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Let me start by saying that I have no experience of remodeling homes. So here's the situation: nice little 1000 square foot home with known foundation (slab) problem. The house slopes to one side, the sheetrock is heavily cracked and the toilet is out of commission. Owners offering $9000 for foundation repair. What else might need to be done? Replace plumbing? How hard/expensive would that be? Could the electric system be compromised by foundation problems? Should I even consider it given my inexperience?
Let me start by saying that I have no experience of remodeling homes. So here's the situation: nice little 1000 square foot home with known foundation (slab) problem. The house slopes to one side, the sheetrock is heavily cracked and the toilet is out of commission. Owners offering $9000 for foundation repair. What else might need to be done? Replace plumbing? How hard/expensive would that be? Could the electric system be compromised by foundation problems? Should I even consider it given my inexperience?
There are companies that do foundation work. One national one is called RamJack. Call them for an estimate.
That said, personally I would run away from that house as fast as I could.
What is so special about that house that you WANT to take on this foundation problem... and all the other problems you will likely uncover and have to deal with?
Good question. I can probably get it cheap. It is the neighborhood I like. If I redo it, I will know exactly what has been done to it and when. It is quite cute too. It's the right size.
I guess my simple answer is repairing it might be treating the symptom not the disease. I would be scared the problem could pop up again even if those repairing such assure me it will not.
Water and sewage pipes (such as the toilet discharge pipe) are imbedded in the poured slab so even if the slab is raised, the toilet not working issue (which I expect is a discharge pipe issue as in the $hit will not go down....LOL) still has to be addressed. This could require ripping up parts of the slab (from the top as in through the floor of the house) to fix the problem thus the question is how much of the slab must be opened up and where?
I have heard of companies that claim they can burrow under the slab and come up from the bottom to fix pipe issues but I am not sure of that technology.
Even if fixed, imagine the issues if you go to sell and are questionned about any slab/foundation issues.
The foundation has an obvious problem. The good news is with a slab foundation the only utilty affected is most likely the waste water system. The cracked plaster walls may need to be replaced, too, plus the toilet flush. .
Whether you repair or replace the slab - the house will be jacked up. One solution is to make a crawl space 6 building blocks deep and the size of te slab, and don't forget to configure the toilet and shower waste water Disconnect the utilites and move the house 5-6 feet. You won't have any further foundation problems unless you build over a sink hole or aquifer.
My question is, if they let the slab go to the point where the house tilts and the toilet doesn't work, how many less obvious things did they let go? Sure, you can get an inspection but that can be hit or miss and if you aren't handy yourself, you're really going to be sorry you got yourself into this IMO.
If it was simply fixing the slab me thinks the sellers would repair it themselves rather than just offering the money for it as they would have a much better chance at selling it. My guess is the $9k is just the tip of the iceburg and they know it. Unless they pay you to buy it..I would keep moving!
Thank you folks. I think I will wait for something better to come along. I am just being impatient.
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