Concrete Slab Foundation Repair Costs

♦ December 15, 2012 ♦ Leave Your Comment

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
What is the cost to repair/replace a house foundation (concrete slab) in the bay area (Saratoga, CA)?
I put an offer on a bank owned foreclosure at 1K it was listed on the MLS for 0K (on zillow its worth 1.5 million). However I noticed the house (built in 1950 with concrete slab foundation, wood and stucco exterior, ranch style 1600 sq ft home on a 13000 sq lot) has many problems but I’m mostly concerned with the foundation of the house. If I buy this home I won’t have much money left. And I want to know how much it would cost me to fix or replace it. I noticed the floors slope and bulge in certain areas. Any suggestions about who is really knowledgable and honest I should hire to inspect and/or fix the foundation? Because I have no idea how bad the foundation is. The house seems to be in living condition but I don’t want to take any unneccessary risks. Plus because it is a foreclosure I don’t have any idea what else is wrong with the property. Do you think if there is anything wrong with the house the bank would give me credits or negotiate a lower price? Thank you.
- ANSWER:
  I have represented buyers that have had issues with foundations and in every situation a Structural Engineer was hired for a specific inspection. A regular home inspector is often not qualified to make such an assessment.
  
  Foundation problems vary greatly. But a slab that slopes and bulges puts up some major red flags to what is going on beneath the slab. A slab is nothing but a piece of concrete and concrete doesn’t “give” much. You could be looking at a repair cost of a few hundred dollars or something like ,000. Regardless of the engineers findings, keep the report for the sake of future buyers of the property!
QUESTION:
On average how much does foundation repair cost?
We have one corner of our house that has already been repaired by the previous owner, but now the grout outside is getting cracks in it again. That’s the only area of the house that has problems. We are going to get professional estimates, but I’d like to hear input from others.
My husband has looked at the foundation from where he can and the slab is NOT cracked, so perhaps it is just cosmetic.

We live on that black land soil which cracks during the summer.
- ANSWER:
  It is not uncommon in Texas for houses to have concrete slab foundations with cracks at the corners. This is not generally associated with an actual cracked slab but is due to stress at the corners. This can be cosmetically repaired if you like for 0 or so per corner but may not last long. You can even make the repairs yourself.
  
  If the foundations is truly cracked and you have walls that are also cracked and/or doors which will not close properly, then might you have more serious problems and need professional help. The average foundation repairs are in the range of ,000 to ,000 depending upon the type of repairs required, how deep they have to dig around your house, the number of pilings they have to place into the ground, etc.
QUESTION:
How much would it cost to repair a concrete slab foundation?
I am seeing cracks in walls, doors don’t close right.
- ANSWER:
  Depending on the size of the house, it realistically could be upwards of about ,000,00 or more. And that of course is only the foundation work, there may be other things besides what you have already mentioned that are only going to get worse over time.
  
  I know about the foundation work as my family and I have a property in Northern, Ca. with 8 houses on it and we are needing to repair two of our house foundations. They are talking around ,000.00 for the two houses that we are needing the work to be done on. Ours are not as bad of a situation as your is, but it is bad when ever a foundation is involved.
QUESTION:
What is the future of foundation that has been “repaired”?
I am looking to buy a home that has had foundation repairs due to settling, common in north texas with the clay soil. I am wondering what further problems are possible with relation to the foundation. There is a lifetime warranty, but are there any problems that can arise that are not covered with the warranty?
- ANSWER:
  It is good that you have a TRANSFERABLE warranty, right? If so, then that is good. Make sure Before you buy the house that if any foundation repair has been done that the foundation repair company is reputable, registered, and is affirmed as having the warranty that can transfer to ALL new owners that come along…not just you.
  
  That being said, it is possible that foundation issues to still continue for years to come. Slight changes folks say the house is “settling”, but extensive changes are foundation issues and you can’t just sit on it and do nothing. Foundation problems can be from the expansion and contraction of the clay soils or it can be caused by a plumbing break (even ever so slight), so that may need to be checked, as well. If problems still arise, and the weather has been “balanced”, do check the plumbing for leaks under the foundation.
  
  So, weird very wet and very dry weather (which we just got over a 4 yr drought) can cause foundation issues for slab homes and a break in plumbing can do the same. Sometimes one causes the other, too.
  
  You mentioned North Texas, well howdy! I’ve lived in Collin County since 1966, and have seen quite a bit when it comes to types of homes built, neighborhoods that have foundation issues up & down the street, and some areas that seem fine.
  We do have strips of soils that are sandy and even shallow of the clay [meaning that rocky limestone is very close to the surface, which helps with foundations, but makes it tough on plants which need deep roots] , which makes for less shifting (Allen). Homes that are on pier & beam actually still have foundation issues, but they are MINOR in cost of repair. The track builders like Fox & Jacobs (Centex today) found that laying concrete slabs for foundations were quick and cheap and that is how all of this started. Other than that, homes were prior to then variations of Pier & Beam. Then other forms of slab came along with tension wires that claimed that were effective in keeping the foundation sound, but they weren’t perfect either.
  
  KRLD radio – 1080am on your dial has a saturday program that is hosted by an area homebuilder called Tom Tynan, I believe at 2pm. He’s easy to understand and is laid back and seems very honest. You can probably call in and ask him some questions like the one you posted here.
  
  KRLD can also be found www.krld.com
  
  Another thing, too. Check with the city building inspector of the town you are interested in. Just for example, the town of Frisco had some mutiple huge issues with foundations a few years ago because it was growing very quickly and many unprofessional builders flew in, built homes with POOR foundations, and they split. Home after home was cracking up, and the city stepped in and put in some very strick building restrictions before that finally cleared up. So, check up on the history of building in the town you are considering. Did they have extreem growth spurts, or was it controlled? Can make a difference! Check around the neighborhoods and look for signs in the yard of foundation work done. If you see a few, its possible that it’s a bad area for homes. This clay was great for the cotton and corn farmers, but it reaks havoc on the slab foundation home. And don’t even think of mobile homes – the old ones were constructed with 2×2’s and are as safe as a matchbox to live in. Even if they are “hurricane tethered” to the ground, and they are constructed with a late model 2×4 beams, and even PLACED on a slab, they will – I repeat WILL blow away with any great gust of wind. Period! So avoid mobile or manufactured homes. Pre-fab may be better, but I wouldn’t put my money there either, even if they do throw in some acerage!
  
  Be smart. Do your research. Might consider building your own and monitoring the construction. We are in a tornado proned area, so do try to build a reinforced “safety” room in your home for such times that tornado warnings are present.
  
  Good luck and a TEXAS WELCOME to you!
QUESTION:
Is a home’s foundation repair coved by insurance?
I have a concrete block house that has developed some “stair-step” cracks in the blocks. The house has a slab foundation. How does this get repaired? What should it cost? and is it typically covered by insurance?
- ANSWER:
  That is usually the sign of the need for a leveling of the foundation. This typically is the result of a crack slab. The costs can be a little a few thousand dollars to six to ten thousand depending on the extent of the problem.
  
