Talk to me about buying a house with foundation issues

[Post Oak 20556]

My wife and I are in the market for a house.  She saw one that we like well enough.  

We've walked it and talked to the realtor and she said the foundation has been repaired and good to go with a warranty.

From what I've read this area has issues with foundations. Something about the soil composition and then you add on drought.  

I was always under the impression that a foundation issue was a red flag and hard pass.

Another thing is that the place seems to be priced pretty low for what we've seen in the area which seems a little too good to be true.

What say surl?  How concerned and cautious should we be?

 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Find out what was done to repair it, and then verify those repairs were done correctly, verified by a qualified engineer at the sellers expense.

Edited January 10, 2019 by Onboard 2.0

[Post Oak 20556]

6 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Find out what was done to repair it, and then verify those repairs were done correctly, verified by a qualified engineer at the sellers expense.

Thanks

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

Did the foundation repair company provide a warranty for the repair?  I thought those were something like "lifetime" or 30 years.  But maybe they're like the warranties on pool replasters - not transferable (no idea why).

[Post Oak 20556]

There is a warranty.

My dad said that he's had trouble in the past getting foundation guys back out for warranty work after they've "fixed" the foundation.

I don't know how common that is but he's a solid pass

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

3 minutes ago, Post Oak said:

There is a warranty.

My dad said that he's had trouble in the past getting foundation guys back out for warranty work after they've "fixed" the foundation.

I don't know how common that is but he's a solid pass

Maybe call them and feel them out.  I've never needed to have one honor a warranty, but  the two companies I have dealt with kept pretty meticulous records of the work they did, and one even had the structural engineer report that precipitated their work.  So I was able to call that guy and talk to him about what was going on.

[Post Oak 20556]

Ok.  

So it sounds like depending on how the details check out having foundation issues isnt a dealbreaker.

thanks LP and OnB

[UTPhil2006 3930]

I assume this is in Houston? 

Also PM sent

[Post Oak 20556]

No. Mclennan County.

[UTPhil2006 3930]

Just now, Post Oak said:

No. Mclennan County.

Ah gotcha.  Just was going by the user name and assumed it was Post Oak the Street

[Updawg 2384]

Definitely find out the stipulations of the warranty and if it's transferrable.
We're the owners required to water around foundation etc. Did they
We're there any leaks
These are the things they will use to get out of it
I've also known someone who sold their house with one that the company would only use steel in the future so that was an extra expense to the new owner

Does the house need foundation work currently?

[HoustonFrog 368]

How old is the house? Pier and beam or slab foundation?

My house has had foundation work done five or six times... built in the 20s, pier and beam. It will always need foundation work every few years, but fortunately with pier and beam the work is relatively straight forward.




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[Post Oak 20556]

Welp just found out its already got 3 offers on it.  So we are out.  

Thanks for the info gents

[Sbbruin 22142]

This video will tell you all you need to know.

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by Sbbruin

[pearlandhorn 3343]

It’s relatively common for certain areas of land to have homes or buildings with foundation work needed. My in laws owned a condo in college station and had to have foundation work done on multiple building units in the complex. It’s not a structural issue all the time. It can be due to the ground composition.  Harris county and the other surrounding areas have this as well. 

[Post Oak 20556]

Thanks

[baboso 6105]

House I used to own in Plano had 11 piers under it when I bought it.  RamJack warranty transferred.  It had 24 piers under it when I sold it.  North Texas soil moves and plays hell with a slab foundation.  Just a cost of owning a house in the metroplex, basically.  Did not affect resale value at all.  People actually were happy that we had borne the expense of foundation repairs when it was listed.

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3873]

On 1/10/2019 at 2:58 PM, UTPhil2006 said:

I assume this is in Houston? 

Also PM sent

There are two kinds of foundations on Houston's clay soil; those that have had foundation work and those that will have foundation work.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4999]

Another thing to think about is whether or not the company will be around in the future to honor the warranty.

[Armybrat 41394]

12 hours ago, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

There are two kinds of foundations on Houston's clay soil; those that have had foundation work and those that will have foundation work.

Same for most of the Austin area.

[Gil Bang 26231]

On 1/10/2019 at 8:50 AM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Find out what was done to repair it, and then verify those repairs were done correctly, verified by a qualified engineer at the sellers expense.

I disagree.

The consultant needs to work for the buyer, so he is beholden to nobody else.  

Get your own guy.  Don't use anybody that's affiliated with the seller or the foundation contractor.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Just now, Gil Bang said:

I disagree.

The consultant needs to work for the buyer, so he is beholden to nobody else.  

Get your own guy.  Don't use anybody that's affiliated with the seller or the foundation contractor.

Yeah I agree, what I mean is the seller should pay for the inspection not the buyer. You the buyer should be selecting the engineer.  Either way, a third party inspection should be performed.

[UTPhil2006 3930]

Buyer usually pays for the inspection