House Flipping: Do You Need a Foundation Repair?

Considering a house flip? Check out that foundation before you get started!

House flippers know it can be hard to find houses that don’t need a lot of repairs. It's hard to know the extent of damage until you really get in there, or after the inspection. One of the most daunting repairs to find out you have are foundation repairs... even worse after you've begun the house flip process. Foundation repairs are intimidating because they can become expensive and can be complicated. However, you can use foundation damage to your advantage when negotiating a purchase deal. Let's learn more about the correlation between house flipping and the "need-to-knows" about foundation repair.

Common foundation issues fall into three general categories: vertical movement, horizontal movement, and water and drainage issues. Here’s what you should know about kinds of foundation issues, how a foundation repair company can help you fix it, and how to proceed with your purchase.

Vertical Movement of a Home’s Foundation

Settling or heaving are vertical movements of a home’s foundation that happen when soil expands or contracts. Generally, this happens as soil moisture levels change. This is typically a common situation in the Midwest, especially the Kansas City area, as we have clay soil and a  drought/flooding cycle.

Heaving is when a foundation is forced upward when the soil expands. Settling is essentially the opposite of heaving, when your home foundation falls downward.

Sloping lawns, wet soil, leaky pipes, and even tree roots can cause settling and heaving. You may notice cracks in slabs or uneven slabs, sagging floors, drywall cracks, gaps around window and door frames, or door frames that don’t open and close smoothly.

Home Foundation Repairs for Vertical Movement

Depending on the cause of the foundation damage, you may need to take a two-step approach. First is resolving the problem that caused it in the first place, like directing rainwater away from the foundation or grading the lawn to correct the slope.

Then, you need to address the foundation issue. Depending on the severity of the problem or the type of foundation the home has, you may need a post-and-pier foundation solution or polyjacking, for example. The foundation issues may also require a combination of solutions.

Horizontal Movement of a Home’s Foundation

Horizontal movement applies pressure to basement walls, causing them to bow, crack, or lean. This movement is also caused by soil expansion and contraction. Generally horizontal movement is not caused by uniform changes in the soil.

Sloping lawns pile soil on your foundation, which can cause basement walls to bow inward. Leaky pipes and significant rainfall saturates the soil with water, which can cause extreme soil expansion. A heavy driveway too near your foundation can cause basement walls to bow. And tree roots can press into the foundation and cause bowing, too.

Signs of horizontal movement are similar to those that occur with vertical movement, but also include bowing foundation walls.

Home Foundation Repairs for Horizontal Movement

Addressing foundation issues due to horizontal movement also requires a two-fold solution. First, you must fix the cause of the problem by choosing a solution to evenly maintain soil moisture or remove tree roots.

Then, it’s time to stabilize and support foundation walls through the use of steel I-beams or carbon fiber strips.

Water Issues of a Home’s Foundation

If water intrusion is a problem, fixing it can help prevent foundation damage. And being proactive is the best way to keep costs under control when flipping a home. You may need to repair gutters and downspouts to direct rainwater away from the home’s foundation, or grade the lawn. A French drain around the foundation’s perimeter can also help manage water intrusion.

Inside the home, an interior drain tile system or a sump pump can help keep water out.

Getting Estimates for Foundation Repair Before Closing

Smart flippers have properties thoroughly inspected before closing to ensure that they are making a smart investment. Over time, flippers may even gain enough knowledge to spot the initial warning signs of foundation damage.

If you’re considering purchasing a home to flip in Kansas City and your inspector uncovers foundation damage, before you close on the home, get an estimate for foundation repair from PierMagic. Our cost-effective and smart foundation repair solutions may not be out of the budget or scope of your renovation - and a home with warrantied foundation repairs in Kansas City will be easier to sell than one that doesn’t come with them.

Request a Kansas City Foundation Repair Estimate from PierMagic

PierMagic's premier foundation repair and basement waterproofing solutions have helped Kansas City homeowners and flippers since 2007. And because our goal is to deliver the best repairs and focus on the tiniest details of customer service, our team ensures our home foundation repair process is never unsettling.

Request a free estimate from PierMagic by calling us at (816) 765-4800, or by sending us a message online. One of our team members will get back to you quickly, discuss the issue you’re having, and dispatch an expert to your home.