  Only your insurance agent can answer if any of the costs are covered by insurance but typically it isn’t.
QUESTION:
Is a home’s foundation repair coved by insurance?
I have a concrete block house that has developed some “stair-step” cracks in the blocks. The house has a slab foundation. How does this get repaired? What should it cost? and is it typically covered by insurance?
- ANSWER:
  Depends on the cause of loss, and the policy form.
  
  Typically, on the HO3 form, if the foundation is damaged by FIRE, it’s covered. Also typically, shrinking, settling, cracking, is NOT covered. Doesn’t sound like your loss is going to be covered. As to how much it costs to fix, it would depend on the type of repair that needs to be done.
QUESTION:
how much does it cost to fix the foundation on a house?
i am looking in to buying a home for 42,000. it is a nice size and has a good amount of yard. however, when i saw it on the inside, i noticed there was some cracks on the cement floor and on some of the walls.i’ve never owned a home and have no clue about the repair costs. im quite sure the foundation is the problem. sounds like hard work and expensive……
- ANSWER:
  You should get a foundation repair company out there before you make any kind of offer on the house. If the foundation is a slab, they have to jack the house up all along the sides and pour concrete beams or some other type of support. The cost is related to how many supports they have to install. But a badly cracked house can have broken pipes inside the walls and other structural damage from the foundation problems.
  
  In this housing market, with many homes available for good prices, if I were you I’d keep looking for one in good condition. Foundation problems are usually the problem you can see and any owner who has allowed their home to sag has allowed many other things to deteriorate which you can’t see.
  
  I say, walk away and keep looking.
QUESTION:
What is an average cost for repairing a front porch. It is composed of 2 sandstone slabs & supports a railing?
The concrete connecting the railing has deteriorated as has the concrete sealing it to the house. The slab now shifts when stepped on. The cinder blocks underneath also appear to have sunk.
- ANSWER:
  You shouldn’t pay more than – sqft (demolition your previous concrete is included) to pour the porch. Usually we charge 0 to install 100 blocks. To pour foundation it’s about for liner foot. So if your perimeter is 12′ by 22′ it should be about 0.
QUESTION:
How much should I pay a builder to knock down my half of an adjoining garage?
I live in a modern semi detached house and my garage adjoins the neighbours (neither touching the houses). How much is a guideline cost for a builder to a) knock it down, b) Build a new outer wall for the neighbour (i.e. what was the center), and c) take up the concrete foundations?
- ANSWER:
  First you need to get a permit from your local building & zoning department to do this type of work.
  Once you have the approval & permit in hand, then you can start getting estimates from licensed contractors. You will also need written permission of the other owner to access their side of the property to do the needed repairs to bring their side up to current code.
  I don’t know the cost of removal & structural repairs. I do know that having a concrete slab removed is almost as costly as having one installed! I just received estimates ranging from -9,000 to have a 2 &1/2 car garage sized cement patio removed from my place. Most garages have steel re-bar in the foundations & that means more work to remove them. So, yours will most likely cost over grand to remove if you live in California!
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:
concrete slab foundation exposed, how concerned should I be?
Hey so, part of a outside unit (mother in law apartment), was dug around, and so partly most of the outside area the foundation is showing, how concerned should I be, and is there a rush on how long I should leave it exposed? Also, would weather do major damage to the foundation our change the structure that I should worry about?
- ANSWER:
  The significance would depend on a number of factors. How much of the “foundation” has been exposed (additional depth)? Is just the edge of a slab-on-grade showing or is the actual foundation showing? Do you live in an area where the ground freezes to a significant depth?
  If the house is in an area subjected to deep frost, the freeze / thaw cycles may get under the foundation and cause it to crack. It is common to have 3″ or 4″ of a concrete foundation to be exposed, sometimes even more depending on the buried depth of the foundation wall.
  To return the anticipated building support and to provide for surface water to run away from the house the “low” areas around the building should be filled in with compacted fill material. This would not appear to be a major emergency, but should be repaired prior to continued freeze / thaw cycles or a rainy season.
  Depending on the depth of the soil removed and the closeness of the excavation, more “foundation” may very well be exposed. Depending on the depth of the fill to bring it back to the initial height, it may take more than one filling operation to get the grade to the proper elevation due to settlement.
  This is not a major issue but should be corrected. Cost should not be a major factor.
QUESTION:
what does it mean when the floor in your garage is not even?
i am looking at buying a home and the garage floor has what i would call a hump in the middle. one part of floor raises up. i am having the house inspected, but i was just curious if anyone had any expeirence with this. if you know what causes this, if it is structural? also if you have had this problem and had it fixed what did it cost? thanks
- ANSWER:
  First this should not be a structural issue. Typically the garage floor slab in poured separately from the foundation meaning the garage floor could completely fall apart and the walls will still be fine. Most of the time concrete heaves due to moisture either a lack of or excessive amount. Unless it has raised more than 1″ I would recommend leaving it alone. The only proper way to fix it is to cut out that section of concrete and repour this repair would be in the thousands of dollars depending on the size.
QUESTION:
Which type of foundation is better for a home, a concrete slab or crawlspace? Why?
- ANSWER:
  Slab foundations depending on the area if you are far south the ground temperatures may not effect you that much. I do prefer the pier and beam or crawl space as worded here because in the imperfect world in which we live there is ground shifting, some areas worst than others. It is more costly to have a foundation repair company go out and level a slab foundation.
  With the pier and beam they can go in with a jack to level the home.
  I would say the pier and beam is the best choice because of future repair and accessibility of plumbing and HVAC lines. but it normally cost more.
  hope this helps
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:
Where can I get free fill dirt in north Georgia?
- ANSWER:
  It will be close to impossible to find someone to deliver for free. but if you have a truck/van/trailer or if you can rent one, there might be some places that have a tractor to load free stuff for you; or if you have a truck AND a shovel then you can probably find dirt in many places but that is a local issue and I am in California…
  
  these guys often have tractors and often have fill to dispose of:
  -construction companies
  -excavation companies
  -foundation companies
  -swimming pool companies
  
  some companies have other debris to dispose of which might interest you depending on what you are using the fill dirt for. Like sometimes big slabs of concrete are available; my grandma used some when repairing a hillside next to her creek. Asphalt, tires, cars, old hay and ALL kinds of things<<just contact the appropriate companies/repairmen/manufacturers.
  
  Also some places will give you real nice dirt for free, like farms/ranches/riding stables/auction yards/fair grounds who are cleaning out stalls and feed lots or corrals<they might give you truckloads of manure mixed with dirt or hay/sawdust. You might need to call around and you might need to schedule an appointment. also the local dump might have compost for you. many areas have recycling programs in place where they divy up the yard waste from county parks or whatever. The local Chamber of Commerce might have info about those things or can refer you to who does and local garden clubs might have info about things like these and also local feed shops/farm supply might know of feed lots who welcome the public.
  
  sawmills can be good suppliers of sawdust.
  
