Category: Construction

Full guide for foundation repair? We figured out a long time ago that if we put too much information on the website or sent out books about the work that we do, people would begin to try to self-diagnose their basement problems. Quite often the customer was trying to design solutions that were much too large for the problems that they were experiencing and had scared themselves of the cost before we even showed up to the appointment. So rather than provide a WebMD of foundation repair, we decided to simply tell you how we operate as a business and hope to engage you in a real conversation about the exact problems you’re experiencing. Once you know all of the information we expect you will make a great decision as to how to repair your home.

There’s arguably no more important aspect of your home than the foundation. As such, you shouldn’t let just anyone inspect or repair your foundation. You need a reliable and trustworthy company that can diagnose and treat any issue with total confidence and professionalism.

After the foundation of a house is built, the loose soil is back-filled around the foundation and can sometimes allow water seepage into your basement. As years pass by, this soil can also expand, placing pressure on the foundation and causing problems for the home. Foundation repair companies like the one we will present below, have developed several methods for solving these issues, thereby restoring both price and safety to your home. Don’t worry – we aren’t going to expose you to a grueling sales pitch; we’re simply going to be transparent with the cause of your foundation problems and offer you various options for foundation repair. Ultimately, we can only advise you on the best, most cost-effective repairs which maintain your home’s structural integrity. These inspections should be conducted both inside the home (within the basement) and along all exterior surfaces of the foundation. In order to make absolutely sure your foundation is in the best possible condition, a professional should be the one to conduct the investigation of your foundation and assess the situation. By hiring a professional you are guaranteed a thorough investigation of your foundation. A professional has comprehensive knowledge of what your home foundation repair needs. They will not only fix the problem but give your home a stronger support system.

This is a relatively new trend among buyers and one that you should keep in mind firmly when thinking about ways to increase your home’s value. Bigger is not better anymore. It is how the space functions that matter more now. Open floor plans that have the option of flexible living spaces are the most desirable right now. The two major aspects of your house that you can focus on for this are the attic and the basement. You can remodel them from anywhere in the range of $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your changes. This might seem like a lot, but the ROI that it will provide you by increasing the value of your home is worth it. There will be plenty of buyers lined up once they hear the terms granny flats, flex rooms, and upstairs laundry room. This can increase the value of your home by 5-8%.

We are foundation repair and basement waterproofing innovators in the Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo areas. We are led by partners who each have multiple years of experience either designing foundation repair solutions or installing those solutions. We are fully licensed and insured. The founding partners of Foundation Professionals of Colorado recognized a need for a foundation repair contractor in our community that provides straight and honest answers and leaves the buying decision in the hands of the customer where it belongs. As a foundation repair company, we seek to educate and consult our customers on all repair methods and let you decide how to proceed with your repairs. See more details at Foundation repair Colorado.

Let’s look some different types of foundation repair methods and in what situations they might be better handled by a professional foundation repair specialist: This type requires one, or both, of two methods – either making the foundation stronger by adding concrete columns or by shoring up the beams with additional timber. This type of repair will help prevent further movement as well as stop additional decay to any damaged wood that already exists. The issue with completing a pier and beam repair is that this type of foundation typically only exists in homes with a crawl space. The accessibility is limited so it might be difficult for even a handy person to navigate.

Searching for a foundation contractor in Colorado? You get what you pay for. We have all heard this before, and in most cases it is true. There are several companies that sell cheap foundation piers that won’t last. Their piers typically fail within a year and the home settles again, and you are back to square one. When you try to call the company to ask about your warranty, they are either not in business anymore or come up with some external circumstance as to why they won’t honor their warranty.

How high are your standards for service excellence? Do you assume your experience is excellent when it may be mediocre? Don’t become complacent with your service experience. Know that you will always receive the results that you are willing to accept, so be thinking how to improve your systems, provide better training and generally stay ahead of the future and prevent failures. This is particularly critical as flooring products evolve resulting in new technologies, standards and practices for installation. Great companies prioritize for quality.

Foundation repair tips Salt Lake City with foundationprosofutah.com: Looking for a foundation contractor in Salt Lake City? If you want an unbiased opinion on your home, have a structural engineer assess your home. Engineers have nothing to sell but their services, so they will only recommend what is necessary to ensure the stability and and safety of a home. The average cost is around $400-$500.

If you have a broken water pipe, a plugged gutter, or a drainage problem in your yard alongside a perimeter foundation to weaken the area, a contractor might be able to shore up the area with more concrete or shim the sill plate to make the area level again.

