Hi, an inspection (offer accepted) done in an area above yielded a "heaving" foundation -cracks in basement...REALTOR told us this kind of thing is normal in the area - everyone puts up with it - inspector said it`s more predominant in partial basement. REALTOR said she`s sold high end old house to a doctor where ur like hiking up a trail coz the stairs were crooked from the heaving & it wasn`t a big deal. Can anyone advise? I get very nervous when I hear "foundation" problems. Inspector said it just needs maintenance - "patching" (what`s this mean?) and painting and that it`s a 100-yr. old house -it`s not about to fall down tomorrow. Is this high maintenance for a distant investor? Should I back off, flip it, or go thru (high cash flow)?
Heaving/Clay soil in Saskatchewan Manitoba
- Thread starter donksky
- Start date
Well my first attempt got wiped out, so I apologize, this one will be a bit shorter.
What the foundation is experiencing is expansion and contraction brought on by the soil conditions. Heavy clays, which form much of saskatchewan due to glacial activity have the ability to absorb many times their weight in water. If the soil contains bentonite clay, the retention factor can skyrocket. Your probably going to see this foundation shift twice a year - Spring, when melt water is adding to the water table and Fall when the water table is drawn down.
Patching of the cracks mean that after the new cracks form, they must be filled with something in order to continue the moisture barrier. Two products are typically used: hydraulic cement and epoxy fillers. You can find lots of research on the internet for those two items. Patching is something that usually needs to be done yearly, but doesn`t cost very much if done yourself. ie: $100 for supplies for many basic situations.
Heres the bottom line: the house is probably more than fine, but you will notice shifts in the way doors fit and some appearance issues. If your ready to be able to put the maintenace into the foundation when required, great. If not, let somebody else take on that issue.
(There are a few different ways to minimize foundation shifting, however it involves excavation and will not be cheap.)
What the foundation is experiencing is expansion and contraction brought on by the soil conditions. Heavy clays, which form much of saskatchewan due to glacial activity have the ability to absorb many times their weight in water. If the soil contains bentonite clay, the retention factor can skyrocket. Your probably going to see this foundation shift twice a year - Spring, when melt water is adding to the water table and Fall when the water table is drawn down.
Patching of the cracks mean that after the new cracks form, they must be filled with something in order to continue the moisture barrier. Two products are typically used: hydraulic cement and epoxy fillers. You can find lots of research on the internet for those two items. Patching is something that usually needs to be done yearly, but doesn`t cost very much if done yourself. ie: $100 for supplies for many basic situations.
Heres the bottom line: the house is probably more than fine, but you will notice shifts in the way doors fit and some appearance issues. If your ready to be able to put the maintenace into the foundation when required, great. If not, let somebody else take on that issue.
(There are a few different ways to minimize foundation shifting, however it involves excavation and will not be cheap.)
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- Jan 9, 2008
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QUOTE (donksky @ Apr 10 2008, 08:17 AM) Hi, an inspection (offer accepted) done in an area above yielded a "heaving" foundation -cracks in basement...REALTOR told us this kind of thing is normal in the area - everyone puts up with it - inspector said it`s more predominant in partial basement. REALTOR said she`s sold high end old house to a doctor where ur like hiking up a trail coz the stairs were crooked from the heaving & it wasn`t a big deal. Can anyone advise? I get very nervous when I hear "foundation" problems. Inspector said it just needs maintenance - "patching" (what`s this mean?) and painting and that it`s a 100-yr. old house -it`s not about to fall down tomorrow. Is this high maintenance for a distant investor? Should I back off, flip it, or go thru (high cash flow)?
I had lived in Winnipeg at one time. I bought a new home and my basement floor had heaved badly in one area with some deep cracks. The Home Builder`s Warranty rep looked at it and the floor was jack hammered out and replaced. The problem was that there was no weeping tile under the basement floor. It was fine after that. I know some folks had spent extra $$$ adding rebar to the cement floors to reinforce it further.
In the older homes, you just patch up the cracks and paint over them. Floor jacks can also be added for more levelling. With high cash flow, you can do some major renovation work down the road if you wish.
I had lived in Winnipeg at one time. I bought a new home and my basement floor had heaved badly in one area with some deep cracks. The Home Builder`s Warranty rep looked at it and the floor was jack hammered out and replaced. The problem was that there was no weeping tile under the basement floor. It was fine after that. I know some folks had spent extra $$$ adding rebar to the cement floors to reinforce it further.
In the older homes, you just patch up the cracks and paint over them. Floor jacks can also be added for more levelling. With high cash flow, you can do some major renovation work down the road if you wish.
Thats exactly the sort of thing that helps mitigate the problem, a drainage system in place. You can install it under the flooring, or the best approach is to excavate beside the foundation so that it not only prevents floor shifting, but also the hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls.
Adding rebar is certianly a way of going, however I wouldn`t recommend it. Rebar doesn`t actually affect the structural strength. Rebar`s job is to control the cracking that happens in all concrete. If there was no rebar, there would be nothing stopping a crack that forms. The key solution to these soils is drainage.
Adding rebar is certianly a way of going, however I wouldn`t recommend it. Rebar doesn`t actually affect the structural strength. Rebar`s job is to control the cracking that happens in all concrete. If there was no rebar, there would be nothing stopping a crack that forms. The key solution to these soils is drainage.
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Hi there,
I currently reside in Regina,SK and know of the shifting problems first hand. Clay is a soil type that can expand double it`s size or contract to half its size depending on the moisture content. It is great for farming, but not good for building on...unless proper pilings have been poured. For example, our fence and gate on our house moves over 3 inches each season and our interior doors close properly maybe half the year depending on moisture conditions.
Basements need to be thoroughly checked in regions where shifting can occur (ie. heavy clay soil). I try and avoid any properties with foundation problems due to the fact that you can never really tell how severe it can be. I had a conditional offer on a property last year for a very good price, but had a professional inspect the property and quoted me $42K to fix the current foundation problems. Not all foundation problems are this severe, but can be a costly mistake if missed.
Bottom line...be aware that foundation problems can be very expensive and can greatly affect resale value of a property. Also, property inspectors don`t typically give an opinion on foundation or water seepage problems as they are not experienced in this area, or don`t want to stick out their neck. So it may be necessary to call in a expert.
I currently reside in Regina,SK and know of the shifting problems first hand. Clay is a soil type that can expand double it`s size or contract to half its size depending on the moisture content. It is great for farming, but not good for building on...unless proper pilings have been poured. For example, our fence and gate on our house moves over 3 inches each season and our interior doors close properly maybe half the year depending on moisture conditions.
Basements need to be thoroughly checked in regions where shifting can occur (ie. heavy clay soil). I try and avoid any properties with foundation problems due to the fact that you can never really tell how severe it can be. I had a conditional offer on a property last year for a very good price, but had a professional inspect the property and quoted me $42K to fix the current foundation problems. Not all foundation problems are this severe, but can be a costly mistake if missed.
Bottom line...be aware that foundation problems can be very expensive and can greatly affect resale value of a property. Also, property inspectors don`t typically give an opinion on foundation or water seepage problems as they are not experienced in this area, or don`t want to stick out their neck. So it may be necessary to call in a expert.
thanks all, I backed out-I would`ve jumped in if I live nearby but it`s too much for a 1st ivst. property & yes - resale risk - It was so nerve-wracking I actually cried - I`ve lost money in other ventures before & I can`t afford to lose any more capital - this is my last chance/chunk - anyway I`m proud of the fact that I`ve acted thru my fear and started making offers now...as Dolf de Roos says "the deal of the century happens once a week".