  If you lived here I could tell you about the quarry where you can get volcanic pumice for free or low cost. Local quarries often charge per truckload and they will load your truck for you. One place to look for other local people who like free things (and might have local advice) is http://www.freecycle.org The group in my area gives away about 30 free things a day to each other and it is all kinds of varied stuff. they do it to help save the planet/landfills.
  
  good luck and happy arbor day!
QUESTION:
Cracked garge slab repair?
I have a 24×24 detached garage that has numerous cracks that go all the way througn the thickness of the slab and also from one side to the other so that they can be seen on the outside. Some cracks are close to 2″ wide and several inches deep and there are variances of about 1″ in heigth between some of these cracks. One crack in particular goes along the back right next to the sill plate. The garage also needs to be raised a few inches to get it above ground level.
So I have been contemplating two options to fix these problems:
1. Lift the garage and a place 8″ block around the foundation, bring in sand so that 4″ of concrete can then be poured on top.

or

2. Lift the garage and form around the foundation and then be in some sand and concrete.

Does anyone know what would be the best way to go and what steps would be the best?

I live in Iowa and have to deal with temperatures from 100+ to 20-.

Thanks for your knowledge and assistance.
- ANSWER:
  if it’s as bad as you say, the only fix is to re-surface the slab, that is pour a new 3 or 4 inch slab on tho of the one you have.
  Call a good contractor and get a professional opinion and a cost estimate! Good luck
QUESTION:
Crack in the foundation in our home?
We have noticed that our 3 year old house has a crack through the middle of the slab its only a hair line wide but i think it goes from one side of the house to the other right through the middle. Our home has a 25 year structural warranty. My question is what will the builders do to fix it when i contact them.?
- ANSWER:
  USA If the hairline crack is in the floor slab, the contractor probably will do nothing. Concrete cracks. Period. You cannot prevent it. Hairline cracks are common and do not impinge upon the structural integrity of the slab. They are common and expected. There is no fix for them.
  
  If the crack is more than 1/8″ wide, then there is a more serious problem, which might have been caused by settling or other problems. The contractor will try to get out of any type of repair because if the crack is a wide one, there are serious problems that will cost quite a bit to correct. If the cracks are more than 1/8″ wide, have an inspection done by a structural engineer. Use the engineer’s report to force the contractor to repair the problem ( if it is a contractor problem )
QUESTION:
Real Estate – what is the difference in strength and quality between the following types of foundations..?
– Concrete, Block
– Poured Concrete
– Concrete Perimeter.
THANKS.
- ANSWER:
  The perimeter concrete and poured concrete sound the same to me. Even the concrete block with sold concrete grout is not a lot different from the other two. The two main types of home foundations are:
  1. Concrete slab on grade with concrete perimeter foundation (no crawl space).
  2. Concrete perimeter foundation with wood floor over wood joists over a crawl space.
  The concrete perimeter foundation could be substituted with concrete block foundation.
  
  The wood over crawl space may have some advantages in future plumbing repair work for the fact that it is accessible. Common problems with the wood are deteriorating members and squeaky floor.
  
  The concrete slab on grade is more permanent and structurally sound. You may have to saw cut the concrete slab later to replace plumbing pipes. Cost comparison is also important. More than anything, you need to consult a civil engineer. The type of soil could dictate on what type of foundation to use.
QUESTION:
Cost to fix a slab leak?
Southern California, concrete slab foundation house 22 years old.
I have a leak detector coming in on Monday to find the leak with the plumber right behind him.
My question – since this might be the first of many leaks to follow would it be better to re-pipe the house? How costly is that?
The leak detector will be about 0. How expensive might the plumber be to repair the leak independent of the flooring costs?
Thank you.
Proprenor – I will close the question out tomorrow after I get the estimate from the plumber as an FYI.
Thank you.
(File under irony – Last week I had scheduled an appt with a contractor to do some remodeling & now this. Now I’ll just leave the floor a mess & add it to the remodeling bill!
- ANSWER:
  Your copper pipes are run under your slab, aren’t they..
  I’ve come across this problem many times.
  Only once did the client wish to reroute the pipes.
  You have to find out WHY the pipe broke in the first place.
  They should be buried in sand.
  Not rocky dirt.
  The vibrations of the pipes will eventually wear a hole in it if there’s sharp rocks around.
  Once, I came across a pipe that was obviously run over by a tractor!
  It must have been leaking for years..
  Another few times, there was copper making contact with galvanized metal.
  This causes electrolysis and could be your problem.
  Whatever it is, try to figure out why it broke.
  This will tell you if you should reroute the pipes.
  Also, it’s a big messy job to jack into the slab.
  Also, the price of copper is ridiculous right now.
  You might consider using Pex piping.
  I’m from the old school and I never believed in plastic pipes,
  but after an installer friend and I put it through a series of tests,
  tests that made me believe the pipes were trashed,
  I’ve become a believer.
  Really is amazing stuff..
  Oh, about the price,
  it’s hard to give you an estimate without seeing it,
  and your plumber will probably give you an hourly rate due to all the unknowns,
  I’m thinking 0 would be about the least amount he would charge to go into the slab.
  Good luck to you.
  
  Edit-
  That’s great!
  It’ll work out fine,
  you’ll see.
  Keep me informed…
QUESTION:
Advise on home foundation?
I had a couple of foundation repair companies come out and look at my home that is on concrete slab and they told me the front and left side of the house needs to be lifted with peers. What I want to know is if the house is not lifted all the way around will the sides that do not have peers give one day?
- ANSWER:
  What’s happened is that the soil base below the area of the slab that’s sunk has been compromised.
  
  Search in your area for a contractor that performs a process called hydro-jacking, which entails injecting hydraulic cement below the slab to level the house. This can be done without trenching below grade to install piers, is less labor-intensive and costs less than traditional pier installation.
  
  Good luck.
QUESTION:
how much would this cost? concrete slab porch sinking…?
I have an issue with my home. I have a concrete slab porch with wrought iron railings going up that are attached to the overhang. The concrete slab part is sinking. It’s a small area but it is sinking on one side. Is this an expensive fix? Can anyone give me a ball park estimate who is either a professional or has had this issue before? Thanks in advance!
- ANSWER:
  You need to get a local contractor to look at it and give you a price. The sinking porch is a symptom, not the problem. The foundation for the porch needs to be evaluated and repaired, and that’s something you cannot price without seeing it. Look in your yellow pages for a foundation contractor. Hope this helps.
QUESTION:
home on concrete slab with uneven floor?
We are looking at a home that was a previous motel. It is built on a concrete slab. In the hallway the floor is very uneven…probably a 2″ total difference. the doorway right there is visibly slanted, but no cracks or recently repaired cracks in the walls. The room directly next to this hallway has a ceiling that is visibly bowed. The whole rest of this house appears to be level an A-OK.

I will certainly have an appraiser go through, however I am looking for opinions, experiences, etc….

Thanks!
For the sake of argument, let’s just assume that this home is a very good idea for my family and the odds of finding another one that we can afford like this will be almost nil. Financing is not an issue however so the bank saying yes or no is not a concern.