Removing original period windows and exterior doors can destroy a period property’s character, and its value, unless they are sympathetically replaced. Authentic replicas are expensive, so always consider repair as a first option. Cheaper, off-the shelf joinery is rarely appropriate and is unlikely to fit the original openings and so will look wrong. If the original external joinery has already been removed, research neighbouring properties or books to find appropriate styles. Avoid modern hybrid products, such as front doors with built-in fanlights. Try and observe the techniques and materials used in the building’s original construction and try and repair, or replace, on a like-for-like basis. Internally, try and preserve original doors, floorboards, fireplaces and plaster mouldings if they are still intact.

Chad is a 3rd Generation contractor. He was raised in West Texas with strong family values. Being a third-generation graduate of Texas Tech University, Chad put himself through college just as his mother and grandmother did before him. After graduation Chad became a property adjuster specializing in foundation claims for State Farm because it not only required his new degree but also allowed him to use the contracting experience he gained while running his business during college. Upon the arrival of his third child with his wife Deena, Chad knew his income would have to increase. When Chad left State Farm, he went back into general contracting in Houston Texas. Read additional info on Basement waterproofing Salt Lake City.

Foam jacking, mud jacking, slab piers or total replacement are the only options for repairing a slab foundation. A slab is generally found in areas where the underlying soil can be graded flat without worrying about the elements of nature impacting the soil or foundation. For example, slab foundations are common in the southwest U.S., where I now live. Because the entire foundation is buried underground, any of the 4 fixes are best handled by a contractor. For homeowners who want to take action, however, preventative maintenance of watering can help avoid issues in severe drought conditions. For foam or mud jacking the material (polyurethane or grout) is pumped in to make sure a settled slab is leveled back out again. The cost can range from $3 – $10 per square foot. Piers are the most invasive and usually the most costly repair option as the concrete must be jammed into the ground and the slab jacked up on top of the piers. Slab cracks can happen and then the foundation is broken beyond repair. Replacement can cost over $30 per square foot and since the entire foundation must be removed and replaced, the disruption is at maximum levels.

A home’s first impression plays a critical role in a prospective buyer’s evaluation of a property. Unfortunately foundation issues can negatively impact curb appeal. People want a home that looks good and feels safe. Sagging floors, ceiling cracks, visible foundation cracks, or even the simple knowledge that a home has had foundation repair in the past can be enough to turn even the most excited buyer away.

There are several causes for the foundation movement that occurs in and around your home. These problems in the Salt Lake City and surrounding areas are most commonly poor compaction, soil erosion and soil shrinking and expansion due to clay content. All of these causes are a direct result of the soil under your home and its temperature and water content. All of the solutions that we offer deal with eliminating or by-passing these causes.

Get the first course right. Use a torpedo level to level each block front to back and either a 4-foot or 6-foot level to keep each course level and even. Set the blocks with a heavy rubber or plastic mallet. Getting the first course flat and level is extremely important, so take your time. Try to lay the course as close to the center of the trench as possible. Even a small pebble on the surface of a block will throw the one above it out of alignment. And that crooked block will affect the one above it, and so on. That little stone could eventually create an unattractive hump in the top course.Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscape—retaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to correct problems caused by hilly areas! Well-built retaining walls transform unworkable inclines into usable outdoor space for the garden. Despite their simple appearance, though, these walls require a good deal of planning—sometimes professional engineering—to keep their shape. Soil is heavy, especially when soaking wet from a recent rainstorm, so a basic retaining wall (four feet tall and 15 feet long) potentially has to support up to 20 tons of soil pressure. With every additional foot of height, the pressure of the soil increases substantially. Miscalculate your construction plans, and you could end up with a weak wall that risks bulging or, worse, collapsing altogether. For just this reason, retaining walls taller than four feet should be designed and constructed by the pros.

Septic maintenance services in Sonora, CA? First we need to explain the reason for pumping the septic tank or tanks. The normal riding level of waste water in a tank is approximately 4 feet deep, with a floating scum layer and a bottom solids layer. If a tank is not pumped prior to inspection, a proper visual inspection cannot be performed as no one can see through 4 feet of waste water. The tank floor & sidewalls, the tank center seam/seal, the tank baffle and the complete inlet/outlet sanitary tees are not visible for inspection and system evaluation without pumping the tank first.

