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Posted: 8/14/2017 12:37:01 PM EST
I am getting a home built by a developer and I noticed a crack formed in the foundation from bottom to the top of the wall in the basement. I then check outside and thr crack is all the way through, of what I can see. It is also alresdy seaping water.
Devloper says this is normal and they will epoxy. I then check other houses and 4 of the 6 house that are currently being built have cracks. Should I back out of the deal, or ask for money back after it is repaired. The house is still not finished. Update 1 pictures. Dont know how to post pictures https://m.imgur.com/a/rRpga |
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Cracks are ok if they are from shrinking/settling.
Cracks seeping water are never ok. |
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What kind of foundation (material and type i.e. Slab, crawl, basement)?
How wide is the crack? Any vertical displacement (does 1 side of crack stick out farther than other side? How long since it was built? |
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I like to believe my foundation is perfect.
To know it's not from the get-go....not acceptable. Let someone else buy it. |
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Quoted:
Save your money. Illinois is going to have frost and thaw cycles. Any water trapped in the "seeping" crack is going to expand and erode the foundation. RUN don't walk. View Quote |
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run forest run.... leaking basements suck! usually a real pita to keep dry if not prepped properly during the build with sealer on the outside and mat material to keep the dirt directly off it.. and proper drainage away from the wall.... if the thing is cracked your already screwed...... his idea of poocky will probably last 13 months then your on your own in a new home, oh joy
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If he's proposing epoxy then he already knows it's a structural problem. Non-structural cracks get polyurethane injection.
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I have built many home with poured wall basement/foundations (and many block walls).
NEVER have I had one with a crack that went through a wall. Sometimes you see spider-web lines or hair line cracks...but that only on the surface. |
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I've consulted Bishop Bullwinkle, and his response was Hell to the Naw.
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OP you got a pic? How wide is the crack? How much water is seeping? How thick is the wall?
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i would have him sign a legal agreement on future issues if that's a possibility?
i've had 4 homes built with block, 11-13 course basements with no cracks. |
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I used to be a carpenter and formed up plenty of residential and commercial/industrial concrete projects.
The few sticks of rebar that were placed before the pour for residential basements is downright scary. I am not saying that is the cause of your crack...but IMO, more rebar = more better |
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If it's a shrinkage crack (too much water in the mix, not enough control joints) it's fine. Seal it up and keep going.
Document it, get the fix in writing, keep it on file. If you can still get to the outside I'd ask for a membrane to be installed over the crack area if it isn't already specified. If the wall hasn't been backfilled (ie, hasn't been stressed, then it's likely a shrinkage crack.) If they backfilled the basement wall without properly bracing the wall and cracked the wall, they broke the thing. |
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Quoted:
I am getting a home built by a developer and I noticed a crack formed in the foundation from bottom to the top of the wall in the basement. I then check outside and thr crack is all the way through, of what I can see. It is also alresdy seaping water. Devloper says this is normal and they will epoxy. I then check other houses and 4 of the 6 house that are currently being built have cracks. Should I back out of the deal, or ask for money back after it is repaired. The house is still not finished. View Quote It is normal if the footers and foundation are not up to specs. If the wall is cracked now, as it's being built, how much better will it be in 10 years. It won't, the end of that house is settling. My guess would be poor footers and reinforcement. Run away! |
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It is concrete basement waiting on engineers report and what company is going to do.
I'm worried what will happen during freeze thaw and resale value. https://m.imgur.com/a/rRpga |
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I'm no basementologist, but I would have thought something would settle over years, not days.
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Why is it seeping?
That tells me the outside does not have the proper drains and water proofing. Water proofing is more about proving a path for water to drain away than perfect sealing. |
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Back out now. That's not normal. They should have packed the soil first and then used plenty of rebar with wire to help hold the concrete together.
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There is drainage tile around the house that leads to a sump pit. The sump pump is not installed yet so maybe that is why. Also 4 other houses I saw being built have shrinkage cracks.
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Concrete cracks. Always will. Always does.
It's the type of crack that should concern you, not the mere existence of one. A crack in a new foundation can be problematic, if it goes all the way through and there is significant space in between. If it's just a crack and there doesn't appear to be any separation, then it's not necessarily a big deal. Why? Because concrete cracks. Most foundations end up having cracks in them. It's just the nature of the product. |
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Quoted:
https://i.imgur.com/W1svidJ.jpg That looks like a shrinkage crack. I don't see any displacement. It's not ideal but it will probably be okay with an injection to keep water out. Did the builder damp-proof the exterior and install proper footing drains? Freeze-thaw shouldn't affect it much, most of the wall is below frost depth. View Quote I agree with the Dr. No displacement or widening of the gap. It is concrete, it cracks, and as long as there is rebar in there to hold it together there shouldn't be a problem. I would want to make sure there is drain tile inside and outside that leads to a sump pump hole. |
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Quoted:
https://i.imgur.com/W1svidJ.jpg That looks like a shrinkage crack. I don't see any displacement. It's not ideal but it will probably be okay with an injection to keep water out. Did the builder damp-proof the exterior and install proper footing drains? Freeze-thaw shouldn't affect it much, most of the wall is below frost depth. View Quote |
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Speaking only as a guy that repairs miles of cracks and water seepage in below grade walls each year.... that ain't right.
