Purchasing my first home, basement walls bowing slightly - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Little · 03-28-2009, 06:27 AM

I am currently in the inspection phase of my first home purchase and i have some questions with what we found. The basement has a small amounts of water seepage through the walls and one long wall, i believe it was the front is bowing in, not an extreme amount but enough to create a 3/8" gap around the middle of the wall btw blocks. This is more than likely due to hydrostatic pressure from the outside as the lot slopes towards the front of the house. I only ask because i know some of you guys dig basements and such for homes and was wondering if you had any ideas on a fix. I wondering if i excavate down to the footing, will the release of pressure allow the block to straighten up or will i have to somehow jack it in place. Of course if i'm down there i would want to do a footer drain as well and membrane the outside wall.

dakzaag · 03-28-2009, 06:52 AM

I looked at a similar situation where the problem was poorly constructed block walls. the HO dug out the bad area's. Using cables and lots of blocking he was able to straighten the walls (they were in several inches) then he grouted the cores and pointed the joints. I think he left the cables hooked to a dead man and buried it all in the yard. Unfinished basement.

I would hope since yours is not that bad, you wouldn't have to do the cable thing, but grout in the block or more grout in the block will help stop any more movement.

Your on the right track with excavating, and since it is your line of work, you can probably get the house at a discount and fix it yourself. Just remember the same line of thinking was applied when building the rest of the house as was used in laying the basement.