping, which unlike rigid copper piping, is flexible and easier to install (approved for potable use in all U.S. model plumbing and mechanical codes, but may not be approved in local building codes).
  
  Among tests you can do: Run water in a bathroom sink and check for weak flow. Flush the toilet while the water is running. Does the faucet flow drop off during the flush? In the bathroom located farthest from the water heater, turn on the hot water. Is there an unduly long delay before the water turns hot?
  
  Ceiling stains. Something’s leaking. If the stain appears beneath a bathroom, odds are the shower is leaking. It may merely need recaulking or regrouting, but it could also require ripping out tile and replacing the shower pan, a much more costly process (about ,500). Most roof leaks result from neglected flashing that seals “valleys” in the roof or around a chimney or vents (cost to repair: 0 to 0). But roof leaks may also mean it’s time to replace shingles — at 0 to 0 per 100 square feet for asphalt shingles and 0 to ,000 for wood shingles.
  
  Troublesome doors. Are the doors hard to close? Do they swing open by themselves or fail to open fully? If you have one bad door, it may simply have been installed incorrectly. But more than one may indicate a serious structural issue, such as a foundation that has settled or framing that is deteriorating. Fixing this problem can require structural and geotechnical engineering reports and thousands of dollars in repairs.
  
  Overloaded electrical outlets or lots of extension cords. Today’s electrical demands may exceed the capacity of homes built as little as a decade ago, says Kuhn. You’ll spend to 0 to have an electrician add a 120-volt outlet to an existing circuit. Or, if the electrical system is very outdated, it may require a new electric panel. A new, 100-amp panel will cost ,500 to ,500.
  
  More warning tips at the link below:
  
  http://fullsailmort7redflags.blogspot.com/
QUESTION:
Can anyone give me an estimate on finishing a basement? in $/sq ft?
- ANSWER:
  The cost per square foot will vary by location and by contractor. It will also be affect by the work you are doing. We just finished a basement in a 24′ by 33′ house – furred our all walls, added a full bath, office, a wet bar, suspended ceiling, laminate flooring, and finished wood steps. I believe the final cost was in the neighborhood of ,000 but we are in an area where labor costs are around /hour. The cost per square foot came out to about – that included some “hidden” costs that occurred during the project (repairing leaking foundation and tearing water damaged Sheetrock).
  
  As mentioned by other answered the biggest factor in the cost of a project like yours will be what work you intend to do and the cost of your materials. The more you do and the higher the materials the higher you final cost will be. Just keep in mind that there is almost always something that comes up during a project that is not planned for – design change or hidden damage.
  
  One thing I will suggest to you not relating to your question is to install suspended (grid) ceilings in your basement. This will allow you access to any plumbing and electrical that would otherwise be buried under Sheetrock. This comes from my experience in my own home and from having to tear our basement ceilings damaged by water leaks or heating/cooling repairs or electricians.
  
  Hope this helps some. Good luck with your project.
QUESTION:
Can i ask my builder for extended warranty for foundation.?
Can i ask my builder for extended warranty for foundation.?
Is he entitled to give it. If not can i backout of my contract for this reason. The reason is there are some patches on foundation walls and builder says they are from cold pour joint(hoping they are not cracks). Even if it is cold pour am worried about future leaks. You can see pics here
myhomefoundation.myphotoalbum.com
Thanks
- ANSWER:
  Sure you can ask for an extended warranty, but there is a better than reasonable chance they will not warranty it for the life of the structure. (Probably will not be in business that long.)
  
  I was unable to pull up your pictures, but if the contractor admits to the foundation having a cold pour joint, you have a cold joint. If the wall is only for vertical structural support there is a very good chance the cold joint will not cause any issues. (Less of a chance of issues if the joint is horizontal, more if vertical.) The vertical load carrying capacity is not changed significantly. If the joint is in a structural wall, in lieu of a warranty I would request a corrective drawing / design be prepare by a licensed professional structural engineer and the corrective work be performed by the contractor under the supervision of the professional engineer or his staff. This would be a “fix’ that would result in an equal or better wall condition.
  
  If the cold joint is in a wall that is to not only to support the house but also to keep water out of your basement you could very well have a water leakage issue depending on the height of the joint in the wall and the outside water level during the wettest time of the year. Cold joints in basement walls are to be made with key-way joints and a bulbous waterstop material, otherwise cold joints will leak under water pressure. Again the professional engineer involvement would be your best solution.
  
