Expert Foundation Repair Services In Las Vegas, NV

Foundation movement can affect any home, including those in Las Vegas. Foundation movement is commonly caused by changes in the ground under the home. Invasive trees and natural phenomena like earthquakes can damage the foundational structure. Fortunately, most homes in Las Vegas aren’t at high risk for these dangers. That means Las Vegas homes experience less foundation damage than homes in other areas of the United States. They are not immune, though.

Many of the homes in Las Vegas are built on a soil type that provides a solid base, especially when combined with post-tensioned slab foundations. This makes the houses a stable, safe, and solid structure. However, not all homes are so lucky. Some Las Vegas homes are built on expansive soil, which can greatly increase your risk of experiencing foundation movement and damage. Las Vegas foundations are also at risk of damage from earthquakes and flooding, both of which are relatively common in the area. Poor construction methods plague some homes, too, which leaves the foundation poorly made and unable to support the structure above it.

So your Las Vegas home could be at risk of foundation movement, depending on where, when, and how it was built.

There are many causes of foundation problems in Las Vegas, with the most common being changes in the ground around the foundation. Here are some of the most common causes we see when repairing Las Vegas foundations.

Expansive Soil

You’ll find expansive soil under some Las Vegas homes. Expansive soil expands when it’s wet and shrinks when it dries. Because of the changes in the size and structure of the soil, foundations built on this surface are in far more danger of experiencing foundation movement and damage. The changes in the soil can put extra pressure on the foundation, resulting in cracks and sloping. This issue is more common in certain areas of Las Vegas, especially the valley, where the homes aren’t built on the more solid caliche surface.

Invasive Tree Roots

There aren’t a lot of trees growing in the Nevada desert, but there are plenty growing around homes in Las Vegas. Homeowners like to plant trees in their yards, providing their gardens and homes with much-needed shade to beat the Nevada heat. Those trees can cause issues as they grow, though, especially if owners plant them too close to the foundation of the home or if they aren’t maintained properly. Trees looking for water can send powerful roots down into the earth, and these roots are strong enough to get into your foundation and damage it. Even worse, some trees send roots out so far that they can end up damaging your neighbor’s foundation, too.

Earthquakes

You might not associate Las Vegas with earthquakes, but Nevada is actually third on the list for states with the most seismic activity, coming in after California and Alaska. While bigger earthquakes are rare, they do happen. One in 2008 ended up damaging many structures in the Las Vegas area. When the earth shifts and moves during an earthquake, foundations have a tough time adapting to the fast changes. This can cause major damage to the foundation in a short amount of time.

Poor Construction

No area of the country is safe from this cause of foundation movement, unfortunately. If builders don’t take into account the unique needs of the Las Vegas soil, then homeowners are going to experience foundation issues later on. While the issues can include anything from using cheap materials to neglecting to follow safety standards, one of the most common issues is not compacting the base correctly. This means the builder didn’t grade the ground underneath the home properly. Then when they build on top of it, the ground compacts underneath and settles, moving the foundation.

Flooding

Las Vegas might be in the desert, but it’s no stranger to flooding. The dry ground around Las Vegas isn’t great at absorbing high quantities of water, so when we get a lot of rain, we get a lot of floods. This is especially common after a drought. Flooding can have a huge impact on foundations. First, it moves the ground around, causing shifts to the earth surrounding your foundation. This can create weaknesses. Flooding can also allow water to get into your already damaged foundation and widen the cracks, making minor foundation damage a much bigger issue.

You won’t find many basements in the Las Vegas area. Because of the compacted soil here, it’s incredibly time-consuming and expensive for builders to dig out a basement. Instead, most homes in the area are built on slabs. It’s important to look out for the below signs of damage to slab foundations, which are common in the area.

• Slanted floors or cracks in your walls
• Mold or mildew smells in your home
• Cracks in the slab surface or exterior of the slab
• Doors and windows in your home no longer opening or closing correctly
• Unexplained water damage or areas of dampness in the walls or floors

It’s not required, but it’s a good idea. After all, your foundation is one of the most important parts of your home. It provides a base for the rest of the structure and acts as a groundwater barrier. If it fails at either of those jobs, it can leave to a lot more problems with the rest of your home.

However, whether you need our structural engineers can depend on the severity of the foundation damage. If there are only minor cracks, this can be the result of natural settling over time and not an indication of a more serious issue. If you have large cracks or cracks that seem to be growing quickly, though, then you should consider hiring our structural engineers. They can do a more in-depth analysis of what’s causing the issues, how to stop them, and how to repair the existing damage.

Spending the money to hire our structural engineers is more than worth it. You’ll probably only spend around $500 if you hire ours for a foundation inspection. The cost will depend on the size of your foundation and whether you need additional services like drawing for repairs. Our structural engineer can offer you unbiased advice on the state of your foundation and the best method to repair it.

There are a lot of factors that can affect the cost of foundation repair, the biggest factor being the amount and type of damage. Repairs to small cracks can cost as little as $150. Major repairs can cost $10,000 or more. On average, though, you can expect a foundation repair to cost you around $5,000.

There are other things that can affect the price of the foundation repair:

• Leaks. Groundwater seeping into the foundation can create cracks and fissures. These can cause your home to slope or even sink. You can expect to pay a little more if you need additional waterproofing for your foundation.
• Bowing walls. Sometimes a shifting foundation can result in bowed walls, especially in the rare Las Vegas basements. If your walls need additional support and straightening, you can expect to pay extra for every section of the wall.
• Crumbling foundation. This is the repair type that will likely cost you the most, as it will require major rebuilding of the foundation itself. This is a sign that the foundation is breaking down and no longer supporting your home.

The cost of a foundation repair can be prohibitive for some homeowners, but be sure to check with your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if it will cover some of the expense. Some repairs are generally not covered, especially if caused by age or natural settings. If a natural event like a flood caused the damage, though, then there is a good chance your insurance will cover some expense of the repair work. You may also be able to borrow against the equity in your home to pay for the repairs.

Las Vegas soil can affect your foundation, though, for the most part, it creates a very solid building surface. The type of soil you’ll find under most Las Vegas homes is caliche. Caliche is dry sand particles, which compact to make a solid layer. However, this layer of sediment varies in size, shape, and thickness, so it can make an unpredictable building surface. If there is a thick deposit of caliche, it can act as a solid subsurface for a home. If there isn’t, or if the caliche under the building isn’t suitable for load-bearing, then the builder will have to remove it. This is where it can cause additional issues.

The removal of caliche soil can be time-consuming and expensive. It can also cause problems for other nearby homeowners. The removal of caliche under a property can end up weakening the structure of the neighboring homes, especially if their structure depended on the stability of the caliche there. Builders should perform tests to ensure the stability of the surrounding structures, but even then, issues can happen.

So while caliche is less problematic than expansive soil, it’s not without its issues. That’s why you’ll want to make sure you get a home inspection on every property you buy in Las Vegas and address signs of foundation damage as soon as possible.