What To Expect During Foundation Repair
So, you’re concerned about your foundation.
Maybe you’ve noticed cracks in your walls, doors that won’t close properly, or floors that seem to slope. Whatever led you to this moment, the idea of repairing your home’s foundation might feel overwhelming.
But don’t worry — we’re here to guide you through the process and give you a clear idea of what to expect during foundation repair.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about foundation repair, including how it works, what the process involves, and what you can expect during the repair.
First off, what is foundation repair?
A crack like this indicates an issue with your foundation.
Foundation repair is the process of fixing structural issues in a home's foundation to prevent further damage and restore its stability.
Foundations can shift, settle, or crack over time due to a few factors like soil movement, water damage, or even the natural aging of the home. When these problems happen, foundation repair becomes essential to protect your home and its value.
What to expect during the foundation repair process
Foundation repair typically starts with a thorough inspection by a professional. After that, if you choose to proceed with the repair, then a crew will come to your home. But you might be wondering what to expect during these visits.
1. Initial inspection and consultation
Your contractor will look at your exterior and interior walls to check for settlement.
During the initial inspection, a foundation repair specialist will assess the condition of your home's foundation.
If you picked a credible contractor, expect the specialist to take their time. Foundation problems are often complex, and identifying the root cause is key.
The specialist will inspect the interior and exterior of your home for signs of settling, cracks, bowing walls, or other structural issues.
After the inspection, the specialist will discuss their findings with you and recommend a solution tailored to your home’s specific needs. This could involve various repair methods, like installing piers, using wall anchors, or house jacks.
The Thrasher Way
At Thrasher, we like to do things a little differently—in the best way possible. While this article gives you a general idea of what to expect with any foundation repair, we want to share what to expect with us. Our goal is to give you unbiased information so you know what to expect, but also let you know how we take things a step further.
During the inspection, we take time to fully assess your foundation issues, looking at the interior, exterior, gutters, downspouts, porch, and humidity levels. We use lasers to measure wall deflection. Then, we sit down with you to explain what’s happening to your home and why.
We understand that most homeowners aren't experts on how their foundation was constructed, how hydrostatic pressure impacts basement walls, or how the soil around your home contributes to foundation problems.
That’s why we make it our mission to educate you on everything you need to know to make the best decision for your home. We’ll explain the problem, the reasons behind it, and how our solution addresses it. We even use videos to clearly demonstrate how our methods work.
3. Prepping for foundation repair
If your basement looks like this (and most do), you will need to move the items to the center of the room to allow work to be done.
When it comes to foundation repair, there’s often some prep work required on the homeowner’s part.
Since the process typically involves digging piers into the soil or installing structural beams to support your basement walls, some of your belongings may need to be moved.
For interior work, anything within 10 feet of the work area will need to be cleared. This could include furniture, stored items, and even drywall, paneling, base trim, or studs.
For outdoor work, landscaping, outdoor furniture, or decor should be cleared to give the crew easy access. Additionally, vehicles may need to be moved to the street.
The goal is to allow the foundation crew to do their best work without worrying about bumping into objects, maneuvering around stored items, or risking damage to your belongings. This way, they can focus on what they do best – fixing your foundation.
4. What to expect during the foundation repair
When the foundation repair crew arrives, they'll take steps to protect your home and belongings. They’ll cover furniture and valuables with protective plastic and may turn off your heating or cooling system to prevent dust from spreading.
To keep things clean, they’ll lay down tarps or cloths in high-traffic areas to avoid tracking dirt through your home.
It's important to note: This level of care is what you can expect from our crews. Not every contractor will provide this, so if you choose another company, this may not apply.
The actual repair process depends on the specific foundation issue your home is facing. Here are some common foundation repair methods and what you can expect during each one:
1. Piers: What to expect
For homes experiencing settlement or sinking, pier installation is a common repair method. This involves driving steel piers deep into the ground to stabilize and lift the foundation.
Pier installation involves digging out some soil around the foundation where the pier will be placed.
First, the crew will excavate the soil around your foundation.
In some cases, piers may need to be installed inside your home if outdoor access is limited. The number of piers needed depends on the severity of the settlement—some homes might only need 3 piers, while others need 20 or more.
For push piers, steel brackets are attached to the foundation footing at each pier location. The piers, which are long steel tubes, are hydraulically driven into the ground until they reach stable soil or bedrock.
Once the piers reach a depth where they can support the weight of the home, hydraulic jacks lift the foundation back to its original position.
The weight of the home is permanently transferred onto the piers, and the hydraulic jacks are removed.
For helical piers, the process is similar, but with the addition of helical plates (like giant screws) at the bottom of the piers. These piers are screwed into the ground, and steel brackets are then attached to the foundation footing to transfer the load.
2. Wall anchors: What to expect
If your foundation walls are bowing or tilting, wall anchors may be installed to stabilize them.
Wall anchors are installed both inside and outside your home.
