Expert Foundation Repair Services In Lakeland, FL

There are a variety of unique factors that create foundation movement in Lakeland, Florida. While many cities have geographical features and storms that cause erosion, Lakeland has multiple land features that can lead to foundation damage. Like many areas in Florida, Lakeland is known for sinkholes and sandy soil. The addition of issues related to the city’s many lakes creates even more potential foundation worries for property owners in Lakeland.

There is a combination of issues that cause foundation problems in Lakeland. Unpredictable weather, coupled with saturated soils and lakefront moisture, means that residents and business owners are often on the lookout for signs of foundation problems. These are the most common causes of foundation problems in Lakeland.

Sinkhole Activity

While the entire state of Florida is susceptible to sinkholes, Polk County is number seven out of the top ten most sinkhole-prone counties in Florida. As owners of Scott Lake Lakefront property witnessed a 285-acre lake drain almost completely in 2006, sinkholes are capable of catastrophic damage. While most sinkholes don’t create such a massive level of damage, they can disrupt the foundation of homes and other structures in the vicinity.

Sinkholes form in karst terrain from the collapse of surface sediments into cavities below. These cavities exist because underground bedrock in Lakeland is composed of soluble rock types like limestone and dolomite. Essentially, sinkholes are a natural drainage feature in karst terrain. Since the cavities beneath the surface vary in size and depth, it’s impossible to gauge the final effects of a sinkhole before it occurs. The initial cavity that forms suddenly can grow for hours or days before ground movement is complete. Small sinkholes near homes or other buildings can result in foundation damage as the ground erodes. It’s also possible to experience foundation damage before a sinkhole forms.

Lakefront Soil Erosion

With 38 lakes within the city’s borders, Lakeland is aptly named. This also means that many properties are located in close proximity to lakes and experience topsoil with high water saturation. Without adequate drainage systems in place, the water table alone can lead to unstable ground and foundation damage. Additionally, continual water movement across the earth’s surface leads to erosion. Erosion is common in the areas that surround lakes and is more pronounced in more developed areas since manmade features like driveways and building roofs cause runoff. As the soil near your home erodes, the ground beneath your foundation can shift, causing damage to your home.

Poor Soil

Lakeland consists of loose sandy soil in most areas. While sandy soil is reasonably dependable in many areas, a combination of issues makes it unpredictable in Lakeland. For instance, cavities beneath the topsoil make sand easy to wash away and create sudden sinkholes. Unfortunately, sandy soil is also more prone to erosion, making it an issue for lakeside property.

Flooding

Lakefront soil is generally easier to saturate than other areas because of the low water table. When Lakefront properties see heavy rains, flooding often follows. Runoff and drain water solutions in heavily populated areas aggravate the issue, leading to frequent flooding in areas near lakes, creeks, and canals in Lakeland. While many areas that experience flooding see foundation damage as a result of fast-rising, rapidly moving waters, floodwaters in Lakeland districts like May Manor tend to rise slowly and leave in a similar fashion. When the soil beneath your home is exposed to standing water for long periods of time, shifting ground and pier damage can result.

Poor Construction

Lakeland is composed of mostly flat and sloping landscapes covered in sandy soil. Failure to understand the drainage issues associated with the terrain leads to the construction of homes and other buildings that will face foundation problems in the future. There are a variety of ways poorly prepared landscapes lead to foundation damage down the road. Failing to implement proper drainage solutions will likely lead to erosion and oversaturated soil that can shift beneath your home’s foundation. When builders fail to compact sandy soil before building your home’s foundation, sinkholes, shifting ground, and settling are likely to occur over time with changes in the weather and climate.

Tree Roots

Trees are a good source of climate control in both winter and summer. However, if your trees weren’t installed by a professional, the roots can get too close to your foundation. Tree roots affect Lakeland foundations in a couple of different ways. When roots grow directly beneath your foundation, they can cause slab cracks and other minor foundation damage. Additionally, thirsty tree roots can rob the surrounding soil of moisture and create new cavities in karst terrain. These new cavities near or beneath your home’s foundation can cause uneven settling of soils that disrupt your home’s foundation and cause foundation damage that affects the interior and exterior of your home.

