The foundation of your home is arguably the most important part of your home’s construction. Even though it is out of view for the most part, literally everything else rests on that foundation. Roof Repair issues, mold, termite damage, are all expensive repair issues, but a foundation problem is often one of the most difficult problems a home owner in can face with their home. A bad foundation can lead to so many other problems with the house that it can even be unsafe to live in. If you have been told you have a faulty foundation by an inspector or are seeing the tale-tale signs of a bad foundation, selling your home in a conventional way can be a major issue. However, you may have options, so read on.
Common Causes of Foundation Issues With Your Home
There are several reasons why foundations may experience problems. The placement of concrete or cement block walls on unstable or inadequately compacted soil, improper concrete mixing, and the incorrect pouring of concrete during severely cold weather are some of the most common causes of foundation problems.
The Experts at Robson Forensics note that any of the following construction activities close to your house can cause foundation issues for your home:
- Blasting
- Pile driving
- Compaction / dynamic compaction
- Jackhammering / chiseling
- Vibrofloatation
- Pavement breakers
- Demolition
- Trenching activities
- Heavy vehicle traffic
If you believe that your foundation problems have been caused by construction close to your home, there may be legal recourse for the damage.
Water As A Major Culprit
When a house’s foundation has historically been stable but is now suddenly showing signs of worry, When a house’s foundation has historically been stable but is now suddenly showing signs of worry, water troubles might be by far the biggest problem. Uncleaned gutters can overflow and eventually lead to excess water draining directly next to the foundation if leaves and other debris are not removed from them. This drainage may impair the soil’s stability, resulting in foundation issues and basement or crawlspace leaks. Ineffective landscaping can also contribute to drainage issues. Maybe new underground plumbing or a pool were put in, and the dirt wasn’t carefully moved to flow away from the house. Whatever the cause, excessive water damage can cost thousands of dollars and quickly destroy a foundation.
Indications Of A Foundation Issue In Your Home
Every foundation is susceptible to shifting. Due to the weight and local soil/dirt composition, a few inches of foundation sinking is typical and typically not a cause for alarm. This kind of typical settling commonly results in small gaps in the concrete of the garage, basement floors, and foundation walls. Any little fractures you discover in and around the aforementioned areas should be noted in general when selling a house. You might not need to consult an expert to examine the situation if the cracks last for a long period, though. If the basement or foundation walls begin to tilt or bow inward, the settlement fractures grow larger over time, or both, you should unquestionably have your foundation inspected by a structural engineer. Indicators of drooping in cement block foundations, such as stair step cracking, cracked/broken blocks, and water seeping through the wall, should all be watched for.
The Tricky Issues With Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage
Please review your policy if you experience issues with your foundation. It won’t hurt to give your agent a quick call. Nevertheless, depending on the kind of damage, the majority of homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover foundation repairs. It might be possible to get insurance coverage for foundation repair if the damage to the foundation was brought on by a covered natural disaster. Therefore, your insurance provider could be able to cover the cost of the repair if a tornado destroyed your home and the foundation was also compromised. However, you won’t often be able to get insurance to assist you to pay for any repairs for the majority of foundations where the problem is settling or the foundation failing due to faulty installation or poor conditions around the foundation. To find out what is truly covered by an insurance policy, read the fine print and ask your insurance agent any queries you may have.
Get Advice From A Structural Engineer
To get a repair estimate, you should consult with a licensed structural engineer rather than any foundation contractor. Locate a structural engineer whose main duty is to assess your foundation and provide you with a repair strategy. Because a structural engineer’s goal is to advise you rather than upsell foundation repair services, using them could result in financial savings. Even though not all foundation repair businesses have your best interests at heart, this doesn’t mean they won’t occasionally suggest pricy remedies before identifying the root of the issue. A structural engineer will inspect your foundation, give you a report explaining the issues, and make suggestions for or develop a solution to address the issues. You can consult with several foundation repair companies utilizing the engineer’s report and get work quotes based on the suggested repair solution for your foundation rather than receiving varying opinions on what is needed and varying estimates.
Can I Skip The Repairs And Sell My Home With Foundation Defects?
Always be open and honest when setting your asking price if you must sell your home despite the current foundation issues. The buyer may decide not to proceed with the purchase if foundation issues are discovered during a home inspection because they wonder what else might be wrong with the house that hasn’t been acknowledged or that hasn’t been disclosed. Unrepaired foundation issues are a major factor in how stable a house is structurally, therefore many purchasers who learn about concealed foundation issues decide to back out. Someone will buy your house and decide to fix the foundation issues if it is fairly priced, and the necessary information is provided.
Do I Have To Disclose The Foundation Problems When Selling My Home In Arkansas?
Surprisingly, in Arkansas, there is no law forcing a disclosure statement from the seller of a home. According, to NOLO, the professional law site about Arkansas disclosure law, “Arkansas courts enforce caveat emptor clauses in purchase contracts. Under this doctrine (“let the buyer beware”), judges ordinarily refuse to compensate buyers for home defects found after the purchase unless the seller did something to actively prevent the buyer from inspecting the property to find all the defects.” You can read more about Arkansas disclosure laws here.
However, If you have the means to do so, fixing your foundation issues is the best course of action. If potential buyers know that any foundation faults have been properly eliminated and that even the repairs may be covered by a lifetime warranty, they are more likely to consider your home. A home with foundation issues that is being sold as-is will only appeal to buyers who are looking for a great deal and are aware that foundation issues may be addressed for a fair price. By correcting the foundation issues, you will also be able to sell your home for a better price.
Sell Your House With Foundation Problems As-Is For Cash
If you need to sell your home with foundation problems quickly in North Little Rock, but do not have time or money to invest in dealing with the problem, there is another possible solution you should check. Call us at Little Rock Property Buyers. We specialize in helping homeowners in situations just like this.
We will have one of our professional team members assess your home and it is likely that we can offer you a cash purchase with no repairs, insurance claims, inspections or extra fees. If we make you a cash offer and you accept, we can often close the deal with the title company in as little as a week.
Little Rock Property Buyers is a professional home buying business that has a reputation for protecting the interests of potential clients and for closing deals quickly and successfully. We make every effort to make the finest offer we can to each and every one of our clients because we are aware that nobody wants to accept a cheap offer. We can make you an all-cash offer for your property. Nothing needs to be revealed, corrected, remodeled, or cleaned up. In actuality, we provide you with cash in its current state. More information on our operation and policies can be found here. Once you decide to accept the offer, we can close the deal extremely fast. Why not call today? You have nothing to lose. Use our online contact form or give us a call at 501-580-3035 right away.