  The wall should be repaired to the satisfaction of a qualified engineer, if the engineer determines there is no issue you will be okay. If not it needs to be fixed. Also the engineering / inspection costs obviously should be on the contractor. (If the engineer does not find any issues you may have to share the costs with the contractor but it would be worth it for the peace of mind probably.)
QUESTION:
do any one know how much it cost to seal a foundation from seepage in a basement ?
- ANSWER:
  It could cost anywhere from the hundreds to thousands, depending on what type of repairs are needed. Foundation crack repair is usually in the hundreds and if you need footing drainage, it’ll run in the thousands. Exterior installment of drain tile is more expensive than interior installment. It will depend on the variables, i.e. footage, depth, obstacles, etc.
QUESTION:
HELP! water is leaking into my basement!!?
after the ice melted from the winter storm, it started leaking into my basement. my dad is in nebraska and its me, my mom, my sister, and my brother. we are trying to clean it up but its not working, help!
we have a rather new house and the window sills go down deep but it started getting higher and higher to the point where is seeped through the window.
- ANSWER:
  You didn’t say how much water, so I’m going to assume it’s inches rather than a puddle or wet spot.
  If a mop and buckets isn’t cutting it, you may want to take a trip to the local rent-all and rent an electric pump. Put it in the lowest (deepest) area and keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t run dry. (Rental pumps can cost a lot to repair if you bring it back damaged, or dirty). Once you get the water down to a managable (mop and bucket) level, try to remove any rugs and furniture that can hold water. Take a few pictures as you go, and give your insurance company a call at the same time. They may want to send out an adjuster to inspect damages. Your agent should be able to advise you.
  If you still have a lot of snow around the perimeter of the house, you may want to clear it, about 4-6′ back from the exterior walls. This will help prevent it from seeping down to your basement when it melts. Ask a contractor to check whether you have positive slope away from the house, as that is important. Get at least 2-3 quotes for repair work to the foundation walls, or weeping tiles, and make sure you get a guarantee.
  Good luck and I hope this helps…. Dr. Harvey Glimebinder
QUESTION:
Basement walls?
We are looking at a home to purchase (southeastern Wisconsin) and the basement walls have long, horizontal cracks which are probably the result of heavy clay soils and improper drainage towards the house over the years. Years ago I had a smaller home with a similar situation and I just dug it out by hand (whew!) and then had a mason friend knock out some uneven bricks and reset new ones. It cost me a case of beer at the time. I want to do it as in expensively as possible and not pay some basement contractor 15-20 grand. Any suggestions?
- ANSWER:
  My wife and I bought a house with the exact same problem-clay soil, poor drainage, etc. We reconfigured our gutters so they would drain further away from the house and tried hydraulic cement. Neither worked.
  
  Being in the construction business, I happened to stumble across a guy that did epoxy injections for concrete repair. He came to my house and drilled 1/4″ holes in the middle of the crack every foot or so. He then pumps epoxy into the crack at those various locations. The epoxy works so well that I could see it coming out of the crack on the outside of the house where the foundation wall was exposed.
  
  To make a long story short, it cost me ,800 for him to repair around 40 linear feet of crack. He absolutely said I would have no leaks-and I haven’t even had a drop. I would go that route again in a heartbeat.
QUESTION:
Alternatives to renting a dumpster?
Our whole basement just flooded, and everything has been destroyed down there and needs to be gutted (even the tile floor is separating from the foundation…). It’s obviously going to cost a ton to repair it all because it was finished, so I was wondering, is there was any way we could save money on renting a dumpster or anything like that?
- ANSWER:
  Hey Sam,
  
  I am an associate from The Home Depot, and I believe I have the right solution for getting you a dumpster. There is a service by the company Waste Management called The Bagster, here is a quote from their site:
  
  “The WM Bagster Dumpster in a Bag is the perfect on-demand waste removal solution for your job site or do-it-yourself project. Fill the bag with up to 3,300 lb. of debris or waste, then schedule your collection with Waste Management. The collection fee is not included.
  Visit www.thebagster.com or call 877.789.2247 to confirm your location is within the collection service area.”
  
  From what my customers that have used it and told me, it works great, but make sure it is available in your area. There are similar programs like Bagster as well that many other home centers have available as well as an alternative to getting a dumpster.
  
  Here is the link to the info and customer reviews on our site about this great program:
  
  http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202228840/h_d2/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&keyword=bagster&jspStoreDir=hdus&Nu=P_PARENT_ID&navFlow=3&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&ddkey=Search
  
  Also, consider renting out a truck either from us or any truck rental place to haul off the old debris if the options above if aren’t to your liking..
  
  Hope this helps you out,
  aboveaveragejoe
QUESTION:
In a lease-option and discovered home has severe foundation damage the owner wont fix. Can I get deposit back?
Entered lease-option agreement giving down payment of 3x the rent in August 2007. The home did not pass inspection until mid February 2008 due to owner not making necessary repairs and technically was un-inhabitable but I made on time monthly payments. In March I noticed a large crack in the basement wall that was painted over and water leaked into the basement with each rain. I immediately notified the owner via email and he promised to have a professional waterproofing company come to make repairs yet he never called back. After a week of heavy rains in May, the entire basement flooded. I notified the owner again he sent a carpenter out to home to install a sump pump. The carpenter dug a hole in the basement 3x times the size needeed to install the sump pump, left and never came back to finish the repairs. For almost a month now, the hole has been in the basement and the owner wont fix correctly. Estimated repair costs 00+. I don’t want to purchase home can I get deposit back?
- ANSWER:
  I have no idea BUT I never would have moved in if the inspection was not up to par. Even if you decided to move forward giving the owner the benefit fo the down I would not have provided a down/payment it would have been a straight rental until the home passed inspection. Hindsight is 20/20. You might have to cut your losses and walk away from this one.

basement foundation repair costs

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