We are looking at a house that has been lifted up and a basement has been poured underneath. There is a vertical crack that looks slightly like a J, on the north wall. I love the house but don't want to buy it if it is going to be a big headache.
2006-08-03 04:05:52 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but the crack is on the inside basement wall, below the ground level.
2006-08-03 05:11:54 · update #1
There are options you can take to fix a crack. You should call in someone who is knowledgeable in construction to advise you. Get a reference on the person first though.
My husband and I visited Charleston, S.C. last year. The houses right on the beach area are worth millions. They go back to the civil war.
An earthquake had hit the area around that time. Many of these homes had been damaged. It's interesting to see that many of the homes are actually bolted together now. This is how they worked with the problem. They actually ran a huge steel rod through the houses and bolted them on the outside. You can see the bolts!
And these homes are worth millions today!!! Go figure!
So, nothing is impossible, I guess, as long as you want the home bad enough. Get some professional assistance in this area though. I'm not in construction.
Good Luck!
2006-08-03 04:16:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since the house was lifted and had a basement poured there should be house jacks or some other sort of support placed in the basement. If there are and they were placed correctly then you should have no problem. Sealing the crack would be a great idea to help insure it doesn't spread which it will do in inclimate or cold weather. also, was the crack there before or after the lifting was done? If you know a contractor who would look at it you might go that route in order to get a professional opinion.
2006-08-03 11:58:33 · answer #2 · answered by john h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have the foundation inspected by a structural engineer before you buy the house. They will be able to tell you how serious the problem is. Why not ask the seller to fix the foundation before you buy the house?
2006-08-03 11:23:09 · answer #3 · answered by soar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crack means problem, it could actually ruin the house. We bought a house with a crack and the window broke.
2006-08-03 11:32:36 · answer #4 · answered by acholtz@verizon.net 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
before you buy ANY house spend the $400-$800 depending on where you live to have a building inspector come over and inspect it. a structural engineer would tell you if there is anything wrong with teh structure but a home inspector would also find it along with other potential problems
2006-08-03 13:10:36 · answer #5 · answered by roseclaven 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats what happens when they "settle"........if you like the house buy it...........they get inspected before you sign the final papers and you will know if it's going to be a problem then. if it is you can ask the owners to fix it in a contract or tell them you'll look elswhere. they will usually agree if they want to sell bad enough.
it's not uncommon at all to have cracks like that.
2006-08-03 11:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by myyorkies 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can see it ,it is a problem. It needs to be repaired from the outside, and should be done before it is sold or the price of repair deducted from sale price.
2006-08-03 11:25:24 · answer #7 · answered by edwadio1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION ARE GENERALLY UNSAFE.
wHY NOT BUY SOME OTHER HOUSE.
2006-08-03 11:45:11 · answer #8 · answered by hsarora47 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there's a crack, there's a problem.
2006-08-03 11:10:12 · answer #9 · answered by Albannach 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The substrate is moving ( foundation settling) ...if it gets bigger or wider, call a restoration/waterproofing company.
2006-08-03 12:51:14 · answer #10 · answered by biz owner 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