I've got an issue with my house foundation. In 1995 (previous owners) added an addition to the house.

The foundation is cinder block and it just doesn't look like they used much mortar between the blocks. In fact it looks like they're just stacked together with NO grout between them.

Anyhow one of the side walls is starting to bow out and is causing settling in the addition area of the house. The previous owners apparently noticed the problem and have jacked up the house and blocked it up in the crawlspace and that seems to be keeping the problem from getting worse, but is just a band aid.

I'm considering selling the house and even if I don't the problem needs to be fixed.

I know this is probably something that's better handled by a professional foundation guy, but is there any hope to make the repairs by myself?

The addition is only about 20' long if that makes a difference?

Thanks

 

I assume this home has a crawl space under the addition, but no idea what the foundation is under the original construction. This is not a DIY project for several reasons:

1. You have no idea of the real make-up or the construction of the wall and footing. - A professional can determine the cause, method of construction and what should be done to maintain the value of your investment. The repairs will be obvious when you sell, so you will have to show you had it corrected properly and professionally.

2. Constructing a new foundation and working under a building on temporary supports is dangerous and requires experience. -
There are many problems that are not obvious to a DIYer, no matter how experienced.

Dick

 

Is the cinderblock wall back filled on one side or is it open on both??

 

Could the wall be a dry stack with vertical rebar grouted from floor to top of wall? If it is and is still bowing then you would truly need a professional to fix that. The fact that there appears to be no mortar between layers of block is not in and of itself automatically bad. However, if it truly is a dry stack wall, then I would expect some type of surface bonding cement coating on at least one side of the wall.

 

It is open on both sides and none of it appears to be covered by anything. There is a small amount of grout between the blocks, but not as much as I'm used to seeing.

 

well if the foundation is open on both sides, then what about removing the cinderblock wall and putting in a short pony wall on a footing? If the addition has been jacked-up to relieve the bowing, could you not use, say a three ply 2x10 beam with tele posts to jack up the whole side enough to remove the old wall? Also, is the cinderblock wall sitting on a poured 18" wide footing?

 

Crawling around a home jacked up by a DIY is suicide especially when you do not know why the wall is bowed.

If it is bowed OUT, that means that a portion of the footing moved or the house moved horizontally. If the footing moved, it failed or the soil failed. Do you want to jack up the house off the existing footing or soil without knowing if it is good or not?

The fact you ALSO have settling tells you the problem is probably with the soil or footing (if there is one).

It sounds like you have a poorly done, non-professional problem to cure and need to find out what is going on before you go under the house (do your have any enemies that owe you money?)

Dick