The foundation is one of the most vital components of a building. Because this component plays a huge role in ensuring the structural integrity and durability of your entire home, trying to repair it yourself could actually make foundation problems worse and cause further damage. When that happens, a foundation repair professional will have to undo your repair and fix the original problem as well as any additional issues resulting from your unsuccessful attempt to repair the foundation. Needless to say, all these could end up costing you considerably more than they would have otherwise cost if you had decided to hire a professional from the very beginning.

 

Since this defeats the main purpose of a DIY project—which is to save money—a potentially higher repair cost is one of the reasons why you should never attempt to fix your own foundation. Regardless of how simple you may think this repair is, here are 3 more reasons why repairing your home’s foundation is something best left to the experts serving the Greater Houston area.

  1. Many Foundation Repair Projects Require a Complex Solution

Some foundation problems are fairly straightforward and require a simple repair. Others, however, are more complicated and call for a more complex solution, such as piering or underpinning. In short, piering or underpinning involves installing a number of piers in order to lift, level, and support a failing foundation. Depending on the type and extent of the damage, this repair method can be used in conjunction with other processes, like slabjacking. Slabjacking refers to pumping cement grouts into the voids that sometimes form underneath a foundation in order to ensure a more stable and solid substrate, which will be better able to carry the weight of the home.

  1. Only a Professional Can Tell the Difference between Minor Foundation Problems and Foundation Failure

When it comes to distinguishing between minor foundation problems and foundation failure, special training and extensive experience are usually required. Whether old or new, a Houston home can show one or more signs of foundation distress, such as a wall, floor, and foundation cracks, bowing walls, doors and windows that stick, water leaks, and tilting home components. While almost anyone can notice these issues, only a specifically trained foundation repair professional is able to accurately assess the severity of the problem, determine its root cause, and recommend the proper repair solution.

In addition to having the expertise necessary to identify how serious a foundation issue is, you might also need specialized equipment in order to repair your foundation. While there are different DIY foundation repair kits available, most of them are suitable for fixing only non-structural cracks. If your foundation repair project involves structural damage as well, a few items that you might need, include: beams, piers, cribbing, hydraulic jacks, and even a unified hydraulic jacking machine. Unfortunately, these items aren’t usually available to laypeople. However, a professional foundation repair service, like Allied Foundation, typically carries all the specialized equipment necessary to get any foundation repairs done properly. 

  1. DIY Foundation Repairs Don’t Come with a Warranty

When you repair your own foundation, there is no warranty. This can be a deal-breaker when it comes to real estate transactions. Conversely, all the foundation repairs that we perform at Allied Foundation are covered by a lifetime transferable warranty. This type of warranty can be a valuable asset since it reassures the homeowner as well as potential homebuyers that the contractor will repair or replace the elements covered by the warranty. The warranty that we offer is also transferable. This means that, if you ever decide to sell your home, the new owners will automatically benefit from the clauses included in the warranty. 

But more important than the warranty you’ll get for a foundation repair job is the contractor’s reputation. After all, a warranty is only as good as the company offering it. In addition, make sure that you hire a contractor that offers a broad range of services, such as house lifting, house leveling, landscape drainage, root barrier installation, and plumbing/sewer line replacement. Since foundation distress can arise from different problems, including water leaks, poor drainage, and soil consolidation, hiring a company that specializes in different fields related to foundation repair projects can almost guarantee that you’ll have the repair done right the first time.

As a Houston homeowner, there are various DIY projects you can do around your house. However, a DIY foundation repair shouldn’t be one of them, especially if it’s a complex project. For more information about foundation repairs and why you should leave them to the experts, feel free to get in touch with Allied Foundation today!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get Our Newsletters!

By Subscribing you agree to receive speacial news from Alled Foundation.