I've read a lot of messages about cracked foundation walls, but my situation is a little different. There are two long horizontal cracks, wide enough to slip a dime into. However, there has never been a drop of water out of them and the walls are not misshapen. The house was built in sand, which would suggest enough drainage to keep hydrostatic pressure to a minimum. I first noticed the cracks 10+ years ago, and I can't swear that they're worse but the wall is still normal. At the time, a basement contractor said to leave it alone, that it was not a structural problem.
I'm waiting for a structural engineer to look at it (the house is being inspected prior to sale). In the meantime, if anyone has any thoughts please let me know. The thought of what this could cost is killing me.
Yeah, when a basement wall ONLY has horizontal crack(s) and they`re waist hig or about shoulder high they, often-not always, don`t leak. Thats `cos on the Outside of the basement wall, these same cracks are usually 'pinned'...Not open. The wall/joints can kinda pop open on the inside usually due to Outside lateral `n hydrostatic soil pressure and/or tree roots.
Sometimes the backfill is layered or mixed, it may be mostly sand but also have some clay etc in, underneath the first 1'-3' `n so on.
Sometimes pressure/cracks/bowing can result from underground surcharge load that can be transferred to a basement wall. Examples, a basement wall could crack/bow when an old driveway is torn out using equipment next to the house or, street being resurfaced/heavy equipment or say, in subdivsion an existing basement could crack etc when other lots/homes are being built.
Contractor 10 yrs ago was thankfully honest,quite a few would have began a good bs story. So from afar, if wall doesn`t leak and has been/is stable and still has much of its Lateral resistance then, should be ok. Getting something in writing from SE is smart and,if you can find the same honest contractor maybe have them put something in writing. All anyone can do when checking wall out is, imo, describe the basement wall as it is TODAY, now. Nobody can guarantee what could/might....might NOT happen 1,5,10+ years down the road
Thanks for that explanation. The engineer won't make his inspection until next week. Just for my info, do you know what a typical cost is to use the I-beam method? The section involved is around 20' long. I'm hoping that he either passes it, or the I-beam would suffice as the fix.
