✕
What issue are you experiencing?
Cracks, water intrusion, crawl space moisture, settlement, etc.
Cracks, water intrusion, crawl space moisture, settlement, etc.
We Treat Your Home Like Our Own
Unlike homes with basements or crawl spaces, a slab floor is solid concrete with no structural wood flooring system. For homes with this type of floor, soft soil or bad compaction is almost always the culprit. Once the soil is compromised, the slab will shift, and this creates the sagging or sinking effect. Pressure from that shift will sometimes crack the slab itself, causing high and low places in the flooring. To fix this type of damage, you need concrete slab repairs.
Water is a probable suspect, as it seeps into the ground around your foundation. The sill plate, wood beams, and floor joists are all vulnerable to this; these wooden components on top of your foundation are the wood framing system that supports your floor. Because it has direct contact with the concrete and can be over the exposed soil line, it often falls victim to water intrusion. Once water intrudes and saturates the wood, this leads to deterioration. It’s this deterioration that causes the floor system to fail.
But you don’t have to have standing water under your house to cause structural decay. High humidity can also damage the beams and joists that hold up your subfloor. Wood is highly porous and readily absorbs water from the air. Over time, this water saturation softens and rots the boards. As they decay, they compress under the weight of your home, lowering your floor sometimes by several inches.
Lack of building codes- or outdated ones- are another concern. A main support beam, the post that spans the length of your home, should be sized proportionately and supported every few feet. In many homes, the beams may not be the correct size or the support posts are installed too far apart. This over-spanning puts greater stress on the beam and makes it more likely to sag and potentially even fail.
Along the same lines, if your home is more than 50 years old, it’s also possible that inadequate materials are to blame. When a home is built, sometimes the beams or joists are not the correct dimensions. When this happens, a contractor will install a shim; a shim is a thin piece that adds a minimal lift to ‘even out’ the installation. Many times in construction, that shim was usually another piece of wood; at Acculevel we use steel shims to prevent compression or rot. These shims also allow us to increase the overall surface of the bearing load, so that the beam it’s supporting is not crushed by the weight of your home.
Technology is another age-related factor. New solutions and materials are always in development, but they take time to become commonplace. Before the 1970s, pretreated or pressure-treated lumber was not widely available or regularly used by builders. Lumber installed in its original ‘raw’ form is more vulnerable to insects and water damage.
New trends in home design can have a negative effect if a remodel doesn’t take the weight of the raw materials into account. Many older homes aren’t built to carry the load of solid granite countertops or stone-tiled floors and walls. Recreational items like a pool table or hot tub will also add significant weight to your floor system. These are all items that can put additional stress onto an already failing wood structure.
Contact Acculevel! We provide free estimates on sagging floor repairs.
Today, we’re addressing a significant horizontal crack on the foundation’s outer side. The crack has developed over six months and spans 20 feet. Given the nature of this issue, we’re focusing on reinforcing and sealing the cracked area to prevent any further damage. With the home's safety as our priority, this repair is critical and is approximately priced at $12,890.
Near Bloomington, IL
Addressed structural issues in a 20-year-old home, focusing on crawl space repairs. The project involved sealing cracks and installing a new encapsulation system to manage moisture on the west side of the property. Approximately priced at $11,000, these improvements ensure long-term stability and a healthier environment.
Near Bloomington, IL
We tackled uneven floors in a basement where previously reinforced walls had not addressed the underlying issue. Our team installed adjustable steel support jacks to reestablish balance across the space. This comprehensive effort stabilizes the structure and provides long-term support, ensuring the floors are level and safe for use once again. Scott's home, in the 61701 area, benefited from this vital service at an approximate cost nearing $7,000.
Near Bloomington, IL
Recently completed a comprehensive structure and waterproofing job in a basement, including crawlspace reinforcement. This project, located in the 61701 area for customer Jodie, involved reinforcing the structure with steel supports to ensure stability and applying waterproofing solutions to prevent future moisture issues. The approximate cost was around $17,000.
Near Bloomington, IL
We completed a waterproofing project in the basement of Brian's home in zip code 61701. Our team addressed water damage issues in the corners and tackled a bowing wall near the emergency escape window. This comprehensive intervention included installing drainage solutions and reinforcing the structure to prevent future water intrusion. The work was carried out with precision, adding stability and dryness to the space for an approximate cost of $2,823.
Near Bloomington, IL
Completed a slabjacking project for Kevin in zip code 61704 to address significant cracking and water pooling issues. This job involved lifting and leveling the driveway to prevent water from seeping through the walls, ensuring a stable and dry environment. The approximate cost of the project was $4,600.
Near Bloomington, IL
Addressed water intrusion issues for Sally in Bloomington, focusing on the basement window area where no visible cracks were found. Our team implemented effective waterproofing measures and ensured better drainage. This solution cost approximately $7,700, providing a dry and secure basement environment.
Near Bloomington, IL
Our latest project involved addressing water intrusion in Brice's basement, zip code 61704. We installed a top-notch waterproofing system to prevent water from penetrating the cinderblock walls. This essential service, completed for nearly $9,200, ensures a dry and secure basement environment.
Near Bloomington, IL
We recently completed a waterproofing project for Todd in zip code 61701. His basement frequently flooded during rainstorms due to a lack of drainage. Our team installed a comprehensive waterproofing system to tackle this issue and prevent future flooding. The project, priced at around $10,600, ensures that Todd's basement remains dry and protected against water damage.
Near Bloomington, IL
