Foundation Problems With Your Home In Phoenix: Causes And Advice

The foundation of your home is vital to the stability and safety of your house. If you have been told that yours is faulty, selling conventionally may be difficult, but there are still options available to you. Read on to learn more!

COMMON CAUSES OF FOUNDATION ISSUES

Several things can go wrong during the construction of a foundation, some more common than others. Poor drainage, for example, is one of the most prevalent problems. Other difficulties which might arise include using unstable or unpacked soil when constructing walls out of concrete or cement blocks, improper mixing of concrete ingredients, and freezing weather conditions.

According to Arizona Foundation Solutions, the following can cause damage foundations problems to your Phoenix Home:

• Poor Soil Conditions
• Evaporation
• Drainage
• Transportation
• Plumbing Leaks
• Inferior Foundation Construction
• Inferior Ground Preparation

Water Is Often A Major Culprit

If your home is displaying foundation concerns and wasn’t previously, chances are water damage is the root of the problem. Clogged gutters that overflow from leaves and debris can erode soil around your home’s foundation over time which then leads to issues like leaks in your basement or crawlspace. Improper landscaping is not only an eyesore, but can also cause dangerous drainage problems. If a pool or underground piping is installed without properly repositioning the dirt to drain away from any structures, water can seep in and cause molding issues and foundational damage–particularly during freezing months. This sort of negligence often results in large financial repairs.

INDICATES OF FOUNDATIONAL ISSUE

Every foundation will settle over time. A few inches of settling are normal and usually not cause for alarm because of the nearby weight and composition of soil/dirt. Small gaps in basement floors, concrete garage walls, and foundation walls are often caused by this type of everyday settling. If you’re selling a property, be sure to catalogue any tiny cracks in and around places like the foundation, windows, or doors. However, if the cracks have been there for a while without growing or changing, then an expert assessment may not be necessary. If the settlement fractures expand over time or the basement or foundation walls start to lean or bow inward though, make sure to call in a structural engineer. You should keep an eye out for indicators of sagging in cement block foundations, as well as stair step cracking, cracked/broken blocks, and water seeping through the wall.

The Tricky Issues With Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage

If you’re worried about foundation damage, check your homeowner’s insurance policy. A quick call to your agent can’t hurt. However, keep in mind that most policies don’t cover foundation repairs, depending on the type of damage. If the damage was caused by a natural disaster that is covered by your policy, you might be able to get insurance coverage for foundation repair. If a tornado damaged your home to the point where the foundation was also impacted, then your insurance company may be willing to help pay for repairs. However, if it is only settling or poor installation that caused the failure, then you will likely have to repair it without assistance from insurance. As with any insurance policy, make sure to read the fine print and ask any questions you may have of your insurance agent to determine what is actually covered.

Seek Advice From A Structural Engineer

A certified structural engineer will provide you with a more accurate repair estimate than any foundation contractor. Find a structural engineer who only evaluates foundations to save money, as their objective is simply to offer advice rather than selling services. Although there are many trustworthy foundation repair companies, some may recommend costly fixes without fully understanding the cause of the issue. A structural engineer will assess your foundation, provide a report on findings, and suggest or design a fix to help rectify any problems. Once you have an engineer’s report on the required repairs for your foundation, use it to get estimates from various foundation repair companies. This way, you will get comparable bids based on the same information.

Can I Skip The Repairs And Sell My House With Foundation Defects?

Selling your home is difficult enough, but selling a house with foundation problems creates an extra layer of difficulty. Always be transparent about the issue and set your asking price accordingly. Oftentimes when buyers find out about foundation problems during a home inspection, they back out of the purchase because they wonder what else could be wrong with undisclosed aspects of the house. A house’s foundation is one of the most important aspects when it comes to the stability of the property. If a buyer learns about problems with the foundation that have gone unrepaired, they will often back out of purchasing the home. However, if you are honest about any issues with the property and price it accordingly, someone will eventually come along who is willing to take on those repairs.

Don’t Hide Any Foundation Problems When Selling Your Home

If you know about foundation flaws but don’t disclose them to buyers, they may sue you for failing to do so. If you are sued and found liable, the court could order you to refund the buyer’s money plus pay punitive damages. Alternatively, the judge could order you to pay the buyer’s foundation repair costs as well as punitive damages. To avoid all this, it’s best to let potential buyers know upfront about any problems with the property’s foundations. Foundation problems can be costly to fix, but if you have the resources, it’s worth doing. If you plan to sell your home, fixing the foundation will make it more appealing to buyers and likely increase its value. Remember that any repairs should come with a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.

Sell Your House With Foundation Problems AS-IS For Cash

If you need to sell your home with foundation problems quickly in Phoenix, but don’t have time or money to invest in dealing with the problem, there is another possible solution you should check. Call us at LRT Offers. We focus on aiding homeowners who find themselves in your shoes. We’ll send somebody from our team of experts to inspect your home, and it’s probable that they will offer you cash for the property as-is–no repairs necessary, no waiting for insurance claims or inspection reports, and free of any extra charges. If you accept our cash offer, we can usually arrange everything with the title company so that the deal is finalized within a week.You can learn more about our methods of operation and check out our amazing reputation. If you are tired of dealing with foundation problems in Phoenix and want another option, give us a call today at (602)-362-4742.