Cracks inside the concrete foundation slab? Cracks inside the corners of Windows? mining structure inspections ? It must be foundation problems, we'll remedy it for $25,000. That's what you'll hear from most Foundation repair companies. Most from the times, you'll not have foundation problems.
There are simple truths about building materials in addition to their behavior in construction that any honest and knowledgeable structural engineer knows, and this is among the secrets of understand potential foundation problems. For instance, concrete hardens after a while, since it hardens it shrinks thus cracking. Concrete has a tendency to expand and contract with temperatures changes which further causes cracking. This is commonly known as temperature and Shrinkage cracks - they've not even attempt to do with what everyone associates with foundation problems, which is mainly the inspiration shifting, moving up and down, on account of expansion or settlement with the soil.
What about Cracks inside ceramic tile? Tile is "glued" to the concrete slab, so any movement or crack that develops inside slab will also occur within the tile, including temperature and shrinkage cracks. Not because of foundation problems.

Cracks within the corners side and windows have become common, usually caused by the fabric itself, gypsum board, which mind you, is another concrete product, also it too cracks since it gets older. As it turns out, concrete doesn't like corners as the geometrical model of most usually creates stress concentration. Many residential and commercial foundations have chipped concrete right inside edges from the corners as this is this is the way concrete behaves, this is simply the material properties of concrete. With windows and doors you have also wind pushing up against the house, as well as with an above average structural engineer designing your home, probably in the end you develop a crack within the corner of windows and doors.
There's mining structure inspections enclosed joke among contractors and structural engineers and that is "the only thing we can easily guarantee is concrete will crack".
We're most certainly not suggesting that nobody has foundation problems but were stating that most from the problems homeowners think about as foundation complaints are in reality, not foundation problems. structural investigation mining means no structural problems. The fix for such non structural foundation problems is patching, and often there is not any fix, for example inside case of temperature and shrinkage cracks inside the foundation.
Therefore, it's important to choose a seasoned structural engineer, but a majority of importantly, a structural engineer that doesn't offer foundation repair services. A structural engineer who works for a company that gives foundation repairs comes with an enormous and inherent conflict appealing. Our experience is the fact that often times, these structural engineers treat everything as foundation problems this also could end up costing you several 1000s of dollars with the result that your foundation are not any better of computer originally was.
If you have doubts about your foundation, just engage a structural engineer that doesn't offer repair services. He'll perform a foundation inspection and will show you what problems, if any, your foundation has. Also, ensure you seek advice from any local board of professional engineers in order that the engineer you hire is in reality licensed to apply structural engineering.