foundation repair guidlines

Here is a foundation repair guide I found helpful http://www.wafrc.com/WAFRP_Standards.asp

Or the PDF http://www.wafrc.com/WAFRP_Industry_Standards.pdf

foundation bracing detail drawings.

I see a lot of this in Wisconsin:shock:

Good details and advice. I say this about 2 years ago and use it frequently. In fact used it today for reference. I wish Missouri and Kansas had a group like this that laid out stds for our inspectors/contractors to go by.

yeah, its helpful in some ways and not so in others

for instance, they say in 1.Condition…water spots on walls,wet walls…efflorescence etc and then tell ya to 1)check palmer valve or sump…2) break open the floor 3) run water through pipe outside to check tiles 4) check grade etc…

As ESPN`s Lee Corso says… “Not so fast my friend”

when there are water spots/wet walls…then 99 times outta 100 throughout my decades of doing this chtt, problem has been cracks/other direct openings directly on the Outside of where one sees water/wet walls on inside and these openings are either below ground,above ground and sometimes both.

Not ONE time has the remedy involved breaking up the floor-sump etc

Same on 2.Condition… water leakage up to 2 courses high after heavy rains…walls wet/damp etc

they say again…sump/palmer valve/break up the floor??? Do this crap first? ](,) ](,) ](*,)

their list of standard repairs is BACKWARDS

MOST peoples problems are....duh, Outside! It RAINS.....Outside! lolol .....i didnt say ALL, i said most.

Snow melts…outside! Takes a direct opening(s) on the… Outside, to
allow water…INSIDE! and again…these openings are below ground through the dang wall and/or, above ground through bricks/mortar joints/around windows `n doors etc etc etc. Wake up America, quit making it sooooo easy for some to bs You…Think!

On list of this ORG`s ‘officers’…ummm, anyone notice who the Vice Prez is? lolol yeah, go figure…its no wonder how they come to many of the so-called correct repairs etc. Now, you wanna believe it thats your choice, just because some ORG puts something in writing, by no means makes it the truth…fire AWAY!

This was meant to be a guide or SOP for repair methods, not an all encompassing review and method of testing and evaluation of all types of foundations in every circumstance.

Having SOP’s for any profession is useful and I wish every foundation repair at least tried to follow some of these practices. I have found walls bowed over 5 inches with bracing only and the braces had bent since they were installed. In cases like this it should have been excavated and rebuilt or repaired as the guide describes. This guide was not meant to help inspector diagnose the problem or develop a solution to the problem but it helps give you a clue to what may happen after you refer it for further evaluation. Every client I have asks about the foundation and is this crack OK…then what is going to happen when I get a foundation evaluation….I can now point them to this document so they know what to expect of their contractor. And not get sold the Cadillac of foundation repair when all they needed was to get a drain tile test and unclog an obstruction or a walls worth of bracing etc…

I know what I would do, but often can’t make the call without further tests, evaluation, or excavation. I agree with your statement about often having cracks or mortar deterioration on the exterior. If I see mortar deterioration on the interior and repairs to the mortar etc. I always recommend doing sample hand excavation to check condition of mortar on exterior as part of the “further evaluation”.

I wish all foundation repairs and even new construction would pay more attention to the backfill. I live in an area were it is all heavy clay and I rarely see new construction backfilling with well draining medium. Clay and drainage have caused many bowed walls in my area and most of the time they get bracing and an interior drainage system. I can’t think of any reason anyone would install one of the interior baseboard type systems. Excavation is expensive and disruptive but with the mini excavators, should it still be costing $15-30K??? I know one that they completed in a day and charged $25K for about 70 feet of wall.:shock: That’s when I said I’m in the wrong business:shock:

Hear ya loud and clear :mrgreen:

as for costs having it HAND DUG on Outside… the 70’ we would have done in 2 days…for about $6,300 and thats with 100% peastone backfill, hydraulic cement in/over ANY crack-opening and the thickest asphalt/tar etc, not that cheap-thin-damproofing BS many apply and dont use hyd.cement AND.....lol, some will backfill part w/gravel and push in 1/2 of the SAME clay, all for the low low price you mention, its UNREAL! After all these years i still cant believe people actually hire these overpriced sob`s.

imo and, a FEW others, NO it shouldn`t be anywhere near 15-30K....holy chttlings! Thats called ripping off the homeowner, BIG TIME! 

i OFTEN hear the word ‘disruptive’…does not have to be! That is, if ya hand-dig. You are soooo right, what is used as BACKFILL is of the utmost Importance, unfortunately many don`t understand.

6th paragraph… http://www.yodergroup.com/concrete.asp