Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 3/27/2009

Question
Hi there, my wife and I are first time homebuyers and we are currently looking at some houses on the market in our area. We live up in Regina Canada and alot of the homes we're encountering have basements where the walls have started to bow in. Now some of the properties we have looked at have had the steel I-beams put into the basement for bracing and we've been informed that this is the standard way to do things. What we haven't been able to find out is what is the durability of these beams, that is to say if something was braced 5 years ago (random timeframe) is it something that is going to need replacing in the next 5 years or once you add in those support beams are they pretty much good indefinitely? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Answer
Hi Ryan, you didn't say what the basement foundation is made of, poured concrete, masonry, wood framing..My first thought is that if a foundation is bowing then it has failed. You may be able to stop the bowing by adding some reinforcement. You mentioned steel beams.  But even if you add the reinforcement the foundation has already failed.  Why the foundation has failed is more important than how it has been repaired.  Generally speaking basement foundations fail from improper foundation drains, water is allowed to build up against the foundation wall and the hydrostatic pressure created and/or the water freezing and expanding, will put enough pressure to cause the wall to fail.  So buying a home with a bowed wall, even if it has received some kind of reinforcement, you are purchasing something that still may not be right unless the foundation perimeter has been dug up, the footing drain fixed or installed and what has caused the problem has been addressed.  I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com