Hello,

I have a 20 year old 3 story townhouse that I purchased three years ago. I am showing what I believe are classic signs of foundation problems. I am a middle unit.

My trim is pulling away from baseboards. There are minor horizontal cracks at doorway on second floor. Doors stick.

Now I am experiencing horizontal lines or buldges in my dry wall. They appear in the basement, hallways, living room and bedroom. It is a line that runs the length of the wall and a small buldge is evident.

My house constantly makes popping and cracking noises. Day night, hot or cold.

I have had three engineers that have come to my place and they all say that I have no foundation damage, but they can't explain the problems I am having.

I have had the engineers come out at various times Feb 07, April 07 and Aug 08. The first two said they were no problems just cosmetic. The third told me that something is going on, but he is not sure what. He told me to monitor the situation. I told him all I do is monitor the situation and it keeps getting worse. He didnt have any suggestions except to take pictures of it to prove it getting worse.

Also, the neighbors on both sides of me say they have no signs of problems. Looking at my townhouse, I am on the same plain as my neighbor to the left. But the townhouse to the right is built about ten feet lower.

I am really at my wits end. Does anyone have a clue as to what I may be experiencing?

I dont believe the place is going to fall in, but I hate all these cracks and problems.

Thanks
James

 

Welcome to the forums James!

Since your foundation has been inspected and no problems detected, I'd tend to agree it isn't a problem with the foundation. It might be a framing issue. Sometimes lumber will dry out and shrink enough over time to cause things to settle. It is also possible that the carpenters just didn't do a good job. I painted an $850k house that when it was in the framing stage, I could see light between the studs and the top plate on a load bearing wall - you know that would have to settle

I don't have any solutions for you but would expect at some point, the settling would stop and it would be safe to fix the cosmetic damage.

I just reread your post and realized your town house is 20 yrs old. I would have expected any settling issues to be resolved long ago. Has any heavy furniture been moved or added? Any water leaks or anything else that might effect the framing?

 

I had one roof leak right after I moved in but it has not leaked since.

My furniture is in same place as when I moved in. Nothing really big to mention.

I have a loft that is a part of a finished attic. I asked the engineer if I had too much weight in the loft. I have a cheap sofa, a tv and a computer in the loft.

The horizontal lines started in the basement and have appeared throughout the unit. It starts as just a buldge and then developes little waves in the drywall along the line. I can live with it the basement, but now it is starting in the living room.

At first friends told me that I was nuts (and I may be!! LOL) but now the signs are more visible and throughout house.

I did buy mine subsidence insurance. They were willing to write me the policy. That gave me a little piece of mind.

I love the place, but I am just perplexed by the problems.

 

I paid for someone to repair a crack in the master bedroom in March.

The crack started at the corner where the side wall meets front wall and moves up the length of a cathedral ceiling.

The contractor was reputibable (sp) and I got great reviews.

That crack is now all the way back. And the crack gets bigger when the sun hits it and closes at night.

I know that sounds crazy but it does.

The last engineer told me to repair nothing else till he revisits in the summer. It is just frustrating to wait and wait with no real answers.

Thanks!!

 

"And the crack gets bigger when the sun hits it and closes at night. I know that sounds crazy but it does"

I agree it sounds crazy but I have seen it myself..... but only once.

Either the foundation or the framing [or both] must be the cause. Figuring out which one and where, that might be a real job.

wish you luck

 

I'd agree with marksr, it sounds like your house was built with some lumber that had a very high moisture content- perhaps it was still green, not kiln dried, maybe the house was built in wet rainy conditions, etc. which would lead to a lot of shrinkage.

Cracks in corners are often due to poor framing techniques where corners aren't connected well, and perhaps insulation and/or vapor barrier were overlooked.

Cracks that are simply recoated rather than retaped will often reappear. Hard to say how your repair was done.

 

I was told that when the house was built the original developer ran out of funds.

The framing was left dormant over the winter and spring.

This was by my neighbor who is an original resident. And he always blames my problems on that. He is the condo president.

I know my corners and repairs were taped because I researched that here when my repairs were done. I insisted on it.

And with the crack getting bigger. The even wierder part is temperature has nothing to do with it. Cold or hot - sun hitting it opens the crack. Cloudy days summer or winter crack stays closed.

Does anyone know where I should turn next? The last engineer suggested I wait a six months to a year to have him back. We took a bunch of pictures.

Thanks again
James