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jerseybred · Jan 3, 2012, 01:10 PM

My block foundation/basement walls are cracked. There are vertical, horizontal, stairstep, and straight down through block cracks. I tried my best to contact a structural engineer to advise me. This has been unfruitful as I live in a very rural area and there doesn't seem to be any structural engineers willing to help. Any advise as how to proceed? Should I just trust a contractor's advice? There is one wall that even has movement so I know that something needs to be done soon. Thank you.

joypulv · Jan 3, 2012, 01:24 PM

You want a real builder, someone with a full contractor's license (not the lesser licenses that they just pay for). Get references, go look at jobs done. I suspect that they aren't going to be able to give you a real quote until they excavate all around the outside, to check the soil, the water table, and the footing drains and any other drainage around the outside. You could hire the excavator first (by the hour), since a lot of contractors sub that part out anyway.

Sometimes you can learn a lot by talking to neighbors to see if they have problems. Where is the house and when was it built? How many stories, and what is the footprint? Have you gone to town hall to see the permit history and get advice from the building inspector? How long have you owned it? Has there been any major change nearby to the land or roads that would send ground water your way? Is your cellar getting water in it?

jerseybred · Jan 3, 2012, 02:15 PM

Hello, thank you for your answer. I live in a very rural area in WV. I do not even think they require full contractors license here, I am sure of it. My house was built in 1975. It is a one story, average brick ranch. I have owned it for 20 years. Some of the cracks are old and many are new. The old ones are much worse than they used to be. There is no town hall but we do have a court house. Unfortunately, there are no building inspectors or permits. Knock on wood, for some reason, ground water has yet to get into the basement. Now you see my delema. There are many people that say they can help with either this solution or that but no real licensed persons that actually have proof of their qualifications. Whose advice do I take?

joypulv · Jan 4, 2012, 03:19 AM

You take the one who provides the most intelligent and detailed solution and estimate of cost, and references. You sound like you know enough to tell who's the best.
But you may find the cost higher than the value of the whole house, especially if brick is cracking too (brickface or solid brick?)
If you have one wall moving, I would give the job to whoever said they would put up a temporary beam with lally columns and rebuild that one wall with the proper waterproofing.
Then just spot repair the other walls.
Of course now foundations are poured concrete. Block walls have many problems.
If you don't have water in the basement, I guess footing drains aren't a concern.