Many calls into Weinstein Construction come from homeowners and commercial property owners who want us to check the condition of the foundation their property is sitting on. The clients who call us are proactive, and need to know whether or not their foundation will survive the next crisis that comes along, for example, a severe rainstorm, mudslide, or one of our many regional earthquakes. And you know what? These folks who call us are smart, because the truth is that many foundations in the Greater Los Angeles region have issues! If you want to know why foundations have issues here, it’s all about when and how the foundations were built, as well as what soil they were built on!
Let’s start with the “when and how”! If you own a pre-1950’s home, your home was likely built with sub-standard construction methods and materials – sorry! It’s just that in those days, building codes were not what they are today, and construction materials were not as strong and safe as they are today. And so, such older homes and commercial properties are especially vulnerable to earthquakes, mudslides, and rainwater intrusion, all of which pose a direct threat to the foundation’s materials, and therefore, the health and safety of all who dwell or visit the structure that the foundation supports.
And then, there’s the soil! In our region, homes and commercial properties are built on what is often clay soil, which dries out, shrinks, and settles during our “Dry Seasons” and then expands when it comes into contact with rain water during our “Rainy Seasons”. Old age, combined with the soil’s up-and down (and sometimes sideways) movement, causes the foundation to become brittle, and at some point, crack, or literally break apart!
Are All Foundation Problems Fixable?
If you are wondering whether “all” foundation problems are fixable, the answer is probably yes, most foundation issues can be resolved, however, that does not mean that one should always try to fix a foundation! The reason for that last statement is that sometimes, foundation problems are so extreme, that it doesn’t make any financial sense to try and fix them. In other words, sometimes you just have to replace a foundation in its entirety, because doing so will actually cost less than making extensive repairs!
This, by the way, is not something that homeowners or commercial property owners, are expected to figure out on their own. It takes extensive skills and experience to evaluate a home’s foundation, and the foundation inspectors at Weinstein Construction have these skills in abundance!
Signs it May Be Time to Walk Away from Your Foundation
And so, the discussion above begs the question: which foundation issues are fixable, and which are not? In other words, when to repair a foundation, and when to “walk away from it”? (i.e, replace it in its entirety) The answer is that small foundation cracks are very fixable, but one that has massive, horizontal cracks, may not be, at the end of the day, cost-effective to repair. In essence, consider the latter example as a foundation beyond repair.
But there are other factors that must be taken into consideration. For example, is the foundation easy to access? If it’s a crawl space foundation, it may be easy to access, but it may also be quite tight to work within. On the other hand, if it’s a slab foundation, it could be harder to access, and may require the contractor to demolish part of the building’s interior to get access. And there are even other questions, including, will the foundation require extensive shoring (support) before work begins? Will it require extensive interior and exterior waterproofing?
And so, to answer the question, is there a time when one should “walk away” from a foundation, the answer is yes, there may be such a time, but again, most folks typically can’t figure all these issues out on their own, and that’s why they call foundation professionals such as the ones at Weinstein Construction, who perform home foundation inspections at no cost, and provide homeowners with detailed reports on their findings and recommendations!
By the way, if you are wondering whether you should be walking away from a house with cracks, then no, the cracks that you see inside (and sometimes outside) your house, are often indicative of foundation issues, and so you should get these cracks checked out by foundation professionals such as the ones at Weinstein Construction.
And if you are a commercial property owner who is asking, how to know if commercial foundation issues are too far gone? The answer is that the considerations for older commercial properties are often quite similar to those for homes. Foundations of commercial properties (e.g., multi-family apartment buildings) will often show the same signs of distress, as well as structural failures during natural disasters such as significant rain events, mudslides, and earthquakes. For commercial properties, the above considerations will broadly apply.
What Homebuyers Should Know About Foundation Disclosures
If you are buying a home in Los Angeles, then you should seek to understand exactly what is the state of “health” of your potential home’s foundation. In LA, home disclosures are especially important because of our clay soil situation and our frequent seismic activity. In fact, state law requires sellers to disclose known issues that affect a home, including past history of foundation repair and soil settlement, as well as any visible cracks.
Los Angeles home buyers should also review carefully a home’s Natural Hazard Disclosure (“NHD”), which discloses whether or not a property lies within certain natural hazard zones (e.g., flood hazard, dam failure, fire zone, earthquake zone, etc.). Potential buyers should request that inspection reports be done during escrow by foundation professionals such as the ones at Weinstein Construction, who can help buyers understand home inspection red flags, determine how well a home’s foundation has held up, and then help estimate any future repair costs.
If the home’s foundation had prior repairs, the buyer should request documentation, including permits and contractor warranties, in order to have peace of mind regarding the home’s successful financing, as well as its safety and long term costs.
Can Major Repairs Be a Smart Investment?
Just in case you are wondering whether or not major home foundation repairs can sometimes be a smart investment, the answer is yes, they can be – under the right circumstances. Look, a structurally-sound foundation is essential for the safety and long-term value of your home. If you don’t take care of your home’s foundation issues, they can get worse in a hurry (and often much worse) and lead to substantial structural damage and excruciating repair costs. And if you are a homeowner who wants to sell a home with an unrepaired foundation, then good luck to you! You can be sure that foundation issues will significantly reduce your property’s value or, if the issues are significant enough, even scare off your potential buyers!
But, at the end of the day, foundation repairs don’t have to be expensive. They can be, if the foundation is severely compromised, but they don’t have to be! It’s important for you to weigh the cost of repair against your home’s value and its resale potential. For example, at this point, the LA housing market is pretty competitive, and so buyers may be turned off if they know a home’s foundation is in trouble. In such instances, repairing a home’s foundation makes it more appealing, helps stabilize (or even increase) its price, and it certainly will speed up the home’s sales cycle!
And, if you are a potential home buyer who is asking himself or herself, “should I buy a home with a cracked foundation in LA?” then the answer is, maybe! Again, it depends on how severe the damage is, and what would it cost to repair. What both home buyers and sellers should know is that on the issue of selling a home with foundation issues, many lenders and insurance companies require that such problems are resolved before they approve financing or provide insurance coverage. Ultimately, when foundation issues are professionally diagnosed and then repaired correctly, we believe they are almost always often a worthwhile investment.
Get a Professional Opinion Before Deciding
Lastly, and we can’t stress it enough, as a careful and considerate owner of an older home, especially a home that was built before the 1950s, you really must have a foundation specialist come and evaluate the condition of your foundation. If you are a homeowner and you call Weinstein Construction, your home’s foundation inspection will be provided free-of-charge! Get your foundation evaluated! It just makes sense!
The professionals at Weinstein Construction are foundation experts so homeowners should call us today at (818) 855-5752 for a free inspection and review of all their foundation needs! Our professionals will assess the condition of the foundation and in the event that it needs some help, we will provide you with a variety of appropriate and cost-effective solutions for every situation!