EDIT: Now I see the picture. It's most likely just a shrinkage crack - common. With that being said it shouldn't be leaking already. Epoxy and or grout injection is in your future. You need waterproofing, drainage mat, and a french drain that conveys the water away from the foundation at the exterior of the house. |
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Quoted:
I am getting a home built by a developer and I noticed a crack formed in the foundation from bottom to the top of the wall in the basement. I then check outside and thr crack is all the way through, of what I can see. It is also alresdy seaping water. Devloper says this is normal and they will epoxy. I then check other houses and 4 of the 6 house that are currently being built have cracks. Should I back out of the deal, or ask for money back after it is repaired. The house is still not finished. Update 1 pictures. Dont know how to post pictures https://m.imgur.com/a/rRpga View Quote What depth below ground level are the footings? What type of soil. Is there a French drain all around the house? If the footings are 5' or deeper you are below the frost line and the house should not move. If the contractor is willing to go the extra mile and repair the crack and properly waterproof the exterior of the foundation like in the link below I would have no problem with that. Link |
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Pay the money and have an civil engineer give you an answer. View Quote foundation leaks are an absolute nightmare. think mold. think if you ever want to sell. you said someone was building it for you. is this you tying up a pre-sale that the builder is doing or are you paying the builder yourself for the work. i would take very very hard look at this issue. i built homes on the side in the middle 2000s and the care that went into prepping, digging, rebarring and pouring foundations and basements was the number one thing you had to make sure had no issues. around here a problem like that might preclude getting a certificate of occupancy from the city or county. |
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Looks like OP is building his home in tornado alley, in the Plainfield, Romeoville area of Illinois. If so, he also has other worries.
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CT is having problems with crumbling foundations tied to one contractor over the course of some 20+yrs.
Alot of homeowners are screwed. Their policies don't cover the damage. There is some thinking the insurance companies saw a problem years before it become wide spread, having the laws changed to help avoid liability. The state tried to setup insurance pools, allowing those companies to spread the cost across their customer base. The customers of those insurance companies pushed back, threatening to change carriers to non participating companies. The district congressman, whom represents the whole affected area has come up goose eggs in providing federal funding. Our senators have stayed mostly out of the problem. The original contractor sold the business. There are no regs on concrete mixes. Civilly the crumbling foundation homes are screwed. http://www.wfsb.com/story/31613250/homeowners-blame-crumbling-foundations-on-concrete-company |
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Some times. even if there are no cracks, the walls can leak. If the concrete company pouring the foundation doesn't get enough concrete for one pour, and they have to wait a while until more concrete shows up, the first pour can start to dry, and if they don't use a vibrator to mix the first and second pour properly, there can be a seam between the two pours that may leak. The whole purpose of those giant vibrators is to thoroughly mix pour A with pour B so there isn't a problem with seams in the walls.
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Been building private and commercial jobs for years. That's fine if it doesn't move. If it move you got problems.
Shouldn't be getting water coming in, but paint drylock on it and you should be good. |
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Yeah, not exactly sure what caused that crack. It doesn't appear to be anything serious, but there is evidence on the bottom 14" or so that water has made its way in from the outside. A properly sealed foundation in all likelihood would not have allowed that. I'd be more worried about the seal than the crack at this point and want to investigate that further. Who knows, maybe that process will lead to additional discoveries (like why it cracked in the first place). View Quote |
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I would have them waterproof the basement and then you never have to worry about water coming in your basement.
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Quoted:
What depth below ground level are the footings? What type of soil. Is there a French drain all around the house? If the footings are 5' or deeper you are below the frost line and the house should not move. If the contractor is willing to go the extra mile and repair the crack and properly waterproof the exterior of the foundation like in the link below I would have no problem with that. Link View Quote |
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100% fine. If it ran left to right it'd be bad. Vertical cracks in concrete foundations are no issue (if they don't move). It just sucks it happened so soon. Most new housing contracts in the northeast include 1 year of crack fixing. The crack fix will keep the water out. Get gutters, keep the water away from the foundation, you'll be fine.
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Quoted:
If the contractor is willing to go the extra mile and repair the crack and properly waterproof the exterior of the foundation like in the link below I would have no problem with that. Link View Quote |
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The whole state is a shithole built on foundation of corruption - whats another crack?
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Our basement had (3) floor to ceiling cracks pop up within a month or two of the foundation being poured. Almost 8 years later there are no additional cracks and zero displacement.
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