All Forum Posts by: Craig Tripp

@Xavier Stanish

Nothing wrong with doubling up the floor joist.  It’ll be as strong as the original was, and provide proper support.  

Main sill (beam) needs to be removed and replaced though as it is carrying weight of the walls and home.

But, it’s never just 1.  Make sure you look around at other joists, and figure out what caused the rot in the first place.

@Josh C.

God gave us expansive clay soil here.  It shrinks and swells a fair amount, some areas more so than others.

It doesn’t mean that every home will move, or if it has moved that it’s now a problem home. 

The most important consideration is the effect it has on functionality:

- can’t use your front door... probably want to fix that

- opened up a small crack in drywall in back bedroom and no bathroom around... wait and see for a while

@Andrew Smith

If the foundation has moved since you’ve been working on the flip (which coincides with the wettest fall, winter, and now first 10 days of May on record for much of TX) you may be out of luck, and must wait for it to dry on its own.

DFW has some of the highest PI soils around.  A long enough presence of water can cause a foundation to heave.  If it heaves, no contractor can make it come down... the soil must dry out, shrink in size, and allow the home to settle back to where you “finished” out the home.

Be careful getting an engineer involved, you could be paying for a report that says the home has moved outside of acceptable limits... then what do you do?

Put a tenant in it, adjust who you are marketing the house for (adjust the price down), or keep stalling as the summertime heat and drought are right around the corner. 

@James Hammett

Try the local BBB, or city of Austin code/permit office to see if they’re still registered, if you need confirmation.  The likelihood of them selling their warranty work to another company... you know the answer to that question.

@Lei Zhao

Only where needed.  The most important thing I do is determine the starting and stopping point for our piering.  Some houses need it all (and inside too) some just one area.

Goes back to finding and using a reputable company.  One that doesn’t make money on volume/quantity of piers installed, but on providing professional, honest, and accurate assessments.

I own a foundation repair company, so I don’t get scared off by those problems.  If anything I see them as opportunities for others because unfortunately there is often time fear about a home that has settled.  Take advantage of that and pursue the opportunity that others will not.

Can’t be stressed enough: find a reputable company.  There is no regulation in the foundation industry in the state of Texas.  Anyone with a shovel, wheelbarrow, and jack can declare themselves a professional foundation repairman.  When they get run out of town, the warranty won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on.

@David Woz

Congrats on the successful protest, that’s certainly a big win.

I’m gearing up for mine soon and have always benefited when coming in prepared and calm/collected.

@Matt M.

More often than not appraisal districts require estimates from companies to adjust the valuation.

Back in the day appraiser and property owner could take a swag at what cost might look like and agree on valuation.

If you know the property has issues that will favor you, invite them to the property.  I did that last year to show drainage problems, pool/pool deck/driveway failures, water intrusion inside, wood rot, original finishes on interior...  but ONLY do that if you KNOW it’s to your benefit... they’ll notice if you’re hiding corian countertops and pretty new tile floors inside.

Local BBB is always a good place to start

I recommend latex type to homeowners that live on expansive clay soil so movement in slab is reduced and doesn’t transfer/pop tile floors.  

(We drill deep, so no need to use latex if we have instead drilled 12 ft bell bottom piers to support and stabilize the foundation)