I live in Jackson, MS, where expansive clay soil (Yazoo Clay) is a common problem. My house has a brick perimeter foundation with a daylight basement in the back. Mostly it’s unfinished. Just a basement shop. Over the years, the house has settled quite a bit in places, and walking around I can feel the ups and downs in the floor. I also have cracked plaster and drywall in several places. This is very typical of the neighborhood, and most people just “live with it.”
I’m now remodeling the kitchen, and will be installing new cabinets that I’m almost finished building, and am thinking I should get this taken care of once and for all. I have received several quotes from the likes of Olshan and Mississippi Foundation Repair Specialists. They all seem to use basically the same theory of pressing segments of concrete pier down into the earth, and either connecting them with a cable that runs through the center, or using threaded rods that connect piece to piece. The segments don’t look very substantial. Does anybody have any experience with these systems? Anything to look out for? I hate to blow $15k+ on something that won’t really fix the problem.
Replies
Though it is not a "permanent" solution, I'd make the house stiffer by sheathing the outside and inside of the frame during your renovations. This way, if the foundation moves, the house will move somewhat uniformly, as opposed to differentially. The benefit to the interior sheathing (which get covered by your sheetrock) is that picture hanging will be a breeze! In all seriousness, I would level out the place as best you can - via bottle jacks and shims - before you sheath anything. You'll still have foundation leveling issues to deal with over time, but you may be able to avoid all the sheetrock cracks and misaligned cabinets you'd otherwise encounter if you didn't do anything at all.
Edited 2/10/2009 12:59 pm ET by bk24
Edited 2/10/2009 1:02 pm ET by bk24
Not any personal experience with either company, but I live on expansive clay myself, so I can offer a few pointers. Firstly, pier foundations supposed to be the best types of foundations for expansive clay. If I am imagining the radio commercials right, that is basically what they do.
Check your downspouts, and make sure that they don't puddle near the house. Also, depending on the age of your house, your foundation may not have any footers, or they are inadequate. If that is the case, one of those companies might be just the thing you need.
I don't care what anyone says, houses are not supposed to "move". I mean, the lumber may expand and contract due to seasonal humididty, but any step-like crack in plaster, sheetrock, brick, or block, indicates a structural issue that needs immediate attention.