Pump your septic tank. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every 3-5 years. The frequency depends on how many people are in your home. The more people living in your house, the more often you should pump your septic tank. Take care of your drain field. Make sure all water is diverted away from your soakage area. Additionally, only landscape your soakage area with grass. If you want to add plants, be sure to only pick ones with shallow root systems. Finally, never park a vehicle on top of your soakage area. Vehicles can put a strain on your soakage area and may lead to ruptured pipes.

The most common cause of a failed system is overloading it. This can be caused by the consecutive use of high-volume activities such as laundry, showering, and running the dishwasher. Space out their usage as well as follow water conservation efforts year round. This is particularly important during heavy rain, which can quickly overwhelm a drainfield on its own. Also common are blockages, which can cause pipes to be clogged and the drainfield to overflow. To prevent this, avoid flushing anything besides the three Ps (pee, poop, and toilet paper). “Flushable” wipes and FOG (fats, oils, grease) clog pipes so should be thrown in the trash. Avoid the use of a garbage disposal which can improperly break down debris.

There are several different types of septic systems in use today. The characteristics of your property determined what type of septic system was installed. The soil conditions; such as absorption rate, type of soil and how much soil is present, were a major factor in deciding what type of system was installed. In addition, the water table level and the grade elevations of the property also played a role in that decision. Knowing what type of septic system you have, as well as it’s location is an important part in your responsibility to keep the septic system running efficiently and effectively. Following the “Septic Dos & Don’ts and performing the “Maintenance and Pumping” at the appropriate intervals, will reduce the chances of septic system failure which can be very costly. Read additional details on type of septic systems.

Water is then returned to the soil in the drain field. The drain field is made up of a network of perforated pipes in gravel trenches buried beneath the soil. The drain field is designed to help the wastewater flowing through the septic tank dissipate into the surrounding environment. Most of the water drains down through the topsoil and is eventually filtered into the groundwater. With regular maintenance, a septic system will last between 20-30 years. However if the system is not properly installed and maintained, a system can fail within a few years. Once a system fails, it can be difficult to repair and a complete replacement is often needed. With a tank replacement costing between $3,000 and $7,000, it’s important to keep your system in the best possible condition. Fortunately, it’s not hard to take care of a septic system, if you follow a few simple tips.

Kevin Gause is the owner of Foothill Sanitary Septic and Operation Manager for Foothill Portable Toilets which is owned by Leslie Gause. Kevin has over 20 years experience in solid and liquid waste transporting and 17 years experience in handling all aspects of septic, grease and portable toilet services. Kevin’s commitment is to provide all services with the utmost integrity and honesty. By providing quality workmanship and performing the job the way it should be done, customer satisfaction is achieved. Our first-time customers continually become our long term customers time and time again, choosing us for all their septic and portable toilet needs. This commitment is prevalent throughout the company.

The home’s sewer line drain pipe needs to slope 1/4 inch per foot downhill to the inlet side of the septic tank and the outlet pipe needs to flow downhill at least 1/8 inch per foot downhill to the leach field, where the septic tank effluent enters a manifold or distribution D box. Beyond the manifold or D box the leach field trenches (for an Infiltrator chamber system) are excavated perfectly level at a depth of at least seven inches below the grade of the manifold pipes or D box (for chambers). And covered with at least one foot of soil atop the trench or chamber. Trenches can be deeper, if the site dictates, but rarely more than three feet below finish grade. See even more information on here.

Home deco and hardwood floors advices? The cost of living is a major factor when deciding on buying a home. Energy bills are a major contributing factor to the cost of living. Buyers now take serious notice of the house’s energy consumption before they put in an offer. The lower the energy consumption, the better the request will be. This is a very creative and efficient way of increasing the value of your home. You will need to change these subtle things to get your house tagged as “energy-efficient.” For example, you can add water heating. You can install high-efficiency windows. Even something as simple as replacing your lights with LED lights can do wonders for your house’s overall value. The increase in cost that this improvement can provide is 1-3%.

Re-Check Your Tile. Did you know most tile is sold in European sizes? That means the size you think you’re getting might not be quite right. So always double-check your tile sizes. Sometimes when a full bathroom remodel is in progress, little things like outlets don’t seem important. But they are! What if you got to the end of the project and found you had forgotten an outlet near the mirror? That would make plugging in a hairdryer to do your hair pretty difficult. Put an outlet inside the medicine cabinet, so electric toothbrushes can be charged out of sight. And if you’re installing a double vanity, add an outlet to each side, so both people can use electronics at the same time. Bathroom renovations can be a big project, but these remodeling tips will set you on a successful course. Need help with shower or bathtub installation or advice on the best faucets?

