Did Your Structural Report Identify Foundation Problems? See How We Fix Them
Structural Reports Can Disrupt the Home Buying or Selling Process
Whether you are buying or selling a home, there may come a time when you fall in love with a home that requires a structural engineer to inspect the foundation. This is a fairly common process in West Virginia and the Tri-State area due to our mountainous Appalachian geology, soil composition, and high rainfall.
While it may feel intimidating to see the words 'structural engineer' turn up on the home inspection report, not all findings will indicate serious problems or costly repairs. It's important to understand the engineer's findings.
Some questions both buyers and sellers may have include:
• Who's going to pay for repairs?
• How expensive is it going to be?
• Will the repair be finished before I close?
• Is the buyer going to feel good about moving forward with the sale?
This can feel disruptive to an already emotional process, but rather than relying on assumptions, the best course of action is to move forward with the expert assessment so you can get professional guidance on how to address issues found.
Why It's Important to Handle Structural Problems Now
While, yes, you may not notice symptoms in upper levels of a home for a couple of years when there are structural problems, foundation movement is always occurring. The problem will continually get worse.
Buyers are actively thinking about this when deciding where they want to invest their money and live. It could scare them away from the table.
As a seller, you're ensuring top resale value and earnings for your home when you fix structural issues before going to market. You're helping your buyers feel fully confident in the future of your home.
How Alford Took Care of the Structural Engineer's Discovery
Recently in Charleston, WV, a homeowner looking to sell their home had a structural engineer discover significant foundation problems in a hidden room beneath the porch.
Signs found in the poured concrete walls:
• Large horizontal and stairstep cracks
• Bowing Walls
As a foundation repair company, we specialize in fixing structural problems identified in the structural engineer's report. The homeowner and seller found us online and called for help. Robert C., a Solution Specialist with the Real Estate Response Team, first completed an inspection of the property. Then, our crew installed GeoLock Anchors to permanently stabilize the walls.
GeoLock Anchors are even capable of straightening a bowing wall back to its original position. The galvanized steel rods and anchors are embedded in stable soil away from your foundation wall, then are tightened to hold the wall in place.
What The Seller Can Look Forward To Now
Now, this seller can feel confident their walls are permanently stable. This will give interested buyers peace of mind knowing that if they invest, the home's structural issues have been properly corrected for the long term and based on the engineer's recommendations.
This home is ready for the market and better positioned to compete with similar homes without structural concerns.