Expert Foundation Repair Services In Boise, ID

Boise is one of the safest cities to live in, and all credits go to the state of Idaho, as it’s known to have one of the lowest crime rates in the country. One would argue that residents love this place, thanks to its ease of access to recreation. Boise is only minutes away from scenic mountains, rivers, ski hills, streams, and biking and hiking trails. No wonder home buying is among the most common single purchases most people make, with Boise real estate being barely 34 years old.

Speaking of homes, there’s no denying that foundation movement is prevalent in Boise, but what are the most common foundation issues in the city? Having assessed and repaired countless Boise homes over the years, here are the most recurrent complications that we observed in most structures:

• Basement floor cracks
• Sticking windows and doors
• Leaning or bowing walls
• Garage column cracks
• Wet or damp basements
• Nails popping out of the drywall
• Basement wall cracks
• Gaps around exterior doors or frames
• Gaps between the floor and wall or ceiling and wall
• Stagnated water in the yard after heavy rainfall
• Cracks in the ceiling
• Foundation setting, sinking, or moving
• Foundations cracks
• Tilting or leaning chimney

Please note that whereas specific issues like wet basements and foundation cracks become evident at early stages, others like ceiling cracks and tilting chimneys come later, when the problem worsens. All the same, the slightest signal of a foundation issue is a cause for alarm, and it’s highly advisable to reach out to a reliable repair company for immediate remediation.

When on a mission to discover the causes of foundation issues in your location, you should seek to find answers to the following questions:

• What type of soil is there around your home?
• What’s the soil’s moisture content?
• What’s the weather usually like in your area?
• Are there any tectonic or geothermal activities?
• What are the water drainage systems like?
• Is the area common with wide-spreading tree roots?
• What foundation construction techniques/materials are common in the area?

Having laid down the general criteria for determining the known causes of foundation problems, let us narrow them down to those that are specific to Boise city.

Soil-Related Issues

Soil erosion, shrinkage, and expansion are the three most prevalent soil-related issues causing foundation problems in Boise.

According to a soil survey report, the Boise area is abundant in loam soil, which mainly occurs in the hills of the south of Boise River and Mesas. Most surfaces comprise sandy loam, which goes 6 inches deeper, and are underlain by loam or clay loam at around 2 inches.

With its high loam and clay composition, the Boise soil expands easily when exposed to increased water concentration, especially during rainy seasons. The expansion exerts pressure on foundations, often leading to cracks, wet basements, bowing walls, among other issues. The sandy loam soil covering most surfaces is also poorly compacted, hence easily carried away (erosion) during wet seasons, leaving the foundation exposed and vulnerable. Finally, hot summers may also cause Boise soils to shrink, thus depriving the foundation of adequate support.

Unfriendly Weather Conditions

Boise winters aren’t that horrible, but they can still cause foundation issues in rare-case scenarios. Although snows, rains, and winds are nothing out of the ordinary, homeowners still need to brace themselves if everything goes south.

Perhaps the most likely cause for alarm is frost heaving that usually occurs during cold winter climates. Did you know that when water turns into ice, its volume increases by 9%? When this happens due to freezing temperatures, the ice presence causes the soil to swell upwards at a potent force – a condition better known as frost heaving. The resulting pressure against foundation walls can cause far-reaching damage like cracks, bowing/leaning walls, etc.

Previously, we provided an all-inclusive list of possible foundation damage signals that homeowners should look out for. Let us now consider the top five indicators, bearing in mind the specific causes of foundation problems in Boise, as discussed above.

Foundation or Exterior Cracks

Soil expansion, settlement, and frost heaving are largely notorious for this basement foundation damage sign. If you notice cracks or gaps in the foundation floor or basement wall, that’s a conspicuous indicator of a structural problem. Whereas it’s not uncommon for a foundation to sink or develop tiny cracks on the floor 2-3 years following construction, you should become extremely cautious and move with haste to correct the issue if you notice horizontal cracks in your exterior.