The crew will drill small holes through the foundation wall to insert galvanized steel anchor rods. These rods are driven into the ground until they reach stable soil and connect to earth anchors, which are heavy-duty steel plates installed in the ground outside your home.
The anchor rods are connected to wall plates inside your basement, which are then tightened to stabilize the wall. Over time, these anchors can be adjusted to gradually straighten the wall.
3. Carbon fiber: What to expect
For walls that are starting to deflect but aren’t severely damaged, carbon fiber straps can be used to reinforce them.
The surface of the foundation wall is cleaned and smoothed to ensure a strong bond. Any paint, dirt, or debris is removed, and the wall is sanded down to create a rough surface.
A high-strength epoxy resin is applied to the wall, and the carbon fiber straps are pressed firmly onto it. A second layer of epoxy is then applied over the straps to fully bond them to the wall. The epoxy will cure over several hours or a day, depending on the humidity in your basement.
4. Wall restoration system: What to expect
For severely damaged or failing walls, a wall restoration system like EverBrace can be installed. This solution essentially creates a new, structurally sound wall inside your existing one without full excavation.
Heavy-duty steel I-beams are installed vertically along the failing wall, anchored securely into the concrete floor at the base and attached to the floor joists above. These beams provide the structural support your wall can no longer handle.
Steel panels are then attached to the wall between the I-beams, forming a new wall. Rigid high-density polyurethane foam is injected between the existing wall and the new system, filling any voids and providing additional stability by locking the failing wall and the new system together.
The Thrasher Way
When we’re working in your home, we treat it like our own. We protect your belongings by laying down tarps and cloth, covering your items with plastic to prevent dust and debris, and sealing vents. We even turn off your heating or cooling system to keep dust from spreading throughout your home.
When it comes to products – not every foundation repair company can say they engineer, design, and patent their own, but we can. Our sister company, Supportworks, creates the best foundation products in the industry, used by contractors across the nation.
5. Backfilling and clean up
We know that foundation repair can sound intense—excavating soil and drilling into walls isn’t exactly what you deal with every day. But don’t worry, the final steps are all about getting things back to normal.
Once the repairs are done, the crew will fill the excavated areas with soil, making sure it’s compacted properly to prevent future settling. If any concrete was removed during the repair, it’ll be replaced with new concrete.
For clean-up, the crew will remove any leftover debris, tools, and materials from the site, leaving the area tidy. If your landscaping or any outdoor features were disturbed, they'll do their best to restore everything back to how it was before they arrived.
And if you’re concerned about the look of your basement after the repairs, most solutions—like wall anchors or carbon fiber straps—can easily be covered with drywall or paneling. That way, your space will look just as good as it did before, but with the added peace of mind that your foundation is strong and stable.
5. Communication throughout the repair
At the end of your project, the team leader will walk you through all the work that was done.
Clear communication is key during foundation repair.
From the initial inspection to the install date, your repair specialist should keep you informed at every stage, explaining what's being done and why.
During the inspection process, ask the contractor how they communicate throughout the repair. There's nothing worse than being in the dark about a project in your home.
The Thrasher Way
Our crews call before they arrive, send progress updates via text, chat with you when unexpected changes happen, and keep you informed and involved throughout the entire project. If there are any changes to the original plan, we let you know right away.
6. After the foundation repair
Before and after of a GeoLock Wall Anchor project.
Once the repair work is complete, you’ll likely feel a sense of relief knowing that your home is secure and stable.
However, it’s important to give your home time to adjust to the repairs. For example, if your foundation was lifted, the wood and other materials in your home may need time to settle into their new positions.
This is why it’s often recommended to wait a couple of months before making any cosmetic repairs, such as fixing drywall or flooring.
After the foundation repair, regular maintenance can help prevent future issues. This might include managing water drainage around your home, maintaining consistent moisture levels in the soil, and keeping an eye out for any new signs of foundation problems.
The Thrasher Way
Our relationship doesn’t end when your project is complete – we’re here for the long haul.
We have a dedicated service department that handles annual maintenance on your existing systems and responds quickly if any issues arise with your repair. It’s a level of ongoing support that sets us apart from many other foundation companies.
Knowing what to expect is the first step
Now that you've read through this article, we hope you're feeling a little less stressed and a little more informed on the entire process.
If you're dealing with foundation issues, don't wait to take action. They tend to get worse over time, and addressing them early can save you from more signifacnt damage and costly repairs down the road. Plus, it's best to know what's going on with your home, at the very least.
When you choose Thrasher, you're choosing a team that's passionate about protecting your home. If you're ready to take the next step toward a safer, more stable home, reach out to us today. We're here to help guide you through the process and give you the information you need to make the best decision for your home.
You can reach out to us by calling us at 1-800-827-0702, filling out the form below, or starting a chat in the bottom right-hand corner.
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Give us a call at 1-800-827-0702 or complete this form and we'll contact you shortly to schedule a Free Inspection, and you'll get a no-obligation written quote during our initial visit.Article Categories:
