Hi everyone, I am looking at a new house now. It was built in 2019 and had been builder’s model home and office until a couple weeks ago. The attached garage area was their office and it is being converted back to garage now.
While looking at the foundation on interior and exterior side of the garage, I saw multiple large and deep horizontal cracks (3 inch deep somewhere). One corner spot had been “fixed” recently. But it appears cracks again. My questions:
Are these cracks dangerous sign?assume the house is not settled yet…
Is it normal for a new home or any home?
What’s the proper way to get it fixed?
Many thanks! I like this house very much. But cracks could be deal breaker. Please share your knowledge and educate me!
Yes, they could be serious and are not “normal”. Suggest you hire a professional home inspector to inspect the property and provide you with a full home inspection report prior to closing.
@rcloyd Thanks! I ll definitely do that. I am searching for a pro now.
Just want to catch the timing and start conversation ASAP before builder patch it.
walk or pay for a structural engineer, just my 2 centzz, am guessing you have a few or ++ problems other than in photos, many peeps cannot find an exp’d and honest foundation/waterproofing contractor hence my SE rec
Do you have pictures of the same areas from a little further away so we get a better sense of what and where we are looking at? That would help. Where you are located would also help.
@mcyr thanks!crack photos were taken at the garage foundation, right and left side. I have a photo when drive way was under construction. House is in Houston area
@manderson7 Yes. I plan to hire someone for sure. But Builder wants to close this house very fast. I just worry that I can’t find an experienced specialist before they patch it. They ll probably going to work on it today. Thanks for you advice.
Being new construction, looks like they got caught by a freeze during the winter months. Being that its a one story garage and not much load, probably not gonna have issues. Some patchwork and you should be okay.
I agree, Stephen. That or damage when the forms were removed when to green. All the loose material would have to be removed and patched with the proper material and bonding agents and it should be fine. Should not affect the structural capacity of the wall.
Wow. Take caution. Get a structural engineer to look at that. If the concrete deterioration has extended into the embedment volume of any of the sill anchors, you have a problem.
Yes, but if the top 2 to 3 inches of that foundation continue to crumble, having the lower 8 to 10 inches still embedded is not going to keep the sill plate from moving. Instead of a sandwich of anchor nut-sill-concrete, you’ll get anchor nut-sill-loose rubble-concrete. Parking decks have collapsed from a similar mechanism.
