wake forest or North Raleigh? Foundations? (insurance, how much, new home)

[deanow30]

Which one is better for housing and taxes all costs? Which one is more expensive to buy a home? What kind of home would be best not to have a foundation problem? Built before what year? Are the home inspectors fair about telling what is wrong with a home?
Thanks for your time

[findinghope]

i dont know which foundation is best. it was explained to me that many homes here are on a slab because it costs less and it doesnt get as cold as up nprth and therefore it should not crack.
i can tell you one thing, i miss the basement storage space, but we have the garage. also the floors downstairs feel cold bcause of the slab...

[saturnfan]

The land's clay in many areas and is garbage. Many foundations crack and throw the homes all off kilter.

Nobody seems to use pilings as in New Orleans and building codes are a sick joke.

Get full inspection including soil before buying.

[Jenaten]

Just because it doesn't get as cold in NC doesn't mean your slab won't crack. I've seen slabs crack because of the extreme hot and dry conditions of the drought. When it doesn't rain for weeks at a time in the summer, the clay will dry out and crack. Crawl spaces are best, but during a hot and humid summer it can get damp under there. Just make sure the crawl space is properly sealed or ventilated and has a moisture barrier. It might even need a dehumidifier if it gets too damp.

My parents have a slab and the big drawback in my opinion is the lack of access to pipes and other lines. With a crawl space, it's not difficult to get under the house to make changes or repairs. Their slab cracked this summer because of the drought.

My home inspector seemed very fair in pointing out faults with the home I bought. In fact, I think he was too picky on some things, but that was great because it allowed me to decide what was important and what was something I could overlook.

[annesg]

I live in Tampa, FL right now in a slab home (all they build here). The ground here is sand. No clay, no dirt really at all. Slabs crack. My new home's slab cracked within 18mo and it cracked the ceramic tile floors as a result from one side of the house to the other. It doesn't present other problems for us here than that--but it happens. And yes, plumbing is all inaccessible.

We're moving to Raleigh in a couple months and will be looking for a basement--if we don't find one, we want a crawl space.

[deanow30]

How much does it cost to fix the foundation approx if it does crack? Are you better off getting a older home due to it already settled and less chances of cracking? Can you get insurance on your home to cover foundation cracking?
Thanks

[tripleejh]

Is there a reason that few homes in the area have basements? Is it a density of soil issue or a cost issue?

[MrsSteel]

Originally Posted by tripleejh

Is there a reason that few homes in the area have basements? Is it a density of soil issue or a cost issue?

There are few basements here because it doesn't get very cold here. The various utilities don't need to be buried as deeply as in colder climates. Digging the hole for a basement is expensive, so if it doesn't have to be done it usually isn't done. It's cheaper to build up than to dig down. There are some walk-out basements on homes that are built on steeper lots, but there are very few traditional basements like what one might find up north.

[just_sayin']

avoid a slab if you can. Slabs arent HORRIBLE, but they really aren't ideal. You really aren't going to find many houses with basements in NC. A house with a brick foundation with a crawl space is "the norm" for the most part, and is the best option. Houses on slabs just don't have the structural integrity that homes on brick foundations have. They are also much worse to deal with if you ever have serious plumbing problems.