If your wood floor is damaged with water, you may observe cupping of single planks or crowning of multiple planks, making them look hump. When the floor wood absorbs water, it expands. This expansion can make the whole plank or various planks buckling. Staining on the Floor: There may appear black or dark staining on a water damaged floor. Water accumulation beneath wood planks results in mold growth. This mold combines with the tannins in woodturning color, resulting in staining. Tannins react when they come in contact with the water minerals. It leads to wood staining, or you may observe rust along the edges of a plank. Discover extra info at https://mynexthouseproject.com/how-to-fix-water-damaged-hardwood-floors/.

When renovating a property it can sometimes be tempting to give heavily advertised ‘miracle cure’ treatments a try, lured by extraordinary claims such as ‘never paint again’, ‘seal leaks for good — instantly’ or ‘the ultimate solution to all roofing problems’. But some of these products can actually be very damaging when applied to older buildings. Spray-on renders and polyurethane foams can block crucial ventilation paths in walls and roofs, and despite claims to the contrary offer virtually zero insulation benefits. Instant damp sealants are rarely effective and can trap damp in walls. Basically, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Do you have what it takes to do a tiled shower? If you’re considering replacing your drop-in shower with a tiled version, you’re going to have to do your homework. With mudded tiled showers, the need to waterproof is real and it’s not always easy. There are a lot of steps involved, so research and preparation is key. Do you want to spend the money on a shower door? If you’re yearning for a fancy-schamncy glass shower door, but don’t have the budget at the moment or want to reallocate those funds for other important things, like a heated toilet seat, keep in mind that because glass shower doors are standard-sized, you can always add one later. Stick with a colorful shower curtain for a while while you save up for a shower door.

Accept that products alone can’t really differentiate you. This may come as a shock to you, but product (and price) alone won’t sufficiently differentiate you from your competition. You may have the most brilliant assortment of tile, the most complete selection of carpet samples, and the largest ever grouping of hardwood and engineered wood samples. However, without a team of passionate and dedicated experts who bring those products to life for customers, you are no better than your competitors. “Your staff is the only truly unique offering that your company has to sell.” The way you sell, install and follow-up are true differentiators. Only by delivering a superior service experience to your customers can your store distinguish itself from competitors.

Dreaming of remodeling your old kitchen? But don’t just settle for any cabinetry style. Cabinet installation in a kitchen may seem like a monumental risk. There are plenty of places where you can buy cabinets from, however at Cabinet DIY, our RTA Kitchen Cabinets are designed to make installation easy and simple for anyone even with the least knowledge. Cabinet DIY offers you plenty of amazing options when it comes to choosing a cabinetry style according to the type of kitchen in your home. Discover more information at https://mynexthouseproject.com/.

Foundation professionals of Utah with foundationprosofutah.com: Looking for a foundation contractor in Utah? Spend some time on the company’s website to learn more about the company. Pay attention to what type of products they use. If you are in need of piers, learn as much about their foundation piers as possible. Also, look for testimonials and reviews about the company. Always ask for referrals. Any company who provides reputable work will have no problem giving you some referrals. Call a few of their referrals to get a better understanding of their experience. Ask about the quality of work, professionalism, timeliness and price. Most homeowners are more than happy to help another fellow homeowner.

These inspections should be conducted both inside the home (within the basement) and along all exterior surfaces of the foundation. In order to make absolutely sure your foundation is in the best possible condition, a professional should be the one to conduct the investigation of your foundation and assess the situation. By hiring a professional you are guaranteed a thorough investigation of your foundation. A professional has comprehensive knowledge of what your home foundation repair needs. They will not only fix the problem but give your home a stronger support system.

After a successful run in Houston, the mountains began to call. He moved his family to Colorado Springs in 2004. Some years later, Chad was hired by a large foundation repair company as a sales supervisor which renewed his passion for foundation work. When the opportunity came to branch out on his own again, he jumped at it. Why Foundation Professionals of Utah? We are foundation repair and basement waterproofing innovators in Utah. We are led by partners who each have multiple years of experience either designing foundation repair solutions or installing those solutions. Moreover, we are fully licensed and insured. Discover extra information on Foundation Repair in Utah.

