Home with Foundation repairs fixed (Dallas, Irving: 2013, appliances, houses)

[dallasriving]

Hi,
Im planning to buy a home in Dallas Irving with foundation issues fixed. There were 36 piers installed all through the house. The foundation repair company has the transferrable warranty. Is it OK to buy it.

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by dallasriving

Hi,
Im planning to buy a home in Dallas Irving with foundation issues fixed. There were 36 piers installed all through the house. The foundation repair company has the transferrable warranty. Is it OK to buy it.

I would recommend obtaining the following information, and take the following action(s), so you can make a better and informed decision.

• Information to obtain.
  • Original Engineer's inspection report when the foundation issue was first found/investigated. The report might provide a cause and also any recommended repairs. This may also include (typically does) a level analysis diagram of the foundation.
  • The estimate from the repair company that performed the work. This should list all repair actions planned along with the pier types to be installed.
  • Estimates from any company that repaired any cosmetic damages.
  • The final repair bill listing what was done for repairs with specifics.
  • If performed pre-repair fresh water and waste water line inspections and scoping of waste lines hopefully with recorded video of waste lines.
  • Post foundation repair Engineering inspection report if performed. This may also include (typically does) a level analysis diagram of the foundation.
  • Post foundation repair fresh water and waste line inspections to ensure no damage was caused/was found. Hopefully waste lines were scoped and video recorded.
  • If plumbing damage was found at any point during the incident obtain the Plumbers repair estimate and final costs/bill.
• Actions to take.
  • Compare the original engineering inspection report with recommended repairs to the foundation repair company original estimate and final repair bill. This is to determine if the repairs have been performed as recommended by the Engineer.
  • Compare the pre and post repair engineering reports and level analysis diagrams to ensure work was performed as specified by the Engineer and the Engineer's expected results achieved.
  • Review pre and post water line and waste line inspection reports and videos to ensure no issues are currently present and/or identified problems have been repaired. If issues were found review the Plumbers repair estimates and final bill to ensure repair recommendations were followed.
  • Check the local municipality Building Inspections Department to determine if they required permits for the foundation repair work. If so ask for copies of the permits to ensure they were properly pulled and executed.

Now you should have a good idea of the foundation condition/repairs at the time of this incident. When was the foundation repaired?

[TeamLynn]

36 piers is a lot.
I would probably pass on this one. There are plenty others that have not had issues, for lots of reasons.

One is, that foundation repair is often just a temporary fix, chances are you will need more repair 5 years down the road.
At minimum you will need to paint every so often and fix the cracks, at worst you're on bad gumbo dirt and it just moves so you have to have adjustments or complete repair again and again.

The lifetime warranty...well only as good as the company is....if repair was done by one of the majors, then some chance you actually might get to use it. If it was issued by Junior and sons...well hope junior lives and stays in business as long as you own the house. One time realtor tells me it was lifetime warranty and I jokingly said, how long is a lifetime, and her reply was well the guy who did the work is 72, so I guess as long as he lives and still does foundation repair.
Also those warranties have lots of restrictions or fine print....you have to do your part to maintain the integrity....like water, all year round. It has to move so much, maybe like 1/2 inch. You have to pay to transfer the warranty within 30 days of closing...maybe $150. The warranty work is not FREE, but discounted...so maybe normal exterior pier is $400, but on warranty work they'll do it for $200. Probably with 36 piers there are internal piers so that will be more, and very well could also mess up your flooring depending on what it is. Carpet can be rolled back and reinstalled, but wood, tile, vinyl plank...well that is not as each to patch and fix after they have to dig it up to make adjustments, and that cost is on you, not on the foundation company.
I'm in probably 1000 houses a year or more these days. I like escanlan's list above. I can tell you probably less than 1/2 have that pre/post SE report. and almost none of them have the post repair fresh water and sewer line check. I can almost guarantee you with a 36 pier lift, the broke something. And as long as they're fixing stuff, if the house was built before 1980, probably should have cast iron sewer replaced with PVC. Check for that. If it hasn't been done, than that will be one of the joys of homeownership if you get to pay for it....$4000-$5000 minimum.
As a realtor that's one of the things I'm checking for my customers, but plenty don't or don't even know what to check. While you're looking at the granite and shiny stainless appliances, I'm looking for PVC sewer cleanouts. If I don't see them I'm looking up and down the street to see if the neighbors have made those repairs....and I'm looking at a lot of other things too, that you probably won't....windows, roof, foundation movement inside and out, HVAC, electric, sometimes plumbing, but for the most part we can't see the plumbing....also looking to see if the work was done by professionals or amateurs slapping lipstick on that pig.
Lots of realtors want to tell you the foundation has been repaired....and BONUS has a lifetime warranty on the repair...and now it is SOLID. Be wary of those. The really good ones can't promise to keep you out of trouble, but we can point out some of the expenses to budget for, if you absolutely are convinced this is your dream house.
Foundation issues can be anywhere, but probably the worst dirt is in North Dallas, Las Colinas (Irving), Farmers Branch, and anything with a sloped lot in Carrollton. You also have to watch out for the early "chicken wire" foundations...that is probably 1960s-1970s around north Dallas.
Hope this helps and hopefully doesn't kill your dream.

