Foundation issue (Dallas, McKinney, Post: new house, landscaping, buying)

[DallasDream]

Hi,

Iam planning to buy a new home and looking around. I looked at one home site its a brand new home and everthing looks great except for a crack which run throught the foundation slab. Probably the slabe in 4 to 9 inches thick...My thought are probably when they build the slab even before it got cured they ran a heavy truck which migh have caused it.

I just want to know is there any cause of concern ?

will the crack grow bigger once the house settles?

what generally is done to the slab foundation, I mean how it will be repaired?

[DallasDream]

I wanted to buy this home. But now in double minds, should i go for it or not. Your help is much appreciated. The builder wants to close the deal by month end and i do not have much time. Please help in what are the pros and cons of buying this house.

[JoycMarr]

I would definitely get an opinion from a structural engineer before I bought. A crack in a new house is somewhat alarming, but after looking at houses in the DFW area for the past few months and realizing how common foundation issues are, I wouldn't run from one that already had the repair performed.

[RockyJoe817]

Foundation repairs can be very costly. You difinetely want a reputable company to come check it out.
$500 initial structural engineer cost may save you $5K-10K in repair.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I think it cracked b/c of settling, not someone "drove a truck over it." If you look at houses under construction, they sit up higher by a good bit from the yard. Grading and landscaping are the last things to be done. I bet the builder is anxious to get rid of this disaster!

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[DallasDream]

Thanks for your input. The size of the crack is vertical and its only runs along the garage floor and to one side of the the slab....Guys what are your thought should i go for it or not to buy home.

[MckinneyOwnr]

Sure, buy the home if you like it... Just make sure you negotiate 5-10k off the purchase price to fix the foundation.

Foundation problems don't go away. In fact, if you have a problem, they only get worse over time. A large crack will get water in it that could freeze and expand, making it wider. Heat cycles from summer to winter also will make it bigger as it expands and contracts. Sooner or later (sooner!) you'll see cracks in the drywall from other areas around it, especially if you have an upstairs above the crack.

No new foundation should have a crack in it. Period. Over time, they may develop with the weight of cars being in the garage or the house settling, but when it is first poured, there should be no problems.

[nsumner]

I am very curious to know who the builder is. I agree with McKinneyOwner's post.

How do you know that there are no other cracks in the areas where the carpet is? It's a red flag because it's a brand new home. The builder should redo the floor and you need to have your own independent structural engineer look at it if you really like the home.

Naima

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by DallasDream

Thanks for your input. The size of the crack is vertical and its only runs along the garage floor and to one side of the the slab....Guys what are your thought should i go for it or not to buy home.

Can you provide a little more description of the crack?

• Specifically where does it start?
• Where does it end?
• How long is it?
• Is it straight or an angle across a corner?
• Is it hairline wide or wider (can you stick a paperclip end into it easily without forcing)?
• If you run your finger across it do you feel a lip to it? If so is it very high?
• Do you see any corresponding cracks outside on the foundation wall or cracks through the brick or mortar?
• Are there any sheetrock cracks nearby? Look around the garage door corners, wall to wall joints, wall to ceiling joints, etc.
• If you follow the direction of the crack, either way, all the way to the far home wall are there any sheetrock or tile cracks? Are there any cracks in the far outside walls, etc.?

After the concrete is poured, and before they tension the Post Tension cables (if PT foundation) the foundation has very little structural protection, even with the minimal rebar they might put in. Cracks can develop either through shrinkage or movement. From your description it is hard to tell how significant, or insignificant, the crack might be.

[sapphire]

With the hundreds, if not thousands of homes on the market, I would skip this one and move on. That said, we just purchased an older home (1986 custom built) that has already had the foundation repaired. Still, if we had been in the market for a brand new home, there is no way we would have considered one with obvious problems from the get-go.