Have you noticed some cracks in your home’s walls or floors recently? Do your doors stick when you try to open or close them? If so, your foundation may be damaged and in need of repair.
You’re probably wondering, how long does a typical foundation repair project take to complete? This is an important consideration when deciding whether to move forward with fixing foundation problems.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the foundation repair process – from common causes, to types of solutions, to what impacts the project duration. Read on to get the full scoop so you can make an informed decision.
Types of Foundation Damage
Cracks
Cracks in walls and ceilings are one of the most common signs of foundation problems. As the ground underneath shifts, it places stress on structural elements, causing drywall, brick, and mortar to crack. Size of cracks range from hairline fractures up to several inches across. The wider the crack, the more extensive the damage.
Uneven Floors
Have you noticed that your floors don’t seem as level as they once were? Spots that slope downward or sections that vibrate when you walk across them indicate foundation settlement. Gravity causes the heaviest part of buildings (the center) to sink first. So pay attention if the middle of rooms tilts.
Bowing Walls
While cracks run vertically, bowing manifests horizontally. If your foundation walls push inward or bulge outward, they are no longer properly supporting the structure. This distortion gets more pronounced over time as soil applies more lateral pressure.
Sinking Foundation
General subsidence is when the entire foundation sinks into soft, unstable earth. The most evident result is large cracks that run at an angle through brick and drywall. But sinking can also make your home shorter! If a house drops just 1 inch, doors must be trimmed for clearance.
Sticking Doors/Windows
When foundations settle unevenly, it throws off framing squares. So previously open doors and windows become stuck and require extra force to budge them. Sticking indicates that walls or floors have shifted position, binding doorjambs and windows in place.
What Causes Foundation Damage?
Identifying what triggered foundation deterioration can clarify the best repairs. Here are a few common culprits:
Soil Movement
The soil underneath houses naturally expands and contracts depending on moisture and temperature changes. This movement places stress on foundations over the years. Poor soil composition is also vulnerable to washing away which leaves voids for sinking.
Poor Drainage
Water is the number one enemy of foundations. Improper drainage causes flooding, erosion, and moisture damage. Make sure downspouts direct water at least 5 feet from the house and slopes carry it away from the structure. Clogged gutters also contribute to drainage issues.
Tree Roots
While beautiful, trees planted too close to homes wreak havoc as their roots grow. The network of roots absorbs huge amounts of moisture, drying out soil and forming cavities that foundations settle into. Large roots can even crack through foundation walls.
Plumbing Leaks
Did you know that a small but persistent leak in pipes or appliances can erode dirt and destabilize ground? Saturated soil loses its ability to bear weight. Watch for signs of water damage and immediately fix any plumbing issues.
Foundation Repair Solutions
Once you pinpoint the type and cause of damage, it’s time to pick the right solutions. Here are some common methods for stabilizing and lifting sunk foundations:
Pier Systems
Steel or concrete piers install underneath slabs or in basement walls to halt sinking and redistribute weight. Hydraulic jacks then raise and re-level the foundation for smooth floors and proper drainage slope. Different types include:
Push Piers: Rammed into soil outside the home until they hit bedrock, these support failing walls and prevent future settling.
Helical Piers: Giant screws that bore deep beneath the ground for antimicrobial and corrosion-resistant stability.
Slab Piers: Fit into cavities cut into interior concrete floors to reinforce settling spots without excavating outdoors.
Crawl Space Supports
Adjustable steel posts stand floor joists back up in sunken crawl spaces beneath the first level. This stabilizes visible sagging on main living spaces. Supports also reduce moisture damage to wooden elements.
Basement Wall Repair
Several techniques fortify bowed or cracked basement foundation walls:
Wall Anchors: Steel brackets lag exterior foundation walls to stable interior walls or floors to counteract hydrostatic pressure.
Carbon Fiber Reinforcement: High strength carbon mesh straps crumbling concrete, preventing future cracking and buckling.
Steel Beams: I-beams span failing sections of wall and redirect weight to solid areas. Great for stopping bowing corners or walls with large holes.