[dallasriving]

Originally Posted by escanlan

I would recommend obtaining the following information, and take the following action(s), so you can make a better and informed decision.

• Information to obtain.
  • Original Engineer's inspection report when the foundation issue was first found/investigated. The report might provide a cause and also any recommended repairs. This may also include (typically does) a level analysis diagram of the foundation.
  • The estimate from the repair company that performed the work. This should list all repair actions planned along with the pier types to be installed.
  • Estimates from any company that repaired any cosmetic damages.
  • The final repair bill listing what was done for repairs with specifics.
  • If performed pre-repair fresh water and waste water line inspections and scoping of waste lines hopefully with recorded video of waste lines.
  • Post foundation repair Engineering inspection report if performed. This may also include (typically does) a level analysis diagram of the foundation.
  • Post foundation repair fresh water and waste line inspections to ensure no damage was caused/was found. Hopefully waste lines were scoped and video recorded.
  • If plumbing damage was found at any point during the incident obtain the Plumbers repair estimate and final costs/bill.
• Actions to take.
  • Compare the original engineering inspection report with recommended repairs to the foundation repair company original estimate and final repair bill. This is to determine if the repairs have been performed as recommended by the Engineer.
  • Compare the pre and post repair engineering reports and level analysis diagrams to ensure work was performed as specified by the Engineer and the Engineer's expected results achieved.
  • Review pre and post water line and waste line inspection reports and videos to ensure no issues are currently present and/or identified problems have been repaired. If issues were found review the Plumbers repair estimates and final bill to ensure repair recommendations were followed.
  • Check the local municipality Building Inspections Department to determine if they required permits for the foundation repair work. If so ask for copies of the permits to ensure they were properly pulled and executed.

Now you should have a good idea of the foundation condition/repairs at the time of this incident. When was the foundation repaired?

The foundation was repaired in 2021. The house is 2013 built. There are piers internally too. Looks like they dig a tunnel 120 LF.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Escanlan has good advice above if you're interested in moving forward. Personally, I'd pass....that's a major repair, and that house was only eight years old.

[WorldKlas]

I would do the things Escalan suggested. I have bought homes in Irving before with foundation repairs and it worked out fine. One property began shifting and the foundation repair company did come out and made the needed adjustments.

The soil in Irving is very shifty. If you want to live in that area a house under warranty with foundation repairs might actually be better. Our house in Cottonwood Valley was built on piers, but the newer homes in that neighborhood were not and I bet are all getting foundation repairs now.

[dallasriving]

Originally Posted by WorldKlas

I would do the things Escalan suggested. I have bought homes in Irving before with foundation repairs and it worked out fine. One property began shifting and the foundation repair company did come out and made the needed adjustments.

The soil in Irving is very shifty. If you want to live in that area a house under warranty with foundation repairs might actually be better. Our house in Cottonwood Valley was built on piers, but the newer homes in that neighborhood were not and I bet are all getting foundation repairs now.

thank you

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by dallasriving

The foundation was repaired in 2021. The house is 2013 built. There are piers internally too. Looks like they dig a tunnel 120 LF.

Tells me the original builder did not do from the beginning what is necessary for the Irving soils.

I'd be curious the address and builder but Yes, walk away.

[dallasriving]

Originally Posted by Rakin

Tells me the original builder did not do from the beginning what is necessary for the Irving soils.

I'd be curious the address and builder but Yes, walk away.

thank you

[txfriend]

Just had a Foundation lifting with Polyurethane Foam last week and it worked great for my 1983, 3200 sq ft house. Only needed 10 small holes in a straight line from the front to the near back of the house.

Also had to have the completed sewer lines replaced last month.