When planning for a house remodel, there are many factors that homeowners often consider: décor, building materials, budgets timelines, and more. Because of all these things, it’s quite understandable when things become a tad bit confusing.
That being said, however, before starting your home remodel, it pays to examine its structural integrity. Why? If it’s not structurally sound, your home poses the threat of serious and significant costs down the road. Your home’s foundation is almost single-handedly the most vital structural component of your home. Having a solid one is the best way to get the longest life out of your structure. So, when it has issues, you should fix it first.
Is it possible to remodel my home prior to foundation repair?
Technically speaking, it’s possible. But, according to Jim Oursler from Granite Foundation Repair, it’s not advisable. Many things could go wrong. Typically, repairing a foundation involves the upward lifting of a house. This lifting could cause a myriad of problems.
For instance, plumbing pipes could get damaged, and cracks and other fractures could appear on your tiles and brick exteriors. Simply put, your remodel could be money down the drain! That’s why it pays to ensure your home is structurally sound prior to a home remodel. Whether its slab foundation or a pier and beam foundation, have it properly inspected by a competent foundation repair specialist.
Left unattended, the problem will only get worse. Foundation repairs are expensive, and foundation issues usually cause other structural issues. Over time, you could also begin noticing issues with your roof as well. It may appear saggy or wavy.
How do I spot signs of foundation damage?
The first thing to do is to examine your home carefully. In some cases, the problem may be subtle. For example, you may assume your sticky windows and doors are a result of high humidity or hardware issues. But, in other cases, signs of foundation damage could be obvious. Like, uneven or settling floors.
The following are typical signs of foundation damage you should worry about:
Counters and cabinets separating from the wall.
Do your counters and cabinets seem to be pulling or tilting away from the wall? At first, the tilting could be so subtle that you may not even realize it. However, over time, you may begin noticing the gap expand.
If you notice anything like this, it may signal you’ve got major foundation issues. Call a foundation repair expert immediately.
Floors sagging, bowing, or dipping.
This is a common sign of a foundation problem. If your floors are uneven to the extent that you begin to notice it when walking around the house, your foundation definitely requires attention. Initially, they may appear uneven by half an inch or so. But, over time, the unevenness could be about one- and a half to two inches. At this point, you’ve got serious issues.
While repairing an uneven floor certainly requires a specialist, checking for unevenness often doesn’t. You can do it yourself. You’ll require a marble or a tennis ball. Naturally, on an even floor, the ball will not roll. Otherwise, it will. In addition to being unsightly, sagging, bowing, or dipping floors may pose a safety risk for small tots and the elderly.
Gaps around window frames or exterior doors.
Another sign of foundation damage is gaps around frames of exterior windows and spaces around exterior doors. You may also begin noticing that your doors no longer latch properly.
Double doors, in particular, will not align as they should. In addition, you may notice that your crooked door frames have impaired all your doors.
Sticking doors and windows.
Foundation issues can also cause your home’s doors and windows to stick or fail to latch properly. Exterior doors will probably hang down at the top or drag at the threshold. Interior doors may stick or drag at the top.
Albeit temporarily, high humidity could also cause this. However, when the problem doesn’t go away after a week or so, it could mean your foundation needs attention.
Small bumps on your floors.
Have you noticed small gaps on your floors? If so, you could be experiencing foundation upheaval. Oftentimes, this problem commonly impacts the edge of a concrete slab foundation. However, it’s not unusual for it to also affect your home’s interior as well.
Moisture is the number cause of foundation upheaval. It could take many forms. It could be from under-slab leaks, it could be caused by heavy rains, or it could occur as a result of poor drainage.
Your structure appearing to sink or having settlement problems.
At first, it could begin as a tiny 1/2” depression in one part of your structure. But, over time, the issue could grow to up to 2-4”. If you notice this problem, call a local foundation expert immediately.
Once you notice any of these problems, the next step is to call a qualified foundation repair specialist immediately. With foundation issues, the longer you wait, the worse the problem becomes. So, before you begin a house remodel, first ensure that your structure is sound. It’ll save you time and money down the road.