The tell-tale sign that drought could impact your home’s foundation is in the ground just around the exterior. If you see cracks in the dirt then the moisture from the soil has evaporated. Depending on how deep the dryness goes it can increase the severity of potentially necessary repairs. A homeowner can water their foundation but it may not solve the problem in its entirety. Is DIY even an option for repairing a cracked foundation? As materials, tools and instructions become more readily available online more people feel confidence in learning how to repair things like a foundation. The foundation around your house can be repaired or maintained by you with minimal tools in some circumstances. Doing some low cost repairs can help to fix leaks, cracks or areas of crumbling concrete or mortar. Those who are ready to tackle simple methods to repair their foundation can start with things that they can see with the naked eye. There are many repairs a handywoman can do for just a couple hundred dollars and a small investment of time. Small cracks from settling can be injected with a grout product that provides increased stability. A stone foundation could be painted with a waterproofing paint. I did this on the inside of the foundation wall in my basement, for example. More on that in a bit.

Let’s begin with repair costs. If the structural damage is serious in nature, someone is going to have to repair the foundation. This will either be you – the current owner – or the future buyer. Regardless of who actually writes the check, you’re the one who will pay for it. You’ll either hire contractor to fix the issue or reduce the sale price to offset the expense.

There are several causes for the foundation movement that occurs in and around your home. These problems in the Salt Lake City and surrounding areas are most commonly poor compaction, soil erosion and soil shrinking and expansion due to clay content. All of these causes are a direct result of the soil under your home and its temperature and water content. All of the solutions that we offer deal with eliminating or by-passing these causes.

Demolition services in Fort Collins, CO? Excavation safety is a combination of safety precautions and mitigations in and around excavations and trenches to eliminate or control hazards in compliance with industry standards and regulations. Why is Excavation and Trench Safety Important? Excavation and trenching are amongst the most dangerous operations in the construction industry. Dangers can include cave-ins, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres and hazards from using heavy equipment. Regular pre-work inspections can reduce hazards and serious risk of injury. Safety inspections should check for the type of excavation being conducted, support and warning systems in place, access areas, weather conditions, heavy equipment and PPE.

Renovating involves making countless decisions, from which improvements to make and the choice of fixtures and fittings, down to the route for new services such as plumbing, or how details should be finished off. Many of these decisions need to be made quickly if they are not to hold up work, and so you need to allow time for this, based on what will be the most practical and aesthetically pleasing solution. If you leave such decisions to builders, they will invariably do whatever is easiest and quickest for them, and this can look awful. The trouble is, once the work is done, you have to pay twice if you later want to make changes and the builders will hate you for it too. A good builder should warn you well in advance of the decisions that they need you to make. Listen to them, spend time on site visits, and keep up to speed.

OSHA defines excavating as “any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface formed by earth removal.” A trench is a type of narrow excavation in which the depth is typically greater than the width, which does not exceed 15 feet. According to this definition, all trenches are excavations, but not all excavations are trenches. The specific safety requirements for trenches depend on the depth of the trench. Find more details at Construction services Loveland.

Which retaining wall blocks are best? These solid blocks are heavy. Lighter, hollow blocks are available, but they can’t be split because cutting them will expose the voids. Also, some hollow blocks require individual backfilling, which is time consuming. These pros prefer Versa-Lok blocks, which are held together with pins rather than a lip on the bottom because pinned blocks work better on tighter curves, and the flat bottom makes them easier to stack. They have also found that the small back lip on some lipped blocks can be prone to cracking, which will weaken the wall.Shorter retaining walls, however, can be constructed by enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers equipped with some basic construction knowledge. Does that sound like you? If you’re looking to get your hands dirty and enhance your landscape with a retaining wall, these guidelines for building a retaining wall will help you get off to a good start. A retaining wall’s effect on the natural flow of water could impact your neighbors, so some communities require homeowners to obtain a permit before construction commences. You may have to submit plans for your wall and schedule a property inspection to ensure that building a retaining wall won’t create drainage problems.

NFC can either be mixed on-site for smaller areas or purchased from a reputable concrete supplier and trucked in for larger commercial applications. NFC is mixed at a 6:1 ratio by volume of 20mm max size clean aggregate and cement. Water content should be such that the cement slurry evenly coats the aggregate and retains a wet/glossy appearance without excess slurry running off, this is typically around 40 litres per 100kg of cement. With the use of NFC, we are able to build Block Retaining Walls in areas and situations where normal construction methods would not work. Some of these situations are: In areas where excavation behind the wall is limited either due to being on a boundary or close to other structures or footings. Find additional details on this website.