It’s a problem that strikes fear in the heart of any Texas homeowner: foundation repair.
Chances are your Texas house will have foundation problems at some point. Fixing foundation issues can be very expensive, and a huge hassle.
Foundation repair might also make it tougher to sell your house.
Why Do Texas Houses Have Foundation Problems?
Foundation problems are very common across Texas. This is because many houses, condos, and other structures are built on what are known as “expansive soils.”
Expansive soils contain a lot of clay, which expands when it gets wet, like after a rainstorm. But the clay shrinks when it dries up. This cycle puts pressure on the concrete foundations of a house, causing the building to shift.
You can prevent some foundation problems by regularly wetting the soil around the foundation of your house, but it’s still possible problems will arise.
How Can I Tell if My House Needs Foundation Repair?
It may not be obvious at first glance that your house has foundation problems.
There are several signs you can look for to identify whether your house needs foundation repair:
- Cracks in the foundation. Visually inspect the foundation around the outside of your house. If you see cracks forming, that’s a bad sign.
- Cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings. If your foundation is shifting or buckling, you may start to see cracks forming inside your home.
- Floors aren’t level. This can be harder to spot, but if it seems like one part of the house is lower than another when it shouldn’t be, it might be time to call an expert.
- Doors and windows don’t open or close properly. If you have a hard time opening a window, or if you have a door that won’t latch closed without extra effort, it could be a sign of bigger problems.
- Gaps around windows, doors, cabinets, and countertops. Take a look at the frames surrounding your windows. If you start to see gaps that weren’t there before, it might indicate the foundation is shifting. Similar gaps can appear around doors and as cabinets separate from walls.
How Much Does Foundation Repair Cost?
Solving a foundation repair problem is not cheap! The exact cost will vary widely, depending on the size and age of your house, the type of foundation your house is built on, and the severity of the problems.
It’s not something you can fix yourself. While you might be able to patch cracks and close gaps on your own, only a team of professionals can properly repair the foundation of a building.
You will need to contact a foundation repair company to get an estimate, but costs can range into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
Even after you pay for the foundation repair itself, other costs can pile up. After the work is finished, you may need to spend thousands more on repairs to doorways, replacing windows, reinstalling floors, and repainting walls.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Foundation Repair?
Unfortunately, most property insurance policies do not cover foundation repair costs.
Unless the damage to your foundation was caused by a covered event, such as water damage from a plumbing emergency, your insurance won’t pick up the bill.
Can I Sell My House With Foundation Problems?
Yes! But how you sell your house can make a big difference.
If you go the traditional home-selling route, you may be legally-required to disclose to buyers that your house has known foundation problems. This can severely reduce the final selling price, and scare off would-be homebuyers.
But if you sell your house for cash to Local Cash Buyers, it’s not a problem! We buy houses with foundation problems and foundation repair issues.
Because we buy houses as-is, we can move quickly, making you a written, fair cash offer within 24 hours of visiting your property.
Once you accept our offer, we can close in as few as 7 days. That means by this time next week, you could be done dealing with foundation problems and worrying about repairs!
Let us help you eliminate the stress of foundation repair. Call us today at 469-250-0018 or use the form below to contact us about selling your house as-is for cash!