Basement Foundation Wall and Floor Inspection

There are primarily three different types of foundations that are used today in building basement and crawlspace foundations: concrete poured walls, block walls and concrete slab foundations.  Occasionally you will see wood foundations and in older homes there will be stone foundations.

Concrete Poured Walls	Block Walls
Stone Foundation	Pre-Cast Foundation
Pre-Cast Concrete Garage Floor*	Concrete Slab Foundation

*Pre-Cast Concrete Garage Floors are not commonly found in homes.  This is primarily used in an industrial setting, but when used in homes they are installed over the top of a basement foundation to allow addional storage below a garage.

 

Basement Foundation Problems

Every basement wall should be looked at closely for cracks and movement.  One way we recommend viewing every basement wall is by standing in the corners and looking straight down the wall for movement from each of the corners.  Movement can include bowing or bulging, tilting or sliding of the wall.  Most cracks found in basement walls the basement are not of any structural concern, but they may be a concern for leaking.  If water stains or signs of water are found we recommend having the crack repaired by a water proof damping company.  If you have found the basement walls are not straight when viewing we recommend having a professional review to make sure you have no major structural concerns.  Whether a basement is finished or unfinished, it has been estimated that 90 to 95 percent of basements will experience some kind of water penetration problem.

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Cracked Block Wall Foundation	Block Wall Bowing

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Bowing concrete wall has beenrepaired with steal I-beams	Block wall foundation has beensecured with steel plate wall anchors

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