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1245 CEDAR ROAD, SUITE G-122
CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA
Tidewater Structural
E N G I N E E R S L L C
PART 3
Your first option is to do nothing. Yes, that’s right, in some cases the crack is progressing very slowly, or is not progressing at all. In such cases it may be acceptable to treat the crack like a chronic but manageable condition and perform regular cosmetic repairs, such as repointing mortar joints and repairing interior finishes. This option is practical where movement is minimal over a period of years, where cracks are minor, and where the earlier noted proper drainage is in place. While this option is not a structural repair, it can be an acceptable choice in many instances. We can help you determine if this is a viable option for your home. In many instances our stamped report satisfies a prospective home buyer without affecting further repair.
A second option is to have a foundation contractor give you a “free” inspection. Helical piles or Resistance Piles will generally be proposed. Structural engineers often use helical piles to support as much as 100,000 pounds, which is more than the weight of your entire house, so this is an effective option, but can be overly conservative and expensive.
A third repair option, and often the more economical repair option, is to custom design a reinforced concrete grade beam that attaches to your existing cracked foundation. This effectively gives your existing foundation a new backbone, which will stabilize your home and prevent further movement.
When working with Tidewater Structural, you will always have an experienced professional engineer come to your home, perform load path analysis and design and oversee your contractor’s construction (as requested). We do not perform construction, which removes any conflict of interest with our solutions. Our interest is only to recommend the most cost effective solution to your problem, and this often saves our clients tens of thousands of dollars over non-engineered free contractor estimates.
When it comes to foundation problems, free contractor inspections can get very expensive. After you get a few quotes, call us to see about saving thousands.
