Basement floor cracks and heaving!

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Got a call from a man that is just under the 1 year mark for his new home and is really pis--ed at the builder. Seems that the basement floor is heaving and cracked, the cracked joints are not level and wanted to know what he can do as he has talked to a engineer and was told that he would not say if it was normal or not as he has to work with these guys, was told the same from other contractors, so the big question is how can he get it repaired and by what method. Seem he has very little faith in Tarion too!

[rwand1]

The concrete floor is last thing to be poured. It likely is the result of settlement due to improper prep of soil before cement pour. Hairline cracks are acceptable but slopping and heaving would not be normal in a new house. I would report it to Tarion and with the builder. It is then upto Tarion and the builder to resolve the issue.

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by rwand1

The concrete floor is last thing to be poured. It likely is the result of settlement due to improper prep of soil before cement pour. Hairline cracks are acceptable but slopping and heaving would not be normal in a new house. I would report it to Tarion and with the builder. It is then upto Tarion and the builder to resolve the issue.

All the builder would do was say it is normal? Has anyone ever seen a repair for this?

[rwand1]

Mud jacking, ripping up the existing and compacting sub soil and repour.
To be certain of my advice I would want to see the floor.

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Mud jacking, ripping up the existing and compacting sub soil and repour.
To be certain of my advice I would want to see the floor.

Just what I told him. Asked if the crack was a tripping hazard and he said no but would not be able to finish off the floor.

[rwand1]

Sometimes embellishment gets the better of people who have a gripe. However the settlement depending on severity may be a sign that something else is amiss under the slab.

What does he want you to do? Document it?

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Sometimes embellishment gets the better of people who have a gripe. However the settlement depending on severity may be a sign that something else is amiss under the slab.

What does he want you to do? Document it?

Ya, he wants me to do a 1 year warranty insp. but to first meet him at his house to set up a time frame to do it, told him if I go to a home it is to do an inspection.

[rwand1]

All he has to do is photo the concern himself and keep notes of his correspondence/telephone calls with builder and submit it to Tarion. He could also contact the building department to see if they are prepared to do anything as the town is the authority who granted the occupancy permit.

[George A. H. Luck]

He should also document the size and displacement of the crack with a continuing series of photos with some sort of measuring device ( ruler, inch tape etc. ) in the pictures to indicate a continuing problem.

Excuse my ignorance but what is "mud jacking"? Is that the concrete slurry injection system? I have used that one to level garage floors to great success over the past number of years.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by gluck

.....Excuse my ignorance but what is "mud jacking"? Is that the concrete slurry injection system? I have used that one to level garage floors to great success over the past number of years.

See link: http://www.acefoundation.com/mj/mud.html

[rwand1]

Thanks Michael.

George I suppose depending on severity of the heave one could use floor leveller. I wonder if there is a floor drain and whether the basement floor slopes toward the drain.

[phinsperger]

Originally Posted by ccrooker

Ya, he wants me to do a 1 year warranty insp. but to first meet him at his house to set up a time frame to do it, told him if I go to a home it is to do an inspection.

Good for you. A single-point inspection does not take that long. Sounds like he wants a few "free" comments from you for him to use in his argument. If your at the house chances are he's going to want to show you the basement floor. "I had an inspector from Crookerhancox Home Inspections come out and see the floor and he said..." (This is where your words get twisted)

[Charles R. N. Crooker]

Originally Posted by phinsperger

Good for you. A single-point inspection does not take that long. Sounds like he wants a few "free" comments from you for him to use in his argument. If your at the house chances are he's going to want to show you the basement floor. "I had an inspector from Crookerhancox Home Inspections come out and see the floor and he said..." (This is where your words get twisted)

Exactly
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[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by gluck

He should also document the size and displacement of the crack with a continuing series of photos with some sort of measuring device ( ruler, inch tape etc. ) in the pictures to indicate a continuing problem.

He can screw a glass plate over the crack an monitor it. If the glass cracks, the floor is still moving.

[Claude Lawrenson]

Review the Performance Guidelines - such as:
http://www.tarion.com/services/pdg_detail.aspx?rid=5

http://www.tarion.com/services/pdg_detail.aspx?rid=15