What to Expect During a Foundation Repair

The last thing a homeowner wants to hear is that they have foundation damage, but the truth is the sooner an issue is caught and addressed, the less costly it will be to repair. The extent of work needed to complete a foundation repair varies from home to home depending on several factors including how much the ground is shifting around the house, the age of the home and how early the problem was addressed. There are, however, a few things that you should expect in almost any foundation repair.

1) Permits and Permissions must all be in place first

If you suspect foundation problems, it is important to have your foundation inspected as soon as possible, but that doesn’t mean that work will begin immediately. Since foundation repair is an involved process, there are several permits and permissions that have to be in place first.

When you hire Conterra Foundation to conduct your foundation repair, we will take care of this for you including getting any necessary engineering reports, municipal permits and permissions from utility companies.

2) There will be some degree of “mess.”

Conducting a foundation repair typically involves excavating the property surrounding the home, and unfortunately, this is going to mean the homeowner will have to put up with a certain amount of mess while the repair is taking place. This can include dust and debris, holes and piles of dirt on the property, and holes in concrete, flooring and decks.

At Conterra Foundations, we will use techniques that will limit the amount of cutting and digging that is necessary. When working indoors, we will also cover the immediate area with plastic sheets, and we will ask you to move any valuables that may be near the areas where work needs to take place. And obviously, we will clean up after ourselves once the job is done.

3) Noise and vibrations

As with any major repairs, you can expect some noise and vibrations while your foundation is being repaired, especially if the job requires piering. You are likely to feel some minor jolts when the piers are inserted. It is important to take precautions as these jolts can affect items in your home such as pictures and other wall hangings, tall furniture that is not anchored to the wall and fragile items such as china.

4) There may be some required plumbing repairs.

When the foundation of a home moves and settles, it can cause plumbing pipes within the home to move and settle as well. This means that in addition to the foundation repair, you may have to make some plumbing repairs. While this in itself is not necessarily welcome news, it is better to make these repairs sooner than later.

Foundation repair can be a major undertaking, so it is best to be prepared and know what is likely to occur. When you have a repair done by Conterra Foundations, one of the first things we will do is talk to you about the extent of repair that is necessary and what you are likely to experience during the repair. This will help you prepare your home and your schedule to help make the process go as smoothly as possible.