One of the scariest home repairs that will shake any homeowner to his or her core is foundation repairs. But why? Well, the foundation is the basis that the rest of a home rests on top of. So, there will always be a lot of stakes if you discover that it has a few issues.
A cracked foundation is a big deal but sometimes you may not need to spend your money on a contractor to help you fix it. Of course, it depends on the foundation that you have and your readiness to handle the needed improvements. If you are handy enough, you can always fix your foundation all by yourself.
Like any other DIY project, there are a few pros and cons of DIY foundation repairs. Without further ado, let’s explore a few of the pros and cons to expect when you decide to go the DIY route:
Pros
- It Saves You Money
Some foundation repair issues can be accomplished with minimal tools and expertise. So, with a couple of hundreds of dollars and a small investment of your time, you can save a lot of money by handling many foundation repairs on your own. For instance, you can easily fix cracks, leaks, or areas of crumbling mortar/concrete without calling an expert. You can also stop small cracks from settling by injecting them with a grout product to increase stability.
- You Will Find Special Satisfaction By Completing The Repair
Even if it is just a small crack, building something with your hands always guarantees a satisfying feeling. It also adds value to a project’s worth—fixing things around your home by yourself makes you value them more. It also allows you to take care of your home problems early, eliminating any potential frustration that would have encountered by hiring a wrong foundation repair specialist.
Cons
- You May Not Fix The Problem Causing Your Foundation Failure
As a homeowner, you may be aware of signs of foundation problems such as floor cracks, foundation cracks, leaning walls, wall cracks and much more. But can you tell when foundation failure is imminent? It is only a structural engineer who can tell how serious the problem can be. You need special training to figure out the type of problem your foundation may be facing and the level of seriousness involved.
- You May Not Have The Right Foundation Repair Tools
Today, you are likely to bump into several websites and physical stores selling DIY foundation repair kits. However, you should know that slapping some carbon fiber on a floor or wall crack isn’t all that’s needed to solve a foundation issue. Some foundation issues require underpinning and piercing products to level up the foundation. Other repairs also need epoxy injections to be done at high pressures and some need advanced excavation works to get to the root area of the problem. What’s more, you may not know all these without consulting a foundation repair contractor.
- It May Cause Additional Damage To Your Home
It is very normal to admit that you don’t know how to repair your foundation. It is even better to admit that you can injure yourself in the process because you don’t know the right procedures to follow when fixing certain foundation issues.
Even worse, you can cause additional damages to your foundation because of not knowing what you are doing. If you aren’t sure or following some directions that are printed on a DIY kit, you probably don’t have the skills to do the job the right way and your results will never be good.
Bottom-line
There are foundation repair issues that any serious, handyperson can fix without involving a professional. However, there are other issues that are best left to the experts. Every reputable professional foundation repair CA has to offer specializes in foundation repair and will definitely do a good job and guarantee excellent results. Most of them will come to your home and provide a free, no-obligation estimate. They will also take their time to walk you through and explain to you the nature of the foundation problem, the steps they will take, the materials they will need, and the amount of time it will take to fix the problem.
