Foundation Repair Options
Q: The west half of my home is falling from the foundation. I have had two estimates and they are vastly different. One person thinks that I need 13 piers and recommends a concrete piling driven into bedrock or refusal with a lifetime warranty. The other is recommending eight duel shaft concrete, 20-year limited warranty, driven nine feet into rock, which would be a budget saver if I plan to sell my home in the next ten years. Why the difference in the number of pilings?
A: Sounds like you would be advised to have a third foundation
repair specialist come to see if he recommends one solution over the other. I usually suggest that consumers get about three estimates in order to determine the best way to tackle a project, the costs, and who to hire to do the work.
However, it may be that both solutions are perfectly viable, but you have to decide whether you want to pay more for a lifetime warranty or less because you will be moving. If so, it would be like deciding whether it would be worth it to pay for a slate roof that could last 50 years, or far less for a asphalt shingled roof that will need to be replaced in 10-15 years. If you must disclose this problem when you sell, the lifetime warranty may go a long way in easing the minds of potential buyers.
To locate another foundation specialist to come give you a third opinion and estimate, visit Home Advisor, select concrete then foundations. Fill out a service request for "Repair a Concrete Foundation" so you can be matched with the ideal service professional in your area.
by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com