Uneven Floors

Does your floor look like it’s caving in or have uneven spots? The easiest way to find out is by pouring a bucket full of water on the floor and letting it settle. If it doesn’t spread evenly and has water gathering irregularly and around the walls, that’s a sign of a compromised foundation. Uneven floors may be due to soil expansion causing it to bulge or soil shrinkage that leaves spaces, resulting in a gravitational pull of the floor.

Bowing or Leaning Walls

If you notice your basement walls bowing or leaning, that’s most likely due to the hydrostatic pressure. When water from a heavy rainfall saturates the soil around your house, it expands and develops pressure, pushing the basement wall, causing it to bow or lean. This may also happen due to frost heaving, when the freezing temperature causes the surrounding soil to swell due to the presence of ice.

Musty Odors in the Basement

Musty odors in the basement usually signal mildew growth due to water leakage through the walls. In most instances, this usually results from plumbing complications, but in some cases, the moisture may be seeping through tiny cracks in the basement walls.

The city of Boise recently updated its building codes to suit the recommended climatic and geographic design criteria. Some of the codes that caught our attention in the updated list include:

• Homeowners are required to install ice barriers, especially those who live in areas where there has been a history of damage from the ice-damming effects.
• The frost line shall not exceed 24 inches in depth.
• In flood-ridden areas, repairs that require substantial improvements shall be done to resist the effects of flood loads and hazards.
• In case of snow damage, the affected structural areas shall be altered, replaced, or repaired to match the standards set in the International Building Code.
• If a building sustains substantial structural damage to the vertical elements of its lateral force-resisting system, it shall be restored to the pre-damage condition.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are countless other State of Idaho and City of Boise codes that homeowners need to comply with when designing, constructing, maintaining, and repairing their homes, to remain on the safe side of the law and uphold their safety. Do you need to hire a structural engineer to fix your foundation in Boise? You know you do.

A structural engineer is not only overly qualified to handle the fieldwork, but has also spent at least four years studying city-specific building and construction codes needed to ensure compliance. Besides the quality of work guarantee, you may also get an engineering report after your foundation repair, and it can come in handy in raising your property’s value, acquiring loans, or completing real estate transactions.

It is common knowledge that not all houses are similar in design, size, year of construction, the extent of damage, materials used, etc. Therefore, it would be so insincere of us to throw a random figure and claim that it’s the precise cost of basement foundation repair in Boise. We must look at the factors that affect the final price, such as the age of homes, any locally required permits, costs of materials, etc.

For instance, the median age of real estate in the Boise area is 34 years, and that’s considered virtually old, according to this Forbes article. Mixed in with adverse weather and soil-related issues, you can expect such old homes to have developed basement foundation problems that can compromise homeowners’ health and safety when left unrepaired.

When you contract a structural engineer to repair your foundation, they’ll conduct an in-depth assessment first to determine the exact extent of the damage, then give you a price quotation proportional to the input required. Roughly, though, Boise homeowners can expect to spend a minimum of $3,419 and a maximum of $5,888 to have their foundations professionally repaired.

It is also critical to note that the median cost of Boise homes is $303,100, having appreciated at a cumulative rate of 49.3% within the past ten years. So if you wish to purchase a house in the area, now is the time because, as it stands, the rates are expected to appreciate even further in the coming years.

As we alluded to earlier, Boise is primarily composed of loam and clay soils that are approximately 18-24 inches deep and covered with sandy loam soils on the surface. Loam is abundant in nutrients, and its texture enables it to retain water long enough to keep plants and vegetation hydrated. Still, it’s well-draining, meaning excess water eventually flows away in case of heavy rainfall.

The problem arises in areas with a high concentration of clay. The soil has a reputation for becoming waterlogged during wet seasons, thanks to its poor drainage properties. This leads to unpleasant issues such as soil expansion which exerts undue pressure foundation, causing settlement, cracking, wall bowing, etc.

Clay soil may also affect your foundation during the dry season as it shrinks, creating spaces beside and underneath the foundation. As a result, the foundation may sink, settle, form cracks, become uneven, etc. Last but not least, during windy and stormy seasons, the sandy loam topsoil may be easily swept away, weakening the foundation from the outside. The strong winds and storms may also dump the eroded topsoil in another homeowner’s foundation, exerting undue pressure that may cause issues.