Depending on the severity of the damage and the reason for foundation problems, there could be a variety of signs of foundation damage inside and outside your home. Some symptoms of foundation damage are very subtle and can go unnoticed for years, while others occur suddenly. Watch for these signs of potential foundation damage.

• Warped doors and windows.
• Doors that fail to close properly or get stuck closed
• Lock failure on doors and windows
• Cracks in your slab floor or basement floor
• Wall cracks inside the home that may occur near window and door corners and are more obvious in upper levels
• Drywall tape ripping or coming loose
• Leaning or bowing walls
• Wrinkled or torn wallpaper
• Stair-step cracks in brick or concrete block walls
• Cracks on the interior or exterior of your home that grow wider over time
• A chimney that tilts away from your home
• Uneven, sloping floors
• Torn or wrinkled wallpaper
• Musty odor in your home or basement
• Whitish deposits on tile or concrete called efflorescence
• Water leaks
• Mold growth around the bottom of the foundation wall

If you suspect foundation damage in your home or business, it’s always a good idea to contact our professional structural engineers to diagnose the problem. In Lakeland, the variety of issues that can lead to foundation damage makes the decision even more important. Luckily, it’s not a decision you have to make. It’s the law in Lakeland that you must hire a structural engineer like ours for foundation repairs. Section 105.1 of the Florida building code states that a permit must be acquired for all foundation remediation work to assure that an engineer is overseeing the work. This means that all foundation repair in Lakeland must be overseen by a structural engineer like the ones on our team.

When you’re facing foundation issues and think you need repairs, it’s a good idea to learn the cost of basement foundation repair in Lakeland. Since prices vary due to each unique home situation, you won’t get an exact value, but an estimate can be helpful. The cost of foundation repair in Lakeland runs between $300 to over $19,000 with the average being around $4,181. While this cost takes into consideration, labor costs and the costs of materials, other fees may not be included. For instance, the costs of required permits and inspections aren’t included. Sales taxes for materials generally aren’t included in the quoted prices from our professional engineers.

While the cost of foundation repair may seem prohibitive, your entire home’s structure depends on the foundation. As the population increases and home values in the area go up, the condition of your home is more important than ever. The cost of foundation repair when damage is caught early is lower than recovering from serious damage and considerably better than the cost of losing your home. Foundation repair provides your home with a stronger structure, advanced protection from the issues that cause foundation damage, and increased property value.

Soil and the effects of water absorption in the soil are some of the most common reasons Lakeland property owners experience foundation damage. The entire state of Florida is built on bedrock made of mostly limestone. This type of rock dissolves easily in rainwater which becomes acidic as it seeps through the soil. The terrain this action leaves behind is called karst. When the topsoil on karst terrain sinks into these cavities, sinkholes form. It’s very likely that many of the lakes in Lakeland were initially large sinkholes that filled naturally with water over time. While karst terrain can be relatively stable for decades at a time, certain changes like increased moisture or drought can cause dramatic changes. Drought robs cavities of the groundwater that makes them stable. Conversely, excess rain can strain the soil and wash out cavities. Increased man-made developments like roads, driveways, and buildings affect the delicate water table of karst as well, leading to increased sinkhole activity.

Though it seems considerably less notable than sinkholes capable of draining a lake or swallowing your car, the general consistency of Lakeland’s sandy soil also contributes to foundation damage. While sandy soil can be relatively stable under consistent weather conditions and limited intervention, it’s easily affected by certain events in Lakeland. The sandy soil is more prone to erosion in lakeside areas. Additionally, sandy soil moves easily when it’s disturbed by excessive rains released by sudden thunderstorms. This makes the soil more susceptible to disappearing into the city’s many sinkholes. Shifting of sandy soils in Lakeland can cause uneven settling beneath the foundation of your home and result in foundation damage.

Ask our professional foundation technicians if you’re responsible for securing a building permit yourself. In most cases, we will take care of the permit process for you. Don’t let your Lakeland, Florida foundation continue to deteriorate, take care of the repairs that will keep your home’s structure intact.