Process of Foundation Repair
Wondering what a typical foundation repair project looks like from start to finish? Here are the basic phases:
Inspection & Evaluation
Certified technicians perform elevation scans across floors and walls to precisely measure variances. This quantifies damage and charts exact areas needing support. They design custom repair plans addressing identified issues.
Excavation
Crews dig holes around or under failed sections of foundation to access damaged areas and prepare for supports. For interior slab piering, workers core holes through concrete floors to establish mounting points beneath.
Installation
Whether lifting piers, wall anchors, new drainage, or other solutions, technicians securely install all equipment per specifications of repair plan. Expect noise from pile driving, hydraulic jacks, hammer drilling, and other machinery.
Leveling & Lifting
Jacking graduallly lifts lowered sections incrementally over several days, allowing soil to naturally adjust around raised foundation. Lasers verify when floors and walls reach proper elevations and alignments.
Clean Up & Restoration
Finally, crews fill all holes, remove equipment, and haul away debris. Where excavation occurred, they backfill, grade, seed, or lay new landscaping. Any modified interior flooring gets replaced.
Factors Affecting Project Duration
Foundation repair is rarely a 1-day job. But certain elements make jobs shorter or longer. Below are main influences on turnaround time:
Degree of Damage
Minor issues like a few surface hairline cracks often wrap in 1-2 days. However, extensively buckled walls requiring major excavation and backfilling might take a week or more. Number of supports needed also adds days.
Generally, the more piers having to lift larger sections of foundation and the greater sinking depth, the longer the project.
Location of Damage
Where foundation problems occur impacts accessibility and work speed. Simply stabilizing external block wall cracking is quicker than interior supports beneath floors or in confined crawlspaces.
Permit requirements also vary by project area and municipality, affecting calendar days. Larger cities tend to have longer permitting and inspection delays.
Home Size
Larger square footage with sprawling foundations logically demands more piers installed over increased ground footprint. Bigger scale projects translate to more labor hours spread across additional days onsite.
Technicians estimate smaller homes might complete in 2 days whereas 5,000 sq ft luxury homes with custom solutions may require double or triple that time.
Repair Method Used
The type of solutions selected makes a difference too. Basic concrete push piering often progresses faster than detailed carbon fiber reinforcement spreading over large wall sections. Using multiple repair techniques together adds steps as well.
Can the Skills Learned from Video Game Building Repair be Applied to Real-Life Foundation Repair?
The skills acquired from repairing buildings in medieval dynasty can be transferred to real-life foundation repair. Understanding structural integrity, materials, and problem-solving can be applied to addressing foundation issues. Like in the game, attention to detail and knowledge of different techniques can ensure successful and long-lasting repairs.
What to Expect: Timeline for Repairs
Now for the burning question – exactly how many days should you plan for foundation repairs?
While unique factors make every project schedule vary, these general time ranges help set expectations:
Minor Damage: 1-2 Days
Limited issues like a couple small floor cracks or minor exterior settling may finish quickly if accessible. After confirming permits and ordering materials, crews can excavate, install supports, and restore the site within a day or two.
Moderate Damage: 2-3 Days
For moderate foundation damage involving a certain percentage of supports under or around the structure, allow 2-3 days. This includes popular solutions like push piers, wall anchors, and crawl space jack posts that stabilize decent subsidence.
Assume crews work 6-8 hour weekdays. Larger projects may roll a trailer onsite for tools/materials.
Extensive Damage: 3+ Days
Significant bowing of walls, sunk floors, or severe exterior cracking could require 4+ days to remedy. Especially if custom fabrication occurs offsite or alternative methods like carbon fiber wrapping are utilized per engineering recommendations.
Also reserve time for potential bad weather, hidden issues once excavated, or next day inspections delaying sign off.
Unexpected Delays
No matter the projected schedule, unforeseen complications can arise extending work longer. Examples are facility locates miss marking electric lines, underground leaks found once digging, or city last minute zoning verify delays. Though infrequent, pad an extra day as contingency.
In Closing
We hope this guide gave you a helpful overview of everything impacting foundation repair timelines. Now that you know what to expect, you can confidently assess damage and evaluate contractor estimates. Minor issues quickly addressed save serious future repairs. We recommend reaching out for an inspection at the first signs of foundation trouble. Protect your home and start the process towards straight, stable floors today!