ARTICLES

The following article appeared in the Saturday, November 24, 2007 edition of Florida Today in the Space Coast section.

Do You Have That Sinking Feeling?

By David Bryant
Certified Structure and Foundation, Inc.

     Settlement of homes, additions, swimming pools, and porches is a serious problem that affects many homeowners in Florida. The obvious signs of settlement are cracking of your walls, doors or windows not closing properly, and sloping of your floor slab or outside corners of your home. If there are cracks in your pool or the waterline is uneven then you may have abnormal settlement.
     Most contactors are not engineers and do not have the expertise to properly repair buildings with settlement problems. Therefore, before you do anything, contact CERTIFIED STRUCTURE AND FOUNDATION, INC. for a free soil test and engineering analysis of your problem. As a structural engineer with over 30 years of experience solving settlement problems, I can help you decide how to repair your home properly and economically.
     Never try a "do it yourself" fix of your settlement problem! Digging around or below your foundation and pouring concrete is a bad idea. The weak soil causing your problem is typically deeper and the additional weight (of the concrete you poured) will only accelerate the settlement.
     If you do have settlement problems at your home, business, or the condominium where you live, we offer FREE inspections, FREE soil testing, and FREE engineering opinions covering a full range of repair options. The most common and economical repair technique is "pressure grouting" which consists of injecting cement grout into the weak soils beneath your foundation, usually beginning at a depth of 10 feet. If your home has experienced excessive settlement, it may require "underpinning" of the foundations using piers or piling to transfer the foundation loads to deeper, more stable soils. In most cases, your foundation can be lifted back to its original elevation.
     Of course, you want the most economical repair solution, therefore, you would not want to underpin your home with piling capable of supporting a five story building when pressure grouting will solve your problem for a fraction of the cost. To stabilize minor settlement of one corner of your home should cost approximately $3,200 dollars for labor and materials. To underpin and lift one corner with excessive settlement could cost much more. That is why it is very important to strengthen the weak soil as soon as you notice a problem.
     Contact our office for your free inspection and free soil test. We will perform a thorough investigation of your settlement problem and test the soil to a minimum depth of eight feet. At that point, we will be able to make engineering recommendations, which usually include several options for repair and their associated costs.
     I would advise anyone with a settlement problem to "Do your homework" and get a qualified engineering opinion before you spend money to fix your building. We are the best in the business and we offer the best warranty. See our ad below and call us at 321-242-1003 or 800-LIFT-YOU. We also offer a wide range of engineering and construction services that are beyond the scope of this article.
 

David Bryant is a registered structural engineer (FL Reg. #038154) and general contractor (License #CGCA25869) in the State of Florida and owns & operates Certified Structure and Foundation, Inc. Over the past 30 years, he has designed, built, and repaired almost every kind of structure imaginable from single family homes and high-rise condominiums to launch pads for NASA.