New Year Foundation Checklist

By Shawn Kyles

With January just around the corner, now is a good time to start thinking about your foundation maintenance program for the coming year. Regular inspections of your home, landscape, roof and basement are extremely important. They can help you avoid serious foundation issues and the need for major reconstruction.
Here is a checklist you can use to spot situations that are an indicator of foundation damage as well as problems that can lead to foundation trouble.

1. Inspect your roof for leaks. Clear out any debris in the gutters. Clogged gutters can cause puddles to form on the roof and water to seep into your home. Dripping water can damage your ceiling, walls, insulation and electrical wiring.

2. If you have sprinklers, make sure the water is not draining into your home or basement. The soil around your home may need grading to ensure proper water drainage.
3. Keep the moisture in the soil consistent. Soil that expands and contracts under the house can cause foundation problems.

4. Check the plumbing for leaks and loose fitting pipes.

5. If you have a slab foundation, look for warm spots or moisture on the slab. There may be a pipe leak under the slab.

6. Do you have a fireplace? Look for cracks in the brick that may have resulted from settlement.

7. Check for exterior brick wall cracking as well. Moisture that enters through these cracks can cause wall and insulation damage.

8. Inspect your doors and windows. If your windows and door frames have started to pull away from the wall, or they don’t open and close properly, it could be an indicator of foundation settlement.

9. Looks for interior wall and ceiling cracks, which are also signs of foundation problems.

10. Inspect your floors for any type of damage, including loose tiles. Are your floors starting to slope? Many times sloping floors are caused by foundation settlement. All homes settle over time. Too much settlement however, causes foundation damage.

11. Check your foundation for cracks, holes and other types of damage. Make sure your foundation walls are centered on footings. Does it look like your foundation has shifted? This could be the result of too much foundation settlement as well.

Approximately 1 in 5 homeowners put off making repairs. Remember that waiting to fix problems often results in more significant damage and escalated costs.

The safety of your family is also at stake. When foundation problems are ignored, the building’s structural integrity becomes increasingly compromised. During an earthquake, there is a greater chance of the home shifting off of its foundation. Even minor seismic activity could lead to a wall or roof collapse depending on the severity of the foundation problem.

If you want a thorough and detailed inspection of your home and property, contact a foundation repair company with extensive experience. A company that has inspected thousands of homes and businesses will know exactly what to look for when checking out your house. They can also give you knowledgeable advice on any repairs that may be needed.

Julian Construction Urges Homeowners to follow HUD Guidelines

US Department Of Housing And Urban Development Set Guidelines When Getting An Inspection

LOS ANGELES, CA: Julian Construction Inc. (http://julianconstruction.com/) a foundation construction and foundation repair company in Southern California, urges homeowners to be careful when arranging a home inspection, in order to always find a fully qualified inspector. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a large amount of information available on the subject, and has published a series of guidelines on the subject that they recommend homeowners to follow before and during the inspection process for any home repair or home foundation repair.

Julian Construction has found it common that homeowners get an inspection during the buying and selling process, as well as when determining if the house or house foundation needs repairs. Whenever a home inspection is called for, Julian Construction recommends the homeowner follow the guidelines laid out by the HUD to find a qualified inspector. A few of the points covered were:

• How long have you been practicing in the home inspection profession and how many inspections have you completed?
• Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection?
• Do you offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection?
• How long will the inspection take?

The complete list can be found online: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/insp/inspfaq

In the matter of experience, Julian Construction has over 10 years experience in the field of home and foundation inspection, and their team is headed by professional safety inspector Shawn Kyles who has inspected over 16,500 structures in his career. This has included many inspections of residential homes, and with enough experience in foundation inspection and foundation repair to ensure that nothing is missed during the inspection of a home’s foundation.

Julian De La Torre, founder of Julian Construction, stated: “We take care during the inspection process, because this is the step where if something is overlooked then it can cause problems down the road. Foundation problems are particularly important to handle in Southern California, where earthquakes are frequent. So it is vital for a home to receive regular inspections and have a well maintained foundation.”

Julian Construction owns its own company and is built on a “no middlemen” model – no salesmen, no subcontractors. When you work with Julian Construction you get the principals of the company and workers of Julian Construction under your home. The result is the highest quality work at affordable prices. They can be contacted by phone at 323 733-3377, by fax at 323 733-4477 or via their website, www.julianconstruction.com. You can see tips and advice about home foundations on their blog, at http://julianconstruction.typepad.com.

Foundation Repair Company Discusses Value Of Foundation Repair

Foundation Repairs Can Have Significant Impact On Resale Value Of A Home

LOS ANGELES, CA: Julian Construction, Inc. (http://julianconstruction.com/) a home foundation repair and general contractor company in LA, is warning homeowners that failure to act on foundation problems can decrease the value of a home. Julian Construction has worked with many homeowners to increase the value of a home by getting a foundation inspection and quickly addressing the foundation problems that came up.

Unhandled foundation problems make the buying/selling process more difficult. According to one Realtor in California, in response to a question from a homeowner selling a home in need of foundation repair:

“This is an important issue to discuss with your Realtor. You might be able to recover the cost by having the work done ahead of time and obtain better offers by doing the repairs. Foundation and roof costs are a couple of issues that really scare buyers.”

Julian Construction maintains the policy of doing a thorough inspection, which is based on the years of experience they have in the field. Their team is then able to do any repair work if it is needed, with a realistic estimate of what it will take to get the job done. The end result can be a home which maintains its resale value and is resultantly easier to sell on the market.

Julian De La Torre, founder of Julian Construction Inc., stated “A common time when we see someone needing a foundation inspection for their home is when they are looking to sell it. They wisely want these issues handled before they sell. This is the smartest approach. It can save more and give a larger return on investment if the repairs are done before the sale.”

Julian Construction owns its own company and is built on a “no middlemen” model – no salesmen, no subcontractors. When you work with Julian Construction you get the principals of the company and workers of Julian Construction under your home. The result is the highest quality work at affordable prices. They can be contacted by phone at 323 733-3377, by fax at 323 733-4477 or via their website, http://www.julianconstruction.com. You can see tips and advice about home foundations on their blog, at http://julianconstruction.typepad.com.