Should You Buy a House With Foundation Problems?

You found a house you like, but the inspection turned up foundation issues, or you can see the cracks yourself. Should you walk away? Not necessarily. Foundation problems are common, they are fixable, and in a lot of cases they are a reason to negotiate, not to run. What matters is knowing what you are actually dealing with.

Do not panic, but do not ignore it

Almost every older home has some settling. A few hairline cracks and a slightly uneven floor are normal for a house that has been standing for decades. What you want to know is whether the movement is minor and stable, or active and getting worse. That is the difference between a cosmetic issue and a real repair.

What to look for

• Stair-step cracks in the exterior brick, especially ones wider than about a quarter inch
• Doors and windows that stick or will not latch
• Floors that slope noticeably across a room
• A chimney or porch pulling away from the house
• Fresh patching or paint over cracks, which can be a sign someone was hiding movement

That last point is the tricky one. A quick cosmetic patch job can make a settling problem disappear from view right before a sale. If the finishes look newer than the rest of the house in just a few spots, it is worth a closer look at what is underneath.

Get a real assessment before you decide

A general home inspector will flag that a problem exists, but not what it will cost to fix. That is where a foundation company comes in. We can look at a home you are considering, tell you what is actually going on, and give you a real number for the repair. With that in hand, you can decide with your eyes open, and often use it to adjust your offer.

The good news

A settling foundation is not the end of a house. We stabilize homes like this all the time with steel piers driven to solid ground, and once it is done, the house is often more solid than the ones around it that have never been touched. If you are weighing a home with foundation issues, have it assessed first. See our foundation repair page, or call and we will take a look before you sign anything.