My original idea was to have an appraiser go through initially for a first general idea. Secondly, I would have a structural engineer for this issue in particular…

However, you recommend a contractor for a bid. All suggestions are very helpful so thank you.
- ANSWER:
  Sometimes it’s the flaws you can’t see that cause the most concern. If you can see the slab (foundation) in this condition, there’s probably a lot worse damage that you can’t see. An uneven slab can be repaired as can a bowed ceiling, but it may be more important to understand why the slab has heaved and the ceiling has bowed.
  
  There are too many great deals on the market now to buy into a disaster home. The issues causing this problem are likely to get worse. The local building dept might not even give you occupancy permits for something like this and the mortgage appraiser might not even approve it for a loan.
  
  If you have to buy this, I’d have a contractor inspect this and give you a bid for fixing these issues and use that as a bargaining chip to ensure that you get a better deal on this wreck. You’ll also know what the restoration cost will be for fixing this.
  
  I’d pass on this one.
QUESTION:
On a slab foundation, what happens to the old plumbing pipes when the kitchen is moved to another room?
A previous owner built an addition to the house we live in now – a one-story with a slab foundation. The addition is a large kitchen, and the room that obviously was the old kitchen is now kind of a bedroom/den located in between the new kitchen and living room. It seems like it would be much better to have the kitchen in its old room next to the living room, and have the addition part of the house be a large back porch-type area or bedroom. So my question is, is it likely that the old pipes where the kitchen sink used to be (under a small window) are still there and usable? Or would the plumbers have somehow taken them out or done something to make them impossible to reuse? It wouldn’t be worth digging up the slab to lay a new pipe, but if the old pipe was still there, it seems like it would be feasible to move the kitchen sink and cabinets back to their original room.
- ANSWER:
  Every renovation / addition that I have ever done,(about 30 years worth), we did not take a lot of time capping or taking care of old pipes. If the pipes come up out of the concrete slab there is a very good chance that they were just bent over close to the floor and soldered closed, no caps, caps cost money. Unused vents were just cut out and thrown away and the roof would be patched to cover the hole. One thing we were very careful about was to NOT leave any pressurized unused water pipes in the wall, Sooner or later someone would come along and try to hang a shelf or picture and put a nail or screw in the pipe that they had no reason to expect to be there, then they would call us and make us repair the leak and the wall at our expense.
  The only way you are going to know for sure about the pipes is to strip the walls and see what you have.
QUESTION:
How to repair sinking house foundation?
My mom’s house is built on a concrete slab (no basement or crawl space). We’ve noticed for quite a few years now, that around the perimeter of the inside of the house, there is about a 1 to 1 1/2 inch ‘ledge’. I diagnosed it as a sinking foundation.

We had a contractor out (he was extremely cocky), and he confirmed, with a ,000 price tag to have the house pumped up (approx. 17 plugs). My mom was angry with this guy’s attitude, and now won’t have any work done until she has an engineer confirm what’s already been said.

I’m getting desperate here! The chimney is pulling away from the house, one of the exterior walls is starting to bow. The walls are cracking, and one can only imagine what’s going on with the ceilings–they’re all suspended. Selling the house for what the land is worth is NOT an option. This needs to get fixed-the right way-and I need some advice. What kind of an engineer do I look for? How much ‘should’ this cost? Any other ideas?
- ANSWER:
  Depending on what your soil conditions are this could be expensive to fix. Unless bedrock is within a few feet of the surface it could cost at least ,000.00.
  
  You don’t say what your location or square footage is so I will answer in general terms.
  
  It isn’t unusual to see perimeter and loadbearing footings settle more than the floor. The buildings weight is concentrated at these places. If the foundation is weak then the footings will plunge leaving the floor higher, usually a crack appears around the perimeter at the walls.
  
  If new piers are improperly placed on the same inadequate foundation (for example not deep enough) the new piers only add weight to the structure. You could spend a lot of money and only make things worse.
  
  Your mom has good instincts. You should contact a “structural engineer”. The cost to repair the resulting damage to the structure if allowed to progress could be major.
  
  There should be a geo-technical or soils report done to determine the soil conditions and depth of suitable foundation.
  
  Based on the soils report the structural engineer can draw up plans to do the job properly.
  
  good luck
QUESTION:
Did I do the right thing to “walk” from this house purchase due to septic issues, even w/lower offer?
It was a small vacation house, offered price 9, it had been over 6 mos on market, they paid 0 in 2007, I offered K they countered 0K but I had to pay for septic inspection.

I drove 3.5 hours to be there for the inspection, concrete lids were removed, both tanks filled to brim with mostly water very little “scum”. The septic guy tried to snake the 2nd tank to see if it would flow, nothing. They were going to have to return to snake it, owner said they’d pay for that. It was the first time I’d seen the house on a rainy day, the yard had some standing water in it, your heels sunk into the grass, the “rat slab” foundation under the house had a little bit of standing water on the side by the septic tank, the septic tank was about 5″ above grade from the slab. The septic guy there at inspection mentioned K to K to repair, but wouldn’t need a new permit as it was a repair.

I went home, talked to some people, they said it sounded VERY BAD like septic runoff and a saturated drain field that was not draining. They said the soil could be polluted with fecal coliforms and viruses and it’s a horrid soup. They said I could not only be out the cost of a new septic, but have to dig out the contaminated soil, have it treated before dumping, and put in clean soil, need new permits, plus septic, plus re-sodding. Another agent I’d happened to talk to a few weeks before this had mentioned a “septic problem” with regard to this house, but my agent minimized that as untrue because the house had been solid for decades.

I decided based on all of this, that she knew there was a septic problem, that she and the listing agent thought if I had to pay for inspection I might go cheap and just buy it without one. I don’t feel they disclosed the problem, that they had to have known about because the yard has standing water, errr, liquid, as does the foundation slab and another agent seemed to know. Further, the county is REQUIRING septic inspections passed by January and I figure the owners must be motivated to get out before they get fined for not passing certification–and that they likely cannot pass certification or they probably would have by now. I don’t feel I should have to pay for the inspection, and they haven’t sent me a bill……yet.

That night my agent came wrote to me and said that we could offer K less if I forewent any more inspections. That raised my suspicions that the problem was as grave as I was told, i.e. about contamination, runoff, neighbor / health liability, EPA, county certifications, etc.

Should I contact the county about this house septic runoff and ask if it’s reparable?
Any one with experience with “crappy” septics?

I wrote to my agent stating the house failed inspection and I wanted rescission of my offer and refund of earnest monies.

I love the house/location, but I don’t know if I should have offered mass less, or if my friends were right that this was a haz-mat nightmare???
- ANSWER:
  I think that if you’re going to pay for an inspection and drive hours to be present that you should have asked the questions that would have given you a clear answer, then talking to friends about it and making assumptions.
  
