Foundation Repair Blog (Pics, Lots)

[puniraptor]

i dont think it's a basement if it's above grade

[The_Wippuh]

i dont think it's a basement if it's above grade

Busted!  Some people do call rooms, that may only have 3 or 4ft of dirt against them, basements?  That's more of what I meant I guess.

You Midwestern folks, so touchy.

[Emo EMAW]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

[puniraptor]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

Sorry, you have to move.

[The_Wippuh]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

You need to move, but not before burning the place down.  Be sure to exit the premises after starting the fire, but before getting too hot.

[Tobias]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

You need to move, but not before burning the place down.  Be sure to exit the premises after starting the fire, but before getting too hot.

can't be raining that day, either!

[Mr Bread]

Tobias loves The_Wippuh and his basement tragedy. 

[Tobias]

Tobias loves The_Wippuh and his basement tragedy.

a cautionary tale, from the looks of it

[puniraptor]

Tobias loves The_Wippuh and his basement tragedy.

a cautionary tale, from the looks of it

I'm glad everyone survived!

[mocat]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

walkouts are the absolute tits, nice work emo

[Emo EMAW]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

walkouts are the absolute tits, nice work emo

The way this thread is going I'm sure you're being sarcastic.  Considering blowing my brains out over this.

[mocat]

not being sarcastic

[The_Wippuh]

Tobias loves The_Wippuh and his basement tragedy.

It is a tragedy that has really captured the imagination and spoken to my soul.  I'm hoping that you can interpret the pure emotion of this project through the pictures.  The way the structural engineer has laid everything out really shows the work of a master.

 

[Emo EMAW]

Tobias loves The_Wippuh and his basement tragedy.

It is a tragedy that has really captured the imagination and spoken to my soul.  I'm hoping that you can interpret the pure emotion of this project through the pictures.  The way the structural engineer has laid everything out really shows the work of a master.

 

Do you ever come home and sit in the driveway for like 10 minutes, then say "nope eff it not today" and then reverse and go to the bar? 

[The_Wippuh]

Do you ever come home and sit in the driveway for like 10 minutes, then say "nope eff it not today" and then reverse and go to the bar?

I generally just log onto here for that 10 minutes while finishing my corndog from the gas station.  After that, I'm set to conquer the world, especially being the middle of SEC land.

[Emo EMAW]

Do you ever come home and sit in the driveway for like 10 minutes, then say "nope eff it not today" and then reverse and go to the bar?

I generally just log onto here for that 10 minutes while finishing my corndog from the gas station.  After that, I'm set to conquer the world, especially being the middle of SEC land.

Well you're a better man than I.  I would freak the eff out.

[Rage Against the McKee]

So, what did this end up costing? $30k?

[Mikeyis4dcats]

13-17k I'd wager

hard to pinpoint with those depressed 'kansas wages

[slobber]

Do you ever come home and sit in the driveway for like 10 minutes, then say "nope eff it not today" and then reverse and go to the bar?

I generally just log onto here for that 10 minutes while finishing my corndog from the gas station.  After that, I'm set to conquer the world, especially being the middle of SEC land.

Both of these made me 

[KSUBrian]

Like my east "basement" wall is completely below the surface, but the west wall is where the walk-out basement door is.  So do I have a below grade basement?  Should I move?  I hope not because we just bought this place.

Just remember to keep positive drainage away from the basement walls.  Water allowed to run up next to the foundation can cause all sorts of problems.

[Cire]

 Explain to me like I'm five.  What caused all that to happen in the first place?

[Kat Kid]

Do you ever come home and sit in the driveway for like 10 minutes, then say "nope eff it not today" and then reverse and go to the bar?

I generally just log onto here for that 10 minutes while finishing my corndog from the gas station.  After that, I'm set to conquer the world, especially being the middle of SEC land.

 

[Rage Against the McKee]

Explain to me like I'm five.  What caused all that to happen in the first place?

God did it.

[XocolateThundarr]

Explain to me like I'm five.  What caused all that to happen in the first place?

Nick Saban God did it.

[KSUBrian]

Explain to me like I'm five.  What caused all that to happen in the first place?

1st off, the basement is made of cinder blocks.  One of the worst basement types in areas with expansive soils.  Ask anybody in Prairie Village, Ks that has owned a house built in the 60's with cinder block walls.  They have all had some type of repair done to them over the years.

2nd, and probably most important based upon the walls being cinder block, look at the 3rd picture in the original post.  See where the bush at the corner of the house looks like it is in a low spot.  That low spot looks like it wraps around that corner from the front porch all the way around to that basement window where the land falls off to the back of the house.  Anytime it rains, all the run-off from that area and the downspouts coming off the roof, drains around that corner right up next to the basement walls.  This water soaks into the ground next to the basement further down than just the surface causing it to expand and contract as it get wet and dries out.  That soil movement plays hell on any type of basement wall, especially cinder block. If the slope of the land just 3 feet from the foundation out was sloped downward so that run-off stayed at least 3 feet from the basement wall, this repair work probably wouldn't have had to be done.