Springtime Lessons

It often seems we humans have certain impulses hardwired in our DNA and Spring provides some good examples.

Whether it's buying a motorcycle, new dresses for little girls, white shoes for women OR home remodeling projects, we feel we "Must obey the call." While breaking out the white shoes too early could be a "social disaster" for some women, remodeling too soon could have a negative impact on your bank account. Why, you might ask? It's fairly easy to understand once you think about it.

The clay soil our homes rest on expands and lifts up when it absorbs a lot of water and late Winter/early Spring is when we get lots of rain. The other fact to keep in mind is "what goes up must come down" and this takes place as the soil dries out during our infamous Summer heat waves. The problem is, our homes tend to go the way of the soil. Therefore, if I rush to lay new floor tile, put up new wallpaper OR build that new game room over the garage before the soil dries out, I could be setting myself up for heartache.

In my experience, Springtime is the best time to address all known foundation related problems, or to have a foundation expert out to determine if there are any problems which could have a negative impact on my remodeling projects. At the very least I recommend waiting until July or August to launch any remodeling projects, as long as no foundation problems have shown up during the dry out. This helps prevent that new slate floor tile from cracking or that imported French wallpaper from tearing.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Thoughts on the Previous Blog Post

The previous blog post contained some good information, but there are some points we disagree with or would like to go into detail about. Read on for our thoughts, here at Ace Foundation.

"Contractors for repair work are the same people who also undertake other home improvement contracts."

This may be true for other types of home improvement and home repair tasks, but foundation repair requires skills and equipment the typical home repair contractor just doesn't possess. Make sure that the contractor with whom you're talking is a foundation repair specialist.

"They generally have a few skilled and unskilled laborers and limited resources."

With Ace Foundation, every member of our team is skilled in foundation repair. Foundation repair is their job. Any reputable and reliable foundation repair company is going to use skilled and experienced foundation repair people -- your home or business foundation is too important to leave to part-timers or jacks-of-all-trades.

Ask Us Anything

Do you have a foundation repair job coming up and you have questions or concerns? Don't hesitate to ask us anything about foundation repair. We're more than happy to listen and then give you our best answer! No high pressure sales and no pestering -- just answers to your questions. So, ask us anything.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Guest Post: Foundation Repair Contractors

Having a contractor for a foundation repair job may give perfection to the job, but it is also expensive. However, people lacking the time or skill to do the job themselves could opt for one from several of the foundation repair contractors available. Giving a foundation repair contract to an external agency means having to cope with the inconvenience of workmen in your house for a couple of days and someone being at home during the entire period of the repair job for supervision and security.

Contractors for repair work are the same people who also undertake other home improvement contracts. You may find several of them online as also in your own neighborhood street. Home improvement contractors work as small-time businesses. They generally have a few skilled and unskilled laborers and limited resources. They also have built-up contacts with certain suppliers, who sell them materials at concession rates.

Once you approach a contractor, the first thing they would do is to visit your house, examine the extent of the deterioration and pull up an estimate based on the same. Usually contractors do not charge anything for estimates. It is always prudent not to rely on a single estimate. At least three estimates must be taken. Do not settle for the lowest estimate – rather see who provides better materials and better overall quality of the job. It is unwise to save a few dollars just to have the whole repair work redone in a couple of years.

Before money is exchanged, ask the contractor for references and any previous history of work done. These references must all be cross-checked, paying a visit to their homes and inspecting their quality of work if possible. Also verify with the Better Business Bureau if they have had any complaint lodged by previous unsatisfied customers.

One more important thing to be checked before paying the contractor the first down-payment is whether they have all the requisite licenses. Foundation repair work involving fitting of sump-pumps requires licenses. Also if the repair work exceeds a certain amount, which is roughly $30,000, the contractor must have a license. Then there is insurance. Three insurances must be checked for: (i) the Workman\'s Compensation Insurance, which protects you if a worker is injured in your premises; (ii) the Automobile Insurance, which would assist you were your contractor to damage any other vehicle on your premises and (iii) the General Liability Insurance, which would compensate you if your contractor or laborers would damage any of your property.

It is not necessary and, of course, not wise to pay the entire amount to the contractor in advance. Almost all contractors begin work with a little amount of the total upfront and claim the rest of the amount upon the completion of the job. There are many unforeseeable situations that may occur like natural calamities, strikes of vehicles or even death of the contractor for which a homeowner has to be prepared for.

Finally, it always pays never to rely totally on the judgment of the contractor. There are several do-it-yourself books and guides which one must read before embarking on a job. Knowing what the repair job is all about will go a long way in protecting you from being cheated.

About the Author

Concrete Foundation Repair provides detailed information on Foundation Repair, Concrete Foundation Repair, Foundation Repair Costs, Foundation Leak Repair and more. Concrete Foundation Repair is affiliated with Fine Home Buildings.

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Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Steel Piers: Pipes versus Tubes

Should you be concerned about the type of steel pier your foundation repair contractor uses? You bet your boots, you ought to be! The type of steel pier used in your foundation repair means the difference between a short-term and a long-term fix.

Believe it or not, there are differences between a tube and a pipe. Most people point to the fact that pipe is measured by its Inner Diameter (ID) and tubing is measured by its Outer Diameter (OD). Others point to the fact that pipe is used to convey media (gas, liquid, etc.) from one place to another and tubing is used for other purposes.

However, there's more to it than that. Pipe is a seamless extraction while tubes are in general a folded piece of metal. That is, in general, tubes have a seam.