  That aside, if you don’t want to deal with septic problems, then walk away. If you really like the house and that’s the only issue, you may want to rethink it if that issue is going to drop the price by almost fifty percent after finding out how much it will actually cost to fix.
  
  You agreed to pay for the inspection. Unless there’s a contingency for it’s failure that gets you off the hook, you pay for it.
QUESTION:
Foundation repair – what can I expect to pay?
I have a 2-story house. It’s about 2400 square feet. It was built in 1995. I live near Houston. I have a crack in the foundation that runs from my front porch to my back porch (through my foyer, under my staircase, through my kitchen). I will be selling my house soon and wondered what I can expect to pay (a range) to have the foundation fixed — not including flooring. My house is listed on zillow.com for an estimate of 9,500. Any advice and estimates would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hmm, I mentioned that I’m in the Houston area on purpose because the shifting sand/clay soil mixture causes a lot of issues with foundations here. Foundation repair is quite common. We also had a severe drought last summer. That is when the crack grew. I have been watering the foundation since then, but the damage is done. I guess I just need to get a foundation repair company to come to the house and give me an estimate. Thanks for the answers.
- ANSWER:
  It’s a tough fix. It will have to be cut (don’t cut through the original re-bar), drilled, re-bar tied in, and repoured after it’s mud-jacked. After that, you’ll have to put everything back together (including the stairs…ugh). I’d say 18,000 to 22,000 bucks. Maybe even more, I just haven’t seen it.
  
  A lot of people aren’t even going to want to bid something like that. There are a lot of trades involved, a lot of work involved.
  ———————-
  I read the edit. Well, I’ll tell ya, there is a way to partially stabilize the crack and patch it up with mortar (repointing), but that doesn’t FIX it. I was telling you how to fix it and giving you an estimate for that. The mud-jacking and repointing is going to cost about 3-4 grand. That slab will never be the same. You should have used pre-tensioned concrete to begin with, that would have made all of this moot, but beating yourself up about it now won’t do anyone any good. Spilt milk.
  
  Call at least 3 of those foundation companies and see what they say.
  ——————-
  One other thing. Hun, I don’t know jack squat about Houston or its foundation/soil/drought problems. I’m from Missouri. Sometimes you have to spell this stuff out for us dummies.
QUESTION:
Dear, dear Handymen: Any clue what could be going on here?
I was prepping my parent’s kitchen floor for tiling when, in the breakfast nook, I noticed a few feet of their old linoleum was separated from the slab & that the lower portion of their wainscoting was so rotten & damp it looked as though someone had poured an inch-high mound of black potting soil along the wall. I cleaned this up & then, out of curiosity, I slipped a scraper up beneath the wainscoting & out spilled even more of the smelly damp black stuff (I’m assuming it’s actually disintegrated, moldy drywall???). That same hour it actually began to rain & I was able to observe several inches of the concrete slab darken with moisture. On the other side of the wall is the highest point of their backyard & patio (where rainwater NEVER pools) but there IS an active 3-inch deep crack between the patio pavement & the foundation of the house (& there is 3 1/2 inches of foundation visible ABOVE the patio). What we can’t figure out is how rainwater could travel down the 3-inch deep crack but –instead of just filling up the crack & overflowing onto the patio– then manage to travel UP more than 3 1/2 inches to the level of the foundation & even higher in order to soak the floor trim & the first few inches of drywall & wainscoting. I obviously can’t lay their travertine until the leak is fixed but we’re on a tight budget & cannot currently hire a professional, so any ideas on what could be going on would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!
- ANSWER:
  With out seeing it hard to say,
  But that dark soil stuff sounds like what i have found many times in walls where ants build nests in damp wood. They seem to carry in soil or it is their waste. You didnt mention any ants, but they could be gone.They can do damage same as termites ,Im talking about regular ants not just carpenter ants. I bet that is the black stuff.
  It is not that hard to repair
  Just start disassembling all the rotted would untill you get good wood.
  Removing the sheet rock and everything.
  Cut out the affected 2×4`s and replace with treated 2×4.
  If the just the bottom couple feet of the 2×4`s are affected. just cut them off and “sister ” another 2×4 on to it. Sister just means attach it to side of it. And the 2×4 (mudsill ) that is horizonal on the floor is replaced in the same manner.
  So just remove the sheet rock that is covering the area and see how much framing you will have to replace. This is what the professional would have to do. Then after you make the repair, seal the exterior as needed to prevent water intrusion. Dont be afraid ,you cant really screw it up more , it is already rotted. You will make a small mess but there is no other way to do it. And if you do it yourself it will not cost very much at all.
  And if there is a window above the rot spot,water could be leaking there because of poor caulking . When you remove the sheet rock you will better to be able see where it comes from.
  It is not rocket science, just wood, nails, caulking, etc.
  Now go tear the sheet rock off and see what you have to do.
QUESTION:
What are my rights when a contractor ripped me off?
I hired a man to build a patio room onto an existing outdoor patio. A contract was signed, some upfront monies were paid for materials, and I even had a “time is of the essence” clause for 45 to 60 days. He was hired in early October 08 and his time was up early December 08. The only work he did was to pour a concrete foundation that is not up to code and to use 2×4 boards to frame it when the contract called for 2×6. None of the framing was ever completed in all of this time either. I have a crooked foundation and boards that are only on each side but not fully framed.
What are my legal rights and how to pursue a lawsuit against this person? I do have an attorney and time to wait. Fortunately I have enough money for both an attorney and to hire another contractor to fix and finish this job.
Where do I even start? Who do I call because of the legalities of what he has done? This man owes me and has agreed to pay me back any monies that I paid upfront because he knew it was wrong. That is in the amount of 00 not counting the damage I will have due to the concrete slab not being correct.
HELP…
- ANSWER:
  Since you have a written contract, this one is pretty easy. Actually, since you have an attorney he should have told you this, as he is the person to call:
  
  1> You are entitled to all monies back subject to the cost of goods already expended that do meet standards/contract, if any.
  2> Unless the contract specifies otherwise, you are generally entitled to reasonable costs to repair or address any deficiencies.
  3> Unless the contract specifies otherwise, you are generally entitled to collect reasonable attorney’s fees.
  
