Old Foundation Slightly Lower on One Side Is That a Problem?

[Troy Haslem]

Hi Everyone,

I’m checking out a small house for a possible remodel, and I noticed that the concrete foundation looks slightly lower on one side of the house. It’s not a huge drop, but enough that the floor inside feels a little off when you walk across it.

A local concrete contractor I spoke to said it might just be minor settling over time, but I’m not sure if something like this should be taken more seriously. I didn’t see any big cracks, but the uneven feel is definitely there.

Before planning anything major, I just want to understand if this kind of issue is something that would need to be fixed to meet current residential code, or if it’s considered okay unless it gets worse.

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Troy Haslem]

Hi Everyone,

I’m checking out a small house for a possible remodel, and I noticed that the concrete foundation looks slightly lower on one side of the house. It’s not a huge drop, but enough that the floor inside feels a little off when you walk across it.

A local concrete contractor I spoke to said it might just be minor settling over time, but I’m not sure if something like this should be taken more seriously. I didn’t see any big cracks, but the uneven feel is definitely there.

Before planning anything major, I just want to understand if this kind of issue is something that would need to be fixed to meet current residential code, or if it’s considered okay unless it gets worse.

Thanks for your suggestions!
Got some useful insights on a similar issue from these professionals: Concrete Company Ann Arbor MI

After taking a closer look, I noticed the door near that side of the house is slightly misaligned it sticks at the top corner and doesn’t close as smoothly as the others. I’m guessing the uneven foundation might be causing a bit of pressure or shift in the frame. Not sure if that kind of thing is common when there's only a slight slope, but it’s making me wonder if this could get worse over time or lead to other small structural issues.

 

[steveray]

How old is the house? If the settling has stopped it’s just crooked and you might be able to live with that or fix it…

 

[tmurray]

If the house is older, it likely is minor settlement and it shouldn't be a huge issue.

Does the house have a basement? if so, is there structural cracking on the side where there is settlement?

 

[jar546]

The age of the house is key here. If there is a basement, look there too. I've remodeled homes that had a 6" difference from adjacent corners. Old home settled. Sometimes they had a dirt basement with a wooden post in the center, which rotted over time, and the stairway of the house sank several inches. This is actually somewhat normal for older homes. If this is a newer home with a CMU foundation, I would be more suspicious. Get a laser level or water level and see just how far out it is.

 

[Joe.B]

 

[BN4537]

There is no way to know if the settling has truly stopped until it is too late.

We had an old house in our jurisdiction where the foundation settled, was fixed with piers on all exterior walls, everything was fine, and then the lot next door was demoed and they brought new dirt in an compacted everything next door. Suddenly, the middle bearing walls of the old house started sinking (like several inches in a few months), which the owner believes was caused by vibrations from the compaction going on at the lot next door.

So, even if it has stopped settling, you never know if something might happen and start it sinking again. It is unlikely that it stopped sinking because it hit something truly solid, more likely its just balanced on the brink of the capacity of the soil.

 

[tmurray]

To answer your question if anything extensive is required, the answer is it depends on the scope of your renovation.

Minor renovations you are allowed to maintain the previous level of performance, but extensive renovations require compliance to the current code. Extensive replacements include removal and erection of new interior and exterior walls, floors, and roofs. If this is being done, you need to meet the current structural requirements.

 

[Joe.B]

So, even if it has stopped settling, you never know if something might happen and start it sinking again.

Yeah, like an earthquake? We get those a lot. That's one of the first things you learn to do after an earthquake is check all the doors to make sure they operate. We were even taught to make sure to leave interior doors open whenever possible because they can get stuck shut if the house moves enough.