Why is this important? Because a seam is one of the factors in determining strength. The other factors are diameter (ID or OD), wall thickness, and material. Consider this: given a pipe and a tube of similar wall thickness, material, and inner & outer diameters, the item without the seam is going to be stronger. In other words, a pipe is stronger than a tube.

Used Pipe

Even when a contractor uses pipes, there's no guarantee that the pipe is of high enough quality. Some foundation repair companies uses discarded or used oil field pipe. These pipes aren't always straight and aren't always dent-free. Any bend in the pipe or dent affects its integrity and means its not as strong and durable as a brand new pipe.

Pipe Size

One more thing to consider is the pipe size. There's lots to be said about pipe size, so we'll save that for a later blog post. But, your contractor should be able to tell you what size pipe will be used in your steel foundation piers.

Ask About Your Foundation Repair Piers

Before you sign a contract, ask your foundation repair contractor about the origin of the piers to be used in your foundation repair job. If they don't know or give an unsatisfactory answer, then continue shopping around. You and your home or business deserve a repair that's going to last and not fail due to substandard piers.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Ask Us Anything!

Ask us anything!

We've added a new form to our website in which you can ask us anything. Want to know about your foundation and some remodeling you're thinking about this Spring? Ask us! Want to understand what goes into a foundation repair job, how long it could take, etc.? Ask us! Have a big from another foundation repair company and don't understand what they're telling you? Ask us?

We'll email your answer to you and put a synopsis of both the question and answer on our website so everyone learns a little bit more about foundation repair. (We don't post your name, so don't worry about your privacy or offending other foundation repair companies!)

So, go ahead. Ask us anything!

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Think About Your Foundation When Planning Your Landscape, Part 2

This is Part 2 of our posts concerning your landscaping and how it affects your foundation. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

1. Make sure that the soil around your foundation is graded so that the water flows away from the building. The grade should drop 4 to 6 inches in 4 to 6 feet.
2. Trim the shrubs around your house so that they are 3 feet tall or shorter. Large plants need lots of water, which can cause foundation problems.
3. Make sure that all paved surfaces (driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, etc.) that slope away from your foundation.
4. Check the soil around your foundation. It should be between 2 to 4 inches below the brick line or edge of your siding. Soil helps hold the water in the ground and reduces seasonal settlement.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Think About Your Foundation When Planning Your Landscape, Part 1

It's that time of year when we start planning what we're going to do with our home landscaping. Nearly everyone likes to picture new plantings, a green yard, and healthy trees and shrubs.

What most people don't think about, however, is how their landscaping affects their foundation. That's right: your landscaping can help or hurt your house foundation. Below are several tips concerning landscaping and your home's foundation.

1. If you have large trees around your house, think about installing root barriers to keep the trees from pulling water out from under the foundation. This is especially important if a tree is closer to your foundation that the height of the tree.
2. Don't trap water against the foundation. Water can be trapped against the building by raised flower beds, metal edging or other landscaping borders that do not have drainage holes, and sidewalks can prevent water from draining away from your foundation. If the water doesn't drain properly, it can pool or gather and cause uneven soil moisture and, ultimately foundation problems.
3. Use downspout extensions or splash blocks on all down spouts. Downspout extensions are inexpensive and can be purchased at any home repair store.
4. Check your sprinker system and swimming pool. Leaky sprinkler lines and pool circulating systems can cause foundation problems. It's a good idea to have your lines tested for leaks every two to three years.

Look for Part 2 on Thursday, March 11.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Why Some Foundation Repairs Cost More Than Others

Numerous factors go into the cost of a foundation repair job. However, it's not as complicated as one might think. In fact, the sign of a good, reliable, and trustworthy foundation repair company is the fact that they will discuss with you everything that goes into your estimate.

Below are four things that affect every job.

The Structure

The most important things about the structure are its size and weight. The heavier a structure is, the more piers the structure will need for adequate support. Also, the larger the ground floor of the structure is, the more piers it will need. The goal is to support the structure over a large footprint, thereby increasing stability.

Deviation

Deviation is the amount by which the structure is not level. That is, the structure has deviated from its specifications and true level. Naturally, a home with a great deal of deviation requires more work (piers) to bring it back to level.

Soil Stability

The number one factor in soil stability is how much the soil's moisture content changes. Soil material (clay, sand, etc.) and drainage play a big part in how much water the soil can contain and how often that soil is asked to contain that water. If the soil's moisture content changes often and/or a great deal, your foundation will move as the soil contracts and expands with moisture. Naturally, stable soil is the ideal. If the soil is unstable, the repair job will require more piers.

Pier Depth

While we've discussed how the number of piers are affected by the factors above, we should also consider the depth to which the piers are sunk. Simply adding more piers does not remedy a foundation problem. Those piers must also reach to a depth that provides adequate support. This means to bedrock or to s particular soil density. The deeper the piers must be sunk, the more expensive the foundation repair job will be.

Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.

Piers and Pools Slide Show

We've put together a slide show of Ace Foundation working on a few pools. Pools — like any other structure — can shift and move as the soil around it changes in moisture content. So, it's important to support the pool. Remember, a swimming pool is one of the most expensive investments you can make in your family's outdoor enjoyment, so it's important to do the job right from the start.

Enjoy the slide show below and be sure to contact us (phone: 972-272-1900) if you have questions about your swimming pool and foundation piers.



Get more information by visiting www.AceFoundation.com.