  Since the amount is so high, you are out of the ballpark for most small claims courts, you will file in your local municipal court and for that an attorney is recommended strongly.
QUESTION:
Replacing House Foundation?
I know I am not going to get an exact answer, but was wondering if I could possibly get some estimates to what it is going to cost to get me home foundation replaced. It is currently sitting on concrete blocks, approx 8′ tall. There is dirt on only 3 sides with 2 sides about halfway up. The yard slopes front to back. The dimensions are approx 20′ wide by 30′ long. I am wanting to get rid of the blocks and solid concrete form. I know if will be pricey, but hoping that because of such a small place and being able to get in the basement and not have anything in the way, it won’t be unbearable.
The concrete blocks started to fall in with the prior owner. There are deadman already attached, but if I get BO’s first time homebuyer money, I have to stay in it for 3 years or pay it back. Although, now that I think about it, it may be cheaper to pay it back than a new foundation. I am not worried about not living in it or utilities being shut off. The only utilities coming through are the water, air and electricity, which isnt bad. Landscaping isn’t going to be a problem either, we have knowledge for that. If it is going to cost what both of you think, I will live with it. I am just checking my options.
- ANSWER:
  Are the walls structurally unsound? If not, why?
  
  a) You will have to raise up the house – very likely up from the existing foundations by several feet at least. During this process and for the duration of the work, the house will not be livable. And during this process, all your utilities, water and sewer will either be disconnected or removed temporarily.
  b) You will have to excavate around the existing foundation down to the footing and shore it so that the existing walls may be removed. Your existing basement slab will also have to be removed by at least three feet in from the existing walls.
  c) You will require a structural engineer to verify that the existing footing is intact and fit for the new foundation walls.
  d) The new walls will have to be formed and poured and allowed to cure.
  e) The underground utilities will have to be stubbed through the foundation.
  f) The excavation back-filled, graded and landscaped.
  g) The house lowered back onto the foundations and all the services and utilities re-connected, re-activated and tested.
  h) And then whatever interior and exterior repairs and re-finishes that might be needed.
  
  Two of our neighboring houses (upstate Pennsylvania – low-cost labor area) had to be raised up after a flood, and the process was somewhat similar to the above but less labor-intensive as the houses were small (smaller than yours) and there were no basements. Each cost approximately ,000 to do and each took approximately 45 days from start to finish including engineering, permits and inspections. This was two years ago. I expect that in your case the cost could easily be twice that if not more.
QUESTION:
Concrete Patio Cracking?
I am going to try to explain this bare with me please. I have a 12 x 19 cement patio that is in like 3 part slabs. It is cracking to a point were infront of the slabs where two of them meet there is about a 4″ gap most of the cracks are towards the front of the patio. Another important point is that this slab seems to be like 5 feet from the ground, if you come out the back door there is the cement patio, then you have to go down the stairs to the rest of the yard. My house is a brownstone building , so we dont’ have access to the back of the house other than through the front of my house, what im trying to say with that is I have no way to bring heavy equiment thru. My husband plans on filling the cracks and leveling it out with cement for the time being and putting a outdoor carpet for a party we have coming up but I want the problem fixed not just patched up. We are not rich by all means and it scaring me that this is going to be to expensive to fix for our pocket at least.

Who much would something like this cost to repair or replace?
What could be holding these slabs in place?
Can I fix this by re-enforcing the foundation, or does this huge thing need to be replaced?

thank you in advance for any help
- ANSWER:
  Look for someone in your area who can perform a repair process called hydro-jacking. They will come to inspect the slab, check to see how far off level it is, determine how to restore and provide you with a cost estimate.
  
  The hydro-jacking process involves coring through the concrete to reach the sub-base, inserting a high-pressure injection tube with an epoxy-based cement, applying the mix under the slab to make it level again, and sealing the core hole and cracks. Afterwards, a veneer or overlay can be applied to the surface with a stamped finish if desired.
  
  Typically the cost to hydro-jack an existing slab is about 1/3rd or less of the cost of demolition and re-pouring a new slab, and in your case where heavy equipment can’t access it may be your only option. Good luck.
QUESTION:
Repairing my front porch?
i Just bought my home and attached to the front of the house is a concrete porch that is the same height of the house on its pier and beam foundation but its slowly moving away from the front of the house. there is a 1 inch gap in between the porch and the house and the front right corner is badly sloping towards the ground, the previous owners attached an additional 3 support beams to the existing two that connect the porch to the roofthat extends out over the porch for more support. anyhow is there a way i can repair this and how much it would cost? any ideas? thanks in advance.

PS – should i rip it out and replace it or repair it? PRICES PRICES
- ANSWER:
  The ground is sinking on the end not at the house from the weight. The entire thing would sink a little but the end towards the house is sitting on the footers of the house so it will not sink. The only things you can do is leave it alone, replace it, or put some quikcrete in the gap.
  You can not just lift the porch up if it off the ground and has steps because it is filled. But if it is a slab that is on the ground. it is possible to use a bottle jack and raise it up. But then you have the daunting task of getting more concrete under the slab which is a real big pain in the azz.
  
  Personally, I would replace it with a wood porch.
  
  Pictures would help explain if it could be fixed or not.
QUESTION:
how much to break up concrete pad, excavate, and replace broken kitchen drain pipe causing basement leak?
we just bought a new house and about a month after moving in started to get water in the laundry room. it had been raining a lot and there was a broken gutter nearby so i figured no big deal. but water was still coming in 2 weeks later without rain, so that was our first clue something else was going on. a plumber came by this afternoon and figured out that the kitchen drainage pipe was broken behind the foundation wall and the leaking water had saturated the soil, and was the source of the foundation wall leak. to fix it they need to break up the concrete pad in the family room and dig down to the pipe and replace however much is bad. he told me that it would be several thousand dollars. he seemed to be honest and quite competent, but i don’t really know much about him and we wanted to know what others thought about how much something like this should cost…
he indicated the size they would be breaking up was maybe 6 feet by 4 feet. he said that they would do it like this: 1) create work area in familiy room corner next to kitchen with plastic and tape and then remove trim and peel back carpet; 2) break up section of pad with jackhammer; 3) excavate down to pipe, cut the bad section out close to foundation exterior wall and then pull through the part coming down from kitchen and leading out (no messing with foundation); 4) camera section leading to main stack to ensure ok and if not reline; 5) replace section cutout earlier; 6) backfill; 7) lay new concrete where excavated. we would have to put carpet and trim back after concrete hardens. he said there would be a 3 year warranty on the work and a crew of 3 guys would work on it for a solid day.
i called our insurance company this morning and they said they don’t cover it because there was no damage to the interior of the house. our agent said that if some furniture or something was damaged we could make a claim, but since the water just ran down the drain, there was no claim.
- ANSWER:
  Consider this. He has to jackhammer out the concrete slab, dig down to find the pipe, and determine how much pipe needs to be replaced. He has to replace pipe, back fill the hole, pour a new section of slab, and dispose of the old pipe and concrete.
  Of course it can cost several thousand, depending on how much he has to remove and repair, but it can also cost as little as a thousand.
  The good news is that your homeowners insurance should cover at least part of this repair, depending on your deductible.
  
  Additional answer.
  Don’t insurance companies stink?
QUESTION:
Brick ranch, on slab with probable galvanized plumbing. Should I stay away from it?
I have a chance to buy a beautiful large brick ranch here in Ohio that was built in 1954. It is on a slab and probably has galvanized plumbing. Areas of pipe that are exposed, such as around the water heater, have all been updated to copper. But in the slab I imagine it may still be galvanized going to each of the 2.5 baths and kitchen and outside water bibs. One advantage is that for about the past twenty years, the source that supplies water to the town softens it. And as I undertstand it that may help in reducing deterioration of the galvanized line. Someone has advised me that the galvanized that is buried in the foundation should not be a problem.

It is a great home and a super upscale neighborhood. I wouldn’t mind a rare break down the road. But would hate to have to reroute all the lines with pex up through the attic and down to each water source.

Thanks, in adavnce for any and all help.

Cheers,
Steve/OHIO
- ANSWER:
  I would check with your future homeowners Insurance agent and see if this would be covered should it fail. I would also ask seller for some price reduction (if possible) to defray this repair cost since it was built in 1954.
  I am a general contractor and use all licensed plumbers. we came across a similar situation in Indiana. Buyer purchase older home, but was going to replace all carpet and floor coverings anyway. Our plumber went in and sawcut existing concrete floor about ( 120′ Lineal) total, took out concrete and ran Pex. About ,000. He compacted new sand around pex, and poured a 4″ cap of concrete. We used a company that specializes in cutting concrete. They used an air compressor with a air saw- diamond blade.
  Next door in Indiana – Good Luck
QUESTION:
Having a house built in North West Arkansas (ikea, formica, stained concrete)?
And even though we won’t do it for at least another year, possibly 2, we are already working on research for it. Both of us are big out door people, and we would rather spend a little bit less on the house and more on the out door living space.

One thing we are pretty sure of is that we want stained concrete in all of the main rooms. We’ve had carpet, tile, stained concrete and vinyl. We both loved the stained concrete because it was easy to keep clean and it looked great. But we do want carpet in the bedrooms. What are the pros and cons of doing this? Is it cheaper to go with the stained concrete vs tile in the bathrooms, kitchen, dining and living room?

Also, Formica vs Granite, again this is something we have had and don’t mind having again. The way we see it is that we plan on living in this house for many years and will have time and more money in the future to upgrade and change these things. So what are the pros and cons of Formica vs granite?

And another thing I am wanting to do is have my closets storage space set up like they do in Ikea. This would defiantly be a splurge. But I think it would make a lot of sense to have that from day one and I’m thinking it may be something that adds resale value. Does it? This is what I am talking about: http://esienkiewicz.omnisitebuilder.com/_files/Image/closet%20neat%20freaks%281%29.jpg

I already know that we will make sure there a plenty of outlets. I know we will def do a built in microwave above the stove. And we don’t want to cut cost on important building factors that will affect the quality of our home. But are there any other suggestions you have on things we can cut costs on that will still look nice or that are things easily upgraded or changed in the future, such as counter tops and flooring?

And for those that have built a house on their own with out a contractor, how did that work out for you. Would you suggest it? Why or why not? I’ve heard that its a good way to go if you know a lot of people that work in construction fields and that you can save a lot of money that way. What are the pros and cons of this?
- ANSWER:
  I have built several houses for my own use as well as remodel several homes for investments. Doing it yourself can save at least 50% of the cost of the structure, if you know what you are doing.
  If you don’t know what you are doing, go hang out somewhere they are building a house and offer free labor to learn. Repairing poor workmanship or shoddy mistakes triples the cost, because you have the cost making the mistake, removing the mistake and doing it right. So ask someone who knows what they are doing to show you how to do it.
  
  The cement parabolic slab for flooring is a great way to go, if you use 6 bag cement mix. 5 bag mix will crack and look unsightly. The last thing you want is a big crack running across your floor. Be sure to tell the cement mason’s that you insist on 6 bag mix. Also, use a woven wire to strengthen the floor. Rebar is great for foundations and the such where you don’t care if it cracks because the rebar will hold it together, but on a floor, you do not want cracks.
  
  Be sure to plan ahead and install Conduits for anything that will be inside or under the parabolic slab, such as plumbing. If you have to replace or repair the plumbing, pulling the old piping out of a larger pipe under the floor, and shoving a new pipe back up the Conduit is easier than busting up the floor. Same applies to things like wiring and gas lines.
  
  The nice thing about a parabolic slab is you can change your mind later, and lay carpet or tile or wood right over it, and it provides a great base without any further work needed. Plus it is termite and carpenter ant proof.
  
  The bad thing about a parabolic slab is all heating and cooling ducts must be above the floor level, in the ceiling, or as in a two story structure, they duct work must be in the ceiling / floor between the two levels.
  
  If this is going to be a week end or vacation home, I strongly suggest a “demand” water heater. No tank, just instant hot water when you need it, and as much as you need. No tank means it will be easier to turn off and drain when you are not there in the winter. Also, you won’t have a tank full of constantly reheated hot water sitting around taking up space. And finally, there are tax credits available for installing a tankless water heater that makes the price the same as a tank heater.
QUESTION:
Approx. how much does it cost to have a basement refinished?
Maybe refinished isn’t the right word. We have a large basement that contains our washer, dryer, furnace, water heater, a workbench, etc. We don’t want to have a living space down there. We have a major problem with water getting in. It’s not unusual for it to flood in the spring and have several inches of standing water.

Anytime it rains the whole house smells from the dampness.

I was just curious about what it would cost to have the walls and flooring fixed up. The house is over 100 yrs old, 3 storeys and has a limestone foundation.
- ANSWER:
  What you need is basement waterproofing, not refinishing.
  
  You need to fix the drainage issues that are causing the basement to flood and that can be done in two ways:
  
  – Digging out the foundations and installing a french drain, or drain tile around the perimeter, by the footing. This process is very expensive and disruptive, specially if you have fixtures, like decks and porches, as they need to be removed.
  
  – Installing a drain tile internally, along the internal perimeter of the basement. That is done by jack hammering a few inches off the slab close to the wall, and installing a special drain pipe over a bed of gravel and then repair the concrete.
  This drain tile does exactly what the external french drain would do, collects the water and diverts it to a sump pump that will get it out and away from the foundation.
  Internal drain tiles have been used with success for over 20 years, and you can have one installed for about half the price of installing an external french drain.
  
  In addition, good systems, unlike external drains are accessible and serviceable, which is why good waterproofing companies back them up with a Transferable Lifetime Warranty.
  
  Call a few basement waterproofing companies in your area and ask for free estimates.
QUESTION:
Cement patio and steps estimate …?
I am looking at putting a bid on a new house and I need to have some idea as to how much it would cost to repair/replace a patio and 10 steps that have buckled due to slow erosion.
Patio is 15×15 ft, 4″ thick
Steps are 4 ft wide, 8″ rise and 10″ deep
Steps go down from this patio to another larger patio that has no damage.
there is no retaining wall at present, and I am thinking that one should be put in place … rebar/mesh on patio and retaining wall – any thoughts here?
Erosion process appears to be very slow, the buckling occuring over the course of 12-15 years. Yet, I am thinking that stabilizing the area a bit will also protect the foundation of the house which currently does NOT show any cracks.
Would appreciate it if you could help me think thru this job and come up with a cost estimate that includes Materials and Labor.
I live in St Louis, MO.
Thanks
- ANSWER:
  Terrain is the key issue on this estimate.
  Can a backhoe/concrete truck easily get to this old slab patio?
  Option # 1 *Easy access
  Bust out existing slab/steps and truck away
  Backhoe/Truck/Operator/Laborer 1 day $ 1,500
  Prep/Compact Fill for slab & Form Patio Mat/Lab. $ 400
  Form new steps Carpenter/laborer 32 man hrs. $ 800
  Materials to form steps .00
  Concrete for slab $ 350
  Concrete for steps 0
  Pour and Finish slab and steps 2 finishers or 1 finisher and 1 helper total 16 man hrs. 0
  Clean up labor 0
  Total 95.00 *add overhead/Profit = 0
  Grand Total $ 4645.00
  
  Option #2 Difficult Access
  base bid $ 4645.00
  add to wheel or buggy concrete 0
  Carry lumber/demo materials to area or wheel barrow in.
  add 0
  Grand Total 95 and up.
  
  Retaining walls if poured concrete 10″ thick with vertical and horizontal rebar on 24″ wide x 12″ thick keyed footing x 4′ high and 50′ long or less *easy terrain – per lineal foot
  50′ or more – per lineal foot. In other words a 50′ long wall 4′ high would have an estimated cost of $ 2,000
  a 100′ wall average would be 50.
  Add more labor for hard to get to site up to 25% more cost.
  Additional site work may be needed to backfill and regrade around the work area. Finish grade,seeding,would all be at additional costs.
  *Labor to form steps is very time consuming, so is the finishing of concrete steps. Faces of steps (risers) forms must be pulled after concrete sets up a while, water tends to be a problem so the steps must be poured with a higher slump ( stiffness) it really is an art to watch a good cement finisher work on a set of steps.
  Good Luck
QUESTION:
Are the water and sewage pipes installed to the Code?
In my split-level house there are 25 feet of pipes running under tiled floor to the kitchen. They were laid 1-2 feet deep in the concrete foundation, covered with gravel, then poured with concrete and tiled over. A really barbarian job. Now to replace them I need to jack-hummer the floor (and I don’t have matching tiles to cove it up after).
Q: is it possible that the building code allowed for such “installation”? I am sure it is a violation, so is there an option to for me to have it corrected w/o paying the whole cost of remodeling? I live in Montgomery county MD, and the house is 30 years old.
Thanks!
- ANSWER:
  What you have described is typical slab-on-grade installation. Usually the pipes in the trench are covered with sand then the slab is poured over the whole thing.
  
  Why are you sure it is a violation, because it is inconvenient to make repairs? That has no bearing on construction. The house was constructed this way because it is simpler and less expensive to build.
QUESTION:
AS my house is over two hundred years old and has no foundations like modern houses do?
so do you think if it keeps raining like it is (three days solid) it will eventually up sticks and float down to the bottom of my village or will it stilll stand the test of time and remain standing for another few years yet?
A granite house laid on granite blocks and dirt floors. And yes we still have most of the original wooden floors sanded and polished. But you can feel the cold come up underneath floor boards even though we lifted most of them and attached insulation to the underside of them. Still cold though.
Yes our Cathness slate roof tiles stayed put whilst the new homes opposite had all the rood tiles ripped from their moorings in the storm of two weeks ago.
- ANSWER:
  i’m not sure this is a serious question or one to pass the time nonetheless.
  
  in answer unless you see cracks in the walls which are getting wider/longer or other similar major changes don’t worry, if you are concerned call in a GOOD period house surveyor.
  there is no way we would know what foundations if any the house has, it says none!
  
  on other issues above:
  it could be built on earth directly or a rubble foundation, it does not have to have a brick foundation or footing, in all likelihood the use of granite was due to lack of availability of bricks/cost/choice so theres no reason why bricks would be beneath walls.
  as for the concrete floor, where does this come from? (opc) concrete only really came in in the middle of the last century so it might have been added but whats that got to do with it.
  tiles and or slabs were also laid on earth sand or similar
  wood floors can last hundreds of years! some repairs, good environment, no beasties
  also there were construction methods used before honeycomb walls (which tend to use bricks see above).
  
  it scares me that some people who answer these questions have little/no idea what they are talking about
QUESTION:
Why is wont the central air cool?
ok long story short it was hot and we paid 5000$ to get a new central air unit and furnace so its brand new with the brand new one it was still hot its about 100 degrees outside but it still hot the thermistat is always in the 80’s and it was still hot so we called the people and they “fixed” it and said that it had a leak or some crap and now its 6 in the afternoon and we have the ac set on 68 and yet the thermistat goes up instead of down and its in the 80’s still the only time it ever gets to were we set it is in the morning. i know we cant expect it to be 60 degrees in here when its 100 outside but our neighboors and friends houses are always nice and cool and in the 70’s. what could be wrong with our ac? could it possibly be the insilation in the attic?
- ANSWER:
  Here is my take on this. Ill do some assuming here.
  1 I suspect that they DID NOT replace the line set (the 2 copper pipes) that run to the outside unit and make connection to the evaporator coil in the attic. So, its possible that that was the source of the “leak” and they repaired the leak.
  2nd. The evaporator coil that is up in the attic is the wrong coil. You should have a horizontal coil (N coil) installed. If a vertical coil (A Coil) was installed this would be right in line with the problem that you are having. Also, “IF” (im guessing cause I cant see it) is that if poor cooling during the day, the coil is probably freezing up, and or if you were to go up in the attic water is overflowing and running into the saftey catch pan.
  
  Sounds to me like a botched install. The suction line outside (larger copper pipe on ac unit) should be sweating with condensation and ICE cold. Again assuming that the coil may be wrong and or a possible restriction in the condensate drain line. Then the coil is freezing up, and rendering cooling worthless. Then the system trips out on thermal overload (the outside unit) and the fan only may be running, but the compressor is not. Once the ice melts off the evaporator coil, which would take about 2 hours, then once the compressor cools down it kick back in. With out writing a novel thats my suspicion here. Now if they just made this repair it will take several hours for the system to overcome the load. If its been on for say 10 hours and the temp on the stat has not budged. Suspect what I mentioned above and the charge is not right and they over charged the system.
  There are allot of variable here that you wont be able to give the information, and it sure sounds to me like an installation error on the HVAC contractor. They should make it right at no cost to you. Even if in my view they elected to re-use the line-set (which would have been a bad call on there part) they should either eat the repair of the leak. Note to you, if your lineset (again the two copper pipes outside) make a penetration either though a concrete slab or concrete foundation. Without the nasa explanation, the concrete and copper over time (many years) have a adverse reaction, and the concrete can cause the copper to develop a leak. If your old system was having refrigerant added (due to a leak) and the source was never disclosed to you. Then at this point (assuming they brazed all the connection points correctly and tested with nitrogen for leak check) that the line set that was re-used would have to be the source of the leak. I highly doubt the equipment itself is at fault.
  Again if they fixed it at say 6 pm. I would expect around 11 or 12 pm the system should be catching up. And check the larger copper pipe outside, It should be sweating its bal*s off if not, the system is not operating correct with the ambient air temp that you stated.

concrete slab foundation repair costs

Posted in: Uncategorized ♦ concrete slab foundation repair costs

Comments are closed.