Caring for your home is a full-time job. Certain things get more attention than others, but it doesn’t mean they still don’t need it. People tend to forget about their roofs or foundation until the problem is extremely obvious. Another important part of keeping your home in great shape is taking action. Don’t listen to your neighbor or brother-in-law and their half-baked ideas or foundation repair myths of what should or shouldn’t get done.
When it comes to your foundation, someone might try to tell you something that simply isn’t true. If you are a new homeowner, there are some myths about foundations you need to know are just not true.
5 Foundation Repair Myths Debunked
Only take advice from experts when it comes to treating, caring for, and repairing your foundation.
1. Foundation Repairs are Expensive
Don’t be put off by the cost of foundation repairs. If you act quickly, you will actually save money. The problem you have will not fix itself and only get worse over time.
Digging up your yard and getting waterproofing can be expensive but not as expensive as ignoring the problems. The longer you leave it the worse it will get and the more it will cost to fix it.
2. I Can Fix The Foundation Myself
No, you can’t. You might think you can, and you might even use caulking or something else to fill in the cracks, and it might seem to work. Chances are, it won’t work for long.
These products work but unless you tackle the reason you have cracks or crumbling concrete in the first place, you are just making the matter worse. You are not going to save money doing these repairs yourself, because you have to hire a contractor to fix your mess and the real problem, as well.
3. Any Contractor Will Do
Do not believe this. Rather, ask yourself why they are charging so much less than other contractors. The answer is they are likely cutting corners, using substandard materials, and may not even be a licensed contractor at all.
This can also mean there will be no warranty, no insurance, no certifications, and once you pay them, likely never to be seen again. Always use a professional contractor.
4. Foundation Repair Doesn’t Work
But what if it actually does? It does. When you hear someone tell you that they had repairs that didn’t work, it could be true in their case. Chances are, they hired the cheapest person they could find. That’s a handyman, not a contractor.
They also likely opted not to have all the recommended repairs done, and just went with the minimum. If that’s their choice and the main problem wasn’t fixed, yes, the problems are going to return.
Always get the foundation repairs that we recommend. We have a lot of experience and knowledge about foundations. We know what will happen if you just want a patch job instead of proper repairs.
5. New Homes Don’t Need Foundation Repairs
In an ideal world that would certainly be true. And, in many cases, it is. But problems can happen to new foundations, too. If the soil shits or settles a lot, cracks can appear.
It may have been put in improperly or it wasn’t set completely during construction. While you should be good for many years with a new foundation, problems can always happen.
Ask The Experts
Never trust the word of someone who doesn’t have the knowledge or experience with foundations. Their bad experience is just theirs, not everyone’s.
Call us at Olson Foundation Repair with any questions you may have about your foundation and its care.