Noticed this crack on the end of my house and what looks like the wall separating from the window. Also a separation between a window and the wall on the back of the house at the same end. Wife wants to blame it on the contractors that did major repairs to our kitchen floor but that was on the other end of house. Who should I call to check this out or what do y’all think. House was built in the 60’s.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
Not sure who you have in Charleston but I would look for a foundation specialist like Ram Jack or someone like that. You may want to call your insurance company as well. A guy I went to high school with does residential foundations and said foundations can settle decades after they were laid. That looks like what has happened there. Hopefully it isn’t too bad.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
x2 on calling Ram Jack or equivalent. Shop around. I’m a professional engineer with significant experience in residential structures. Cracks through the brick like that lead me believe you have a foundation settlement problem and this has nothing to do with floor repairs on the other end of the house.
Narcosis
Just went through this in the past year. My issue was sweet gum trees that were sending roots under the slab.
I used Mount Valley and was very happy with their service.
Most reputable companies will require you to get a structural engineer to identify the problem before they will repair it.
Homeowners insurance won’t touch it. All said and done I was out about 4K.
I know it has nothing to do with the work that was done on the other end of the house. Trying to get my wife to understand that is like telling a baby not to soil it’s diaper. Not on a slab but it still needs to be looked at. On disability now so I don’t know where the money will come from for that repair.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
Definitely foundation settlement. You can tell how the crack is wider up high and gets tighter as it goes down. Ram Jack and Mt Valley are your folks to call. This is probably close to a corner and they will put some galvanized auger screws in the ground outside the foundation, then attach brackets that will lift the foundation back up and close up the gap. Lots of times you can have them looked at and they aren’t going to settle anymore and you can fill it for moisture issues. But cosmetically or for resale you would need to address it or they will take it out of your closing at the sale. I would get it looked at and evaluated if it is going to get worse.
Zero recourse to the flooring contractor. Even if they were building a structure nearby driving piles, you wouldn’t even be able to get anything out of that contractor. Next to impossible to prove something caused a crack or settlement issue, and only a lawyer would come out ahead.
“Wailord”
1979 17’ Montauk
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
Got earth quake ins.? Might check on that! Wasn,t a medium quake detected in that area a few months ago?
check homeowners re: repair costs. Minor cracks tend not to be covered, but major foundation is on mine.
Thanks mhebbard, I’ll have to check into that.
I believe the earthquake was in the Summerville area.
Geronimo I fully agree that it is no way any fault of the contractors. This house is in Glyn Terrace in North Charleston. Some say it was an old mine pit and others say it was marsh land.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson