Do It Yourself Foundation Repair
So many people wonder if it is possible to go the DIY route when it comes to foundation repair, however, with any repair, the answer will often depend on several factors. But before we go further, here’s the answer in a nutshell:
If your house was built on a crawlspace and is sinking in the middle and not the exterior, then yes, you can fix it yourself.
If your home sits on a slab, or if it is on a crawl space and is settling around the edges, then you will need to bring in a professional foundation repair contractor.
You may be wondering why this is, the answer is simple, repairing sinking walls that are on concrete calls for tools and expertise that no homeowner owns, in addition to it involving risks that are simply not worth taking. Repairing sagging joists, however, is a manageable project for savvy DIY homeowners.
Identify Your Foundation
Is your home sitting on a slab, basement, or crawlspace? If you know the answer right off, great. However, if you are unsure, look at the outside walls, if there is an access door or a vent close to the bottom of any exterior wall, then your home is built on a crawlspace.
Otherwise, your home is built on a concrete slab. Slab and basement constructions are common, so if you have a modular home, this article will be of no use to you.
Determine the Repair Needed
The first two steps likely give you all the information you need to determine whether or not you can address the problem on your own.
Use this as a rough guide:
You will need a repair contractor in material of what the foundation type if:
-
Your exterior walls are cracked
-
Your chimney is leaning from the house
-
Your exterior doors or windows are starting to stick because they are out of shape with the rest of your exterior walls
All of these symptoms indicate there is a problem with the exterior walls that sit on either a slab or concrete footing, so you need a professional to perform foundation repair.
If you would like to make an appointment with our contractors, please contact On Your Side Foundation Repair at (903) 224 8560 now, if you live in